Forget Floated Nylander Trade — Maple Leafs Can Land D-Man Another Way

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ success during William Nylander’s recent injury absence sparked some debate about whether they’re better without him and should look to trade the superstar winger in order to shore up other areas of the roster.

Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos pitched the idea of sending Nylander to Seattle for Brandon Montour and Jamie Oleksiak. That, of course, caused a stir online, because let’s be honest—if the Maple Leafs are looking to contend, they absolutely shouldn’t be trading Nylander. That said, Montour is extremely intriguing, so why not go after him in a separate deal?

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Chris Tanev’s injury—potentially season-ending—leaves a massive hole on the right side of Toronto’s defense, and there are very few players who would fill that void and fit the mold better than Montour. The Maple Leafs have gone after him in the past, and given the up-and-down nature of the Kraken, who knows what they’d be willing to do in a trade? Why not try to knock their socks off with an offer they can’t refuse?

The 31-year-old has tallied 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in 29 games played this season. He’s in year two of the seven-year, $50 million contract he signed to join the Kraken as a UFA in 2024.

What Would it Cost to Land Brandon Montour?

This is where the problem lies: the price to acquire Montour would likely be quite steep—assuming GM Jason Botterill would even be willing to entertain it.

If Toronto wanted any chance of landing the do-it-all defenseman, top prospects like Easton Cowan and/or Ben Danford would probably have to be included, along with draft capital and a contract or two to make the money work. While that might feel like too much to ask, it’s something Brad Treliving should be willing to do, because the window to win with Nylander and Auston Matthews is only getting smaller.

Montour could come in, handle big minutes alongside Jake McCabe, and run the top power-play unit in place of Morgan Rielly as a far more dangerous scoring threat from the point. Not to mention, he’s extremely difficult to match up against, known for playing with plenty of jam—something that shouldn’t come as a surprise, having been a Florida Panther for years.

It may be a pipe dream for the Maple Leafs to land Montour without breaking up part of their core. That said, almost every player in the NHL can be had for the right offer, and there are few—if any—right-shot defensemen who would be a better fit for Toronto’s needs.

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