The Toronto Maple Leafs are just days away from having Connor Dewar and Jani Hakanpää return to their NHL lineup, as both are currently on conditioning assignments with the AHL Marlies, where they will play two more games this weekend.
Assuming there are no setbacks after these games, both players will rejoin the Maple Leafs, who are currently at the maximum 23-man roster limit. General Manager Brad Treliving did gain some salary cap flexibility last week by trading Timothy Liljegren to the San Jose Sharks for Matt Benning, but this does not resolve all of the team’s roster challenges. With Dewar and Hakanpää expected to be included in the roster, Treliving will need to make room for them by moving a couple of players. A straightforward solution would be to place newly acquired Benning and Philippe Myers on waivers, intending for them to clear and join the Marlies. While it’s likely Myers will go unclaimed, there may be a team interested in taking a chance on Benning.
It’s uncertain when Calle Järnkrok will return, but his comeback will complicate the roster situation since the team will need to move another player.
The question is who should general manager Brad Treliving consider trading.
Nicholas Robertson
The 23-year-old Nicholas Robertson was the subject of trade rumors last summer after he requested a trade while unsigned. After signing a contract, he attended camp and led the team in preseason goals. However, since the start of the season, he has scored only once and has been a healthy scratch, though he has also played well at times and boasts strong on-ice statistics. The Leafs have been winning when Robertson is on the ice, and he has a positive expected goals percentage, along with nearly 55% puck possession. Robertson performs best when paired with players who can set him up, but he hasn’t had that chance since the regular season began.
Adam Proteau from the Hockey News suggested trading him to the Colorado Avalanche, but that idea seems far-fetched. Robertson currently has minimal trade value, and his cap hit wouldn’t provide any financial relief for the Leafs if he were traded. Keeping him to see if he can find his footing has no real downside, while trading him offers little benefit. Whether he scores from the third line or pushes another scoring winger down the lineup, a successful Nick Robertson represents the easiest and most promising route for the Leafs to achieve sustainable depth scoring.
Other Moves
David Kämpf, a Czech-born player, might be a candidate for trade due to his $2.4 million cap hit as a fourth-line center. While Kämpf hasn’t been poor, his lack of goals and only two assists make it hard to justify that salary. Calle Järnkrok, with a cap hit of $2.1 million, is redundant on the current roster. He could potentially take over Nick Robertson’s or Bobby McMann’s role, but that would only worsen the Leafs’ already concerning depth scoring. Ryan Reaves could also be a candidate for release since he hasn’t demonstrated NHL-level performance. With a salary of over $1 million, his removal would clear some cap space and a roster spot. Max Domi, making $3.75 million, has not scored any goals and has just six points in 15 games, along with an expected goals rate below 50%. If he doesn’t start producing, he could be an appealing trade option and would result in significant cap savings.
Ultimately, there’s always the possibility of an unforeseen blockbuster trade. The Leafs, with only two top-nine NHL centers on their roster, are not yet prepared for the playoffs. It’s clear they need to improve in some areas, so while the most probable move might be a minor one aimed at clearing cap space and a roster spot, a larger trade could be on the horizon.
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