Alberga’s Take: The Leafs should take a run at trying to acquire Jacob Trouba

If Jacob Trouba’s in fact out there on the trade market, there’s no question that the Maple Leafs should at the very least place a call on the Rangers captain.

Even though Trouba’s play has dipped in recent seasons, there’s no question that he’s exactly the type of player that the Leafs should be looking to add on the blue line.

He’s tough, he’s gritty, and quite frankly, he’s borderline cheap. Simply put, if Brad Treliving had a checklist of what he’s currently seeking on the back end, Trouba would fit the bill to a tee.

According to multiple reports, the 30-year-old right handed shooting defender, who has two years left on his deal at $8 million per season, is undoubtedly out there on the trade market right now.

He’s available. Plain and simple.

Over the next few days, the Leafs will be linked to a variety of different names – including Chris Tanev – and on paper, as mentioned, Trouba would make a lot of sense.

Seriously, imagine a potential d-pairing of Morgan Rielly and Jacob Trouba?

At this point, it’s uncertain what the Rangers would be looking for in a potential return package. In an attempt to bolster their rosters, New York’s been busy lately trying to shed some salary. They put Barclay Goodrow on waivers last week, and now, Trouba’s name is out there on the trade market.

If the Leafs take a run at trying to acquire the American, it would make a lot of sense for them to request some possible salary retention in the deal. Furthermore, getting Trouba at a reduced rate – similar to what they did last year when they acquired Jake McCabe from Chicago at the trade deadline – could prove to be a wise route to go. Even though the Maple Leafs have cap space at their disposal, they need to be efficient with it. At any rate, there’s certainly a pathway where they could potentially execute a value buy here. They need to look into it.

It would be a calculated risk, but indisputably, the pros outweigh the cons. Most importantly, Trouba’s hard to play against, and in a postseason setting, he’s exactly the type of player that management is yearning to bring in. On top of that, he’s a leader, and you can never have enough of those.

It’s time to cook, Brad Treliving.