With the Toronto Maple Leafs dealing with an increasing number of injuries and a suspension, the team is reportedly one of several organizations looking to acquire a center to strengthen their depth in that position, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
In his latest “32 Thoughts” column published on Thursday, Friedman noted that the Toronto Maple Leafs are among the teams interested in strengthening their center depth, alongside teams like the Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators, who are already looking to make moves in this area. Friedman stated, “The teams actively pursuing centers now — including Chicago and Nashville — need to consider when other teams enter the market. Toronto will definitely be one of those teams.” While the Blackhawks and Predators currently have “a greater willingness to make moves” and the necessary assets to do so, the Leafs should not be overlooked in this discussion. He added, “The Blackhawks and Predators have the advantage of having more cap space and higher draft picks to trade, as well as a stronger motivation to act at this moment. However, as the season progresses and cap-constrained teams seek to create space, the competition will intensify.”
Toronto is facing a roster crunch, with as many as seven forwards possibly out due to injuries or suspensions. Ryan Reaves is currently serving a five-game suspension, while Matthew Knies is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body issue. Auston Matthews (upper body), Calle Jarnkrok (groin/sports hernia), David Kampf (lower body), Max Domi (lower body), and Max Pacioretty (lower body) are all also unavailable. This growing list of injuries has created a significant void in the Leafs’ center position, which the team has considered filling with Mitch Marner if necessary.
While a short-term fix may involve moving players like Marner, Toronto still confronts the long-term issue of filling the gap at center. With injuries accumulating and depth becoming increasingly important, the necessity for a dependable center is evident—and has been for some time. On Wednesday, James Mirtle from The Athletic discussed potential trade targets for the Leafs, mentioning several familiar names. One possibility is Ryan O’Reilly, a former Maple Leafs forward now playing with the Predators. Despite signing a four-year, $18 million contract with Nashville in 2023, the Predators’ poor performance, currently sitting in 31st place with a 6-11-3 record, might lead them to consider a retool if things don’t improve. O’Reilly could become a key trade target, though the asking price is likely to be high. However, as Mirtle points out, the intricacies of such a deal are complicated, especially considering O’Reilly previously declined the Leafs’ offer just under two years ago during free agency, making a successful trade challenging.
In addition to discussing former Maple Leaf Nazem Kadri, Mirtle highlighted several other potential fits for Toronto, including Mikael Granlund, Nick Bjugstad, Brock Nelson, Yanni Gourde, Trent Frederic, Radek Faksa, and Sean Kuraly—some of whom are more likely fits than others based on their cost. As the team seeks to address their lineup needs for the long term, it appears that general manager Brad Treliving will be keeping a close eye on the market. While it remains unclear if the Leafs will make a new addition, it’s expected that they will be active in pursuing the right player to enhance their depth in the center position.
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