You’re probably clicking on this article thinking, “The Leafs need a centre, what’s the point of this article?”, and I get it. There is no scenario where the Toronto Maple Leafs should be heading into the playoffs with Max Domi up the middle behind Auston Matthews and John Tavares, so trading for a centre who can beef up their depth there is rightfully priority number one heading into Friday’s NHL Trade Deadline.

That being said, the ‘term’ part is what I’m unsure of. The Leafs have Fraser Minten, who looked eons more comfortable in the NHL during his short stint this season compared to last year, and although his name has been floated as a potential trade chip, it seems like the Leafs would prefer to keep him if they can. He would be a cheap option in their bottom six, and his offensive instincts have greatly improved in the past season, which pairs well with his already advanced defensive game. That said, I do appreciate why Brad Treliving would prefer to bring somebody in who could contribute to more than one playoff run.

Let’s also keep in mind that while a centre with two-way instincts is what the Leafs are likely after, they also have a need to improve their depth scoring, and if there’s an opportunity to add a top-six winger with flare and bump somebody like Bobby McMann down to the third line, they’ll be considering it just as much. It’s worth noting that some of these players have modified no-trade clauses, but none have more than ten teams.

With this angle in mind, let’s take a look at some wingers with term the Leafs could use in their middle six, ranked in no particular order.

If not for some last-minute tea surrounding St. Louis Blues captain Brayden Schenn, Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Laughton is probably the number one name that’s been connected to the Leafs this season. His gritty playstyle, combined with some sneaky goal-scoring ability, makes him an attractive target for a team looking to beef up their depth. And then there’s the fact that he’s from the Greater Toronto Area, which seems like a given for targets this time of year.

Funny enough, Laughton has been floated as a target for their third-line centre need, but he’s spent more time on the wing in Philadelphia this season and has less-than-inspiring faceoff numbers, which is why he’s on this lift. He has 11 goals and 27 points in 59 games, logs more penalty kill minutes than any forward on the Flyers, and it’s even been hinted that he would love the opportunity to suit up for his hometown team. He may not be the top target among fans, but with one year remaining at $3 million on his deal, you can expect his name to be connected to Toronto until the very end.

Oliver Bjorkstrand is an interesting candidate and one that probably wouldn’t come in at much of a cheap price, but he would be worth the gamble. The Seattle Kraken forward has 16 goals and 37 points in 61 games this year, and he’s coming off of a 20-goal, 59-point season, which was a new career high for him. He wouldn’t bring the same grittiness and two-way play that Laughton does, but he would do wonders in helping address the issue of scoring in the playoffs. It’s a small sample, but in his one playoff run with the Kraken in 2022-23, he tallied four goals and four assists for eight points in 14 games.

He comes at a price of $5.4 million with one year remaining on his deal after last season, so if he’s the guy the Leafs pull the trigger on this week, he’ll more than likely be their top addition. There would likely have to be salary retention involved, potentially with a third party, and it likely wouldn’t be a cheap acquisition. But, simply put, he’s the type of player you shell out a first-round pick for, especially if you’re getting two playoff runs out of him.  The Leafs also have a history of trading with the Kraken at the deadline, which can only help their case.

Leafs fans got an up-close-and-personal look at Rickard Rakell when he scored two goals against them in Sunday’s win over the Penguins. If you remember Rakell’s first connection to the Leafs, you’ll know why it’s a little bit of a sticking point in conversations. He was drafted by the Anaheim Ducks at the end of the 2011 NHL Draft, one of two picks acquired by the Leafs in exchange for the pick that was used to select draft bust Tyler Biggs. The other pick that was shipped out in that trade turned into goaltender John Gibson.

I’ll be the first to admit that this one is a little bit of a pipe dream, so I wouldn’t get my hopes up. On the other hand, was anybody expecting Mikko Rantanen to be traded mid-season? Sure, he’s a pending UFA, but it goes to show that the general rule of the trade deadline is not to think you know how exactly it’s going to go. Rakell comes in making $5 million annually and has three years left on his deal after this season, and he’s also brought more to the table offensively than Bjorkstrand has, with 29 goals and 53 points in 63 games. That’s a legitimate top-six winger, and although it might be a hefty price to pay, it’s hard to imagine former Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas and his Pittsburgh Penguins aren’t listening on offers to anybody not named Sidney Crosby.

Another player who’s a little bit of a pipe dream but somebody that makes too much sense as a fit, Alex Tuch has been a Buffalo Sabre for the past four years and is probably chomping at the bit to get back onto a playoff team. Now, would the Sabres be willing to trade a foundational piece of their offence to a divisional rival? They’re probably not super warm to the idea, but the Sabres are also going on year 14 without any playoff appearances with no signs of immediate improvement, so they may be willing to take the risk, considering Tuch only has one year left.

He’s making $4.75 million this season and next, and he has 23 goals and 47 points in 60 games, so he would be an extremely affordable top-six power forward to bring into the fold and would be an exceptional complement to either Matthews and Mitch Marner or Tavares and William Nylander. He’s not the bone-shaking hits kind of physical, but his size (6-foot-4, 219 pounds) makes him a tough task to move off of the puck or clear out in front of the net.

This one is the definition of buy low and hope for rewards. It’s probably not the type of deal the Leafs want to be investing in, but if the Leafs can get a rejuvenated Lawson Crouse, who only has one playoff run in nine years of NHL hockey, they’d be adding an excellent power forward to their middle six. He’s struggled offensively this season, with a measly nine goals and 13 points in 60 games, but he scored 20 goals or more three years in a row heading into this season, so you know the ability is there.

If the Leafs want to get all of their forward shopping done in one go, a deal for Crouse and centre Jack McBain would be ideal. Both players come at a cheap cost, both hail from Toronto, and both are absolute menaces to play against, leading their team in hits with 209 for McBain and 130 for Crouse. The latter’s contract is where the risk factor comes in, with a cap hit of $4.3 million for two years after this season, but we’ve seen in the past what pulling a struggling player off of a non-playoff team and putting him on a contender can do for their confidence (see Jake McCabe).

You can read Daily Faceoff’s full trade board here.

Get ready, hockey fans! The Daily Faceoff Deadline is happening on March 7th from 11 AM to 4 PM Eastern, and you won’t want to miss it. We’ll be LIVE, breaking down every trade and big move as it happens, with instant reactions and expert analysis from the Daily Faceoff crew. Plus, we’ve got special guests lined up throughout the show, offering exclusive insights from some of the biggest names in the game. From blockbuster trades to surprise moves, we’re covering it all. Tune in to the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and follow Daily Faceoff socials on March 7th to catch all the action!