Countdown to TradeCentre: Time for Maple Leafs to go all-in?
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The NHL's March 7 Trade Deadline is approaching, and teams are making decisions on whether to buy or sell, and on which players can make the biggest difference and hold the greatest value. Check out today's trade rumours and speculation from around the NHL beat.
Should the Leafs load up?
Jonas Siegel of The Athletic implores the Toronto Maple Leafs to get bold and make a major addition to their roster in order to boost their playoff hopes.
Among his arguments, Siegel notes that the recent Stanley Cup champions have paid steep prices at the trade deadline and been rewarded for it. He also argues that the depth adds the Maple Leafs opted for last year were not enough to propel the team past the first round once again.
Among the team's wishlist, Siegel writes, should be a centre and a top-four defenceman with a right-handed shot. He lists former Maple Leaf Ryan O'Reilly as a potential target at centre and Colton Parayko, Luke Schenn - another former Maple Leaf twice over - and pending unrestricted free agent David Savard as options on defence.
O'Reilly has 14 goals and 34 points in 51 games with the struggling Nashville Predators this season and is under contract through the 2026-27 season at a cap hit of $4.5 million.
The 34-year-old centre contributed three goals and nine points in 11 playoff games with the Maple Leafs after being acquired at the deadline in 2023, helping the team reach the second round for the first time since 2004.
The price for O'Reilly could rise as high as a first-round pick and a prospect such as Fraser Minten in order to entice the Predators to move him, Siegel writes.
Parayko is under contract through the 2029-30 season at a cap hit of $6.5 million. The 31-year-old blueliner has 12 goals and 29 points in 55 games this season and is currently playing for Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Schenn, who was drafted by the Maple Leafs in 2008 and also brought in at the 2023 trade deadline, has one goal and four points in 53 games with the Predators this season. Signed at a cap hit of $2.75 million through next season, Schenn is averaging 15:22 of ice time this season.
Savard, 34, has one goal and 11 points in 50 games with the rival Montreal Canadiens this season. He carries a cap hit of $3.5 million on his expiring contract and is averaging 17:45 of ice time this season.
Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving has a history of focusing on adding depth at the deadline dating back to his tenure with the Calgary Flames. Siegel writes, however, that with the Maple Leafs potentially headed for a crossroads this summer with Mitch Marner and John Tavares slated for unrestricted free agency and their once young core entering their late 20s, the time is now for the Maple Leafs to go all-in.
Ducks ready for a step forward?
Andrew Knoll of the Orange County Register believes the Anaheim Ducks have showed enough promise this season that the team will not be in a position to purely sell at the deadline.
Knoll writes that pending unrestricted free agents such as forward Robby Fabbri and defenceman Brian Dumoulin could be shipped out, but doubts that general manager Pat Verbeek will rush to trade either Trevor Zegras or John Gibson, both who have long been in the rumour mill, unless his high asking price is met.
Anaheim sits nine points back of the Vancouver Canucks for the final wild-card spot with one game in hand as the league remains on pause. The team went 6-3-1 in their past 10 games to rise in the standings.
The Ducks made a one big add already this season in brining in Jacob Trouba from the New York Rangers, moving out veteran Cam Fowler just eight days later. Knoll writes that adding a top-four defenceman and a top-six forward, both with right shots, was on the priority list for Verbeek this season and he's checked one box in Trouba.
Should the team hold off trying to complete that wish list over the next month, Knoll expects the Ducks will be a team to watch this summer with cap space and momentum to take a step forward in 2025-26.
Time for the Habs to make a deal?
TSN 690's Sean Campbell and Mitch Gallo discussed Tuesday whether or not the Montreal Canadiens should make a deal before the return to play and if Montreal's players are higher value now or later.
Among the arguments for making a deal now include jumping the market on becoming a seller and avoiding injury risk among the pending unrestricted free agents.
The Canadiens are six points back of the final wild-card spot as play gets set to resume on Saturday, but limped into the 4 Nations break with just two wins in their last nine games.
Watch Campbell and Gallo's full breakdown below: