NHL Trade Deadline Approaching: Can the Leafs afford big moves at the deadline?

It is officially the midway point of the season which means the NHL Trade Deadline is inching closer. 

With the Leafs currently sitting third in the Atlantic Division, they will certainly look to make some additions to strengthen the roster to solidify a playoff spot. 

However, there has been an increase in dialogue regarding whether or not the Leafs should go all in, because they haven’t looked dangerous at all this year. The team is very close to being on the outside of a playoff picture, which is far from ideal considering the season Auston Matthews has been having. 

It is no secret that the team needs to make adjustments, but should they go all in?

General Manager Brad Treliving has made it clear that prospects Dennis Hildeby, Easton Cowan, and Fraser Minten are off the table when it comes to dealing with prospects. The Leafs also have very few draft picks to gamble with due to Kyle Dubas seemingly throwing away a handful of picks year after year. With that being said, Treliving must refrain from trading away any more first-round picks which is a difficult task considering the asking prices of teams around the league. 

Let’s look at some of the players the Leafs are interested in and whether or not they can meet the asking price. 

Chris Tanev (RD)

The Leafs have been interested in Chris Tanev for quite some time now due to his presence on the blue line, which is something the Leafs are in desperate need of. The Calgary Flames will also likely have a large price tag because they are well aware of the long list of teams who are interested in Tanev ahead of the deadline. The question is not whether or not the Leafs can afford him but whether or not they be should willing to trade a first-round draft pick is the question. The team has not looked like Stanley Cup Champions all year which causes some doubts when thinking about moving another first-round pick. 

Sean Monahan (C)

Sean Monahan is the perfect fit for the Leafs bottom. Monahan could plug into the third unit and take over the center position, moving Domi to the wing. Monahan has had a great bounce-back campaign producing 31 points in 46 games. He would provide much more consistent offense in the bottom-6 and would fit well alongside Max Domi and Calle Järnkrok as a great two-way line. According to Frank Servalli, the Canadiens could ask for a first-round pick in return however I do not see that playing out. I doubt any team would be willing to move a first-round pick for Monahan, due to his injury history. I understand he is still 29, however there are much better options on the market that would cost the same. I predict a second or third-round pick being sent in return for Monahan alongside two prospects. This is a player the Leafs should look into if the asking price makes sense. 

Jake Allen (G)

Another Montreal Canadien the Leafs have had ties to is goaltender Jake Allen. With Sam Montembeault and Cayden Primeau taking the reigns in net for the Canadiens, Allen is the odd man out and is likely to be moved ahead of the deadline. The Leafs have had serious issues finding consistency in the net this year, which has led to a lot of speculation surrounding a potential trade for Jake Allen. Due to the demand for goaltending across several top teams including the Edmonton Oilers, New Jersey Devils, Colorado Avalanche, and Carolina Hurricanes, the asking price for a reliable goaltender is as high as it has ever been. As poor as the goaltending has been at times for the Leafs, they simply can not afford one due to the price on the market meaning they have to trust in what they have and hope their young netminder Joseph Woll can return from injury, and seemingly carry this team to success. 

Adam Henrique (C/LW)

It seems as though the Anaheim Ducks are looking at trading veteran forward Adam Henrique as they shift toward building a young roster for future years. Henrique is a valuable player that can contribute anywhere in the lineup. He could potentially fill a bottom-six role in Toronto to help provide some much-needed offense from the third line. Henrique could fill a similar role as O’Reilly last year, which would be providing a leadership voice, winning key face-offs, and providing secondary offense. Henrique is in the final year of his $5.82 million contract which means Anahiem would likely have to retain some of his salary since many teams can not afford that cap hit. I think the bid for Henrique starts at a second-round pick, meaning he is a viable option for the Leafs and is a safe bet when looking at the price tag. 

Sean Walker (RD)

Sean Walker is one name that has floated around all season long as potential trade bait for the Philadelphia Flyers. Walker is a 29-year-old right-handed defenceman who the team acquired in a trade involving Ivan Provorov. With the team recently acquired Jamie Drysdale speculations have once again grown surrounding a potential trade involving the defenceman. It does not make sense for the Flyers to trade Walker which is why I do not see him as an option for the Leafs. Another name that has floated around is Nick Seeler, who again would be an ideal target for the Leafs depending on whether or not he is truly on the trade block. If either player is available, I would not be surprised if Treliving got involved in trade talks. 
Other players to keep an eye on: Mario Ferraro – SJS (LD), Alexander Carrier – NSH (RD), Kevin Leblanc – SJS (LW/RW), Tyler Johnson – CHI (C/RW), David Savard – MTL (RD), Alex Wennberg – SEA (C).

All images are retrieved from Sportsnet