Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs Compiling List of Centers Ahead of Trade Deadline

The Toronto Maple Leafs are believed to be making a list of centers they want to target in the trade market. Who is on that list?

by
NHL Trade Talk
December 16, 2024

The Toronto Maple Leafs, like many teams looking to improve up the middle, are reportedly looking to bolster their roster for a playoff run. According to multiple reports, including one from The Fourth Period, General Manager Brad Treliving and his staff are actively exploring options to address what they feel is the lack of a solid second-line center.

This is reportedly something they’ve identified as a problem since training camp. However, with limited cap space, there weren’t many options available to them. Even today, the report notes that a move will require the Leafs to get creative.

The NHL is about to hit its holiday roster freeze, which begins on December 20. It appears unlikely Toronto will do anything before then, but reports are they are compiling a list of potential targets for later in the season.

Who Might Be on the Maple Leafs Trade List?

One name that has surfaced is New York Islanders center Brock Nelson. The 33-year-old is in the final year of a six-year, $36 million contract and is eligible for unrestricted free agency this summer. It’s not clear what Lou Lamoriello intends to do with his roster, but the Islanders are a team that has a history of making a move out of nowhere.

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Nelson’s strong two-way play and offensive capabilities make him an appealing fit, but his 16-team no-trade clause and the Islanders’ playoff ambitions could complicate any deal.

NHL insider Darren Dreger believes that Toronto is also going to focus on getting a third-line center. Dreger mentioned the idea during the Maple Leafs vs. Sabres game, where Max Domi finally got his first goal of the season. “I suspect Brad Treliving will work hard to acquire a third-line center,” he noted.

Along with their cap space issues, Toronto lacks a wealth of interesting trade assets. They do have prospects that the Islanders or another team might ask about, but not many players the Leafs are willing to part with. So too, having traded its 2025 first-round pick to Chicago last season, the team lacks significant draft capital to leverage.

The question becomes, what can the Leafs acquire with their second and third-round picks in 2025 and first-round selections in future years?

Next: Kings and Flyers Engaged in Trade Talks, Says Seravalli