Reports: Leafs could have interest in Burmistrov

The Winnipeg Jets have had a strained relationship with Alexander Burmistrov, the organization’s 2010 first-round pick, but with some chatter around his potential return to North America, his name is now being tossed around as the trade deadline approaches. With the Leafs and Jets rumored to be connected on a trade involving Daniel Winnik for a while now, Burmistrov could be a target for Toronto as a sort of reclamation project, and it’s a move TSN’s Darren Dreger believes they would be interested in.

Dreger joined Leafs Breakfast this morning and, on the topic of Winnik, had a couple things to say.

Regarding if Winnik could be dealt before the Leafs play again (this Thursday):

On a potential Burmistrov deal and his return to the NHL:

It’s easy to fall into the trap of seeing Burmistrov as a prospect, but the reality is he’s 23-years old and hasn’t really put up impressive production at any pro level, which brings up questions about his ability to play in a top-six role. However, given the low price of a cheap rental in Winnik, this is the type of move that might make sense. The risk is minimal on both sides.

If this sort of move goes down, I could probably see a pick swap with conditions based on the number of games Burmistrov appears in next season.

It seems the trade winds have steered clear of Joffrey Lupul’s name so far, likely given his injured status, but upon his return Saturday night that appears to have changed. 

It’s difficult to pinpoint a trade partner in this case, as Lupul still has three years left on his deal with a 5.25M cap number, but he does fill a need for a contender looking for scoring on the wing.