Grains of salt are required in abundance anytime a trade bait board/list/matrix/etc are published. There is always a possibility that any player can be traded and I fully acknowledge that the insiders making these lists have certainly heard these names mentioned more than most, whether that is in a “testing the waters situation” or in a full-blown “for sale” strategy.

That brings us to Nick Kypreos’ trade board, which features a number of interesting players to consider for the Maple Leafs. While there are enticing rental options, the focus for the Leafs should be leaning toward the players with term who may be available and the reasoning is fairly simple.

Generally, what is dealt by buying clubs at the trade deadline will be draft picks. The Leafs have and will likely continue to be drafting at the bottom of each round. The Maple Leafs first-round pick is typically in the early 20s coinciding with the teams that exit in the first two rounds of the playoffs and aren’t at the level where they are competing for the President’s Trophy. Given that the goal is for the Leafs’ draft picks to actually get worse, the baseline of already having a less desirable draft pick should encourage the Leafs to consider some of the interesting options on Kypreos’ list with term like:

It is also a chance to bring in rental players that would be worth considering re-signing and making a case for them as a fit in the roster early. Players like:

Any of the players listed above are likely to outperform the futures that teams will ask for in exchange for them. And worrying about giving up a late first-round pick so you can possibly draft the next Rasmus Andersson when you can just go out and bring him in today seems silly.

The normal trade-off that would put value on bringing in entry-level players in time over going with veterans would come in the potential savings of entry-level contracts and restrict free agency year contracts compared to highest earning potential options like Kadri. The need for cap savings by having entry-level players step into the lineup and fill roles is eroding somewhat. Someone like Fraser Minten showing that they can provide value is still something the Leafs need and is partially what can allow for the Leafs potentially being more aggressive on expensive players in trade, but as the salary cap continues to inflate, and has the potential for a massive spike this offseason, accumulating quality known players has a benefit over cheap mystery boxes full of potential.

There is also the long-term benefit of knowing that as you head into the offseason where teams have a lot more cap flexibility, the opportunity to find similar players to someone like Kadri at the $7M price might be difficult. Even if Kadri’s contract doesn’t look great today, when a team is potentially offering $9M to Brock Nelson, the Kadri deal will look more palatable. And frankly bringing in Rasmus Andersson for less than $5M will be an outright steal for someone and worth considering even if defence isn’t looked at as a priority area for addressing.

Even with the pending unrestricted free agents, the combination of rental players with having an exclusive negotiating window and the opportunity to offer an 8th year of a contract seems like it is worth more than prospects or picks at the moment.

The NHL trade market looks to be uncertain and potentially the players are going to be undervalued compared to the futures teams are seeking in return. For the Maple Leafs, who are long overdue for moves that put them over the top, it seems like the perfect time to go big and mortgage the future a little. It is also potentially a safer bet than it has previously been as the Leafs would still potentially have reasonably priced assets to unload to recoup some of their losses.

The time is right for going big as it no longer looks like just a short-term move, but a move that can benefit the Leafs throughout their Auston Matthews window.

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