Who Could the Toronto Maple Leafs Target at the Trade Deadline?

The Toronto Maple Leafs are coming off a 3-1 win over the Seattle Kraken last night and will play the Vancouver Canucks tomorrow night. They are looking to complete a four-game road trip sweep before the Four Nations Faceoff. Earlier today on 32 thoughts Elliotte Friedman talked about who the Maple Leafs could be going after at the trade deadline. He mentioned it’ll be a combination of how much they like the player and what the cost may be. He hints that they could be looking at a second center. The one issue is they don’t have a first-round pick this season and with next season’s draft expected to be better they don’t want to move next year’s first-round pick, so they could look to move a prospect.

Some names to watch are Dylan Cozens in Buffalo who the Maple Leafs have reportedly been interested in but the Sabres would likely want a player in their 20’s. Another two names to watch for the Leafs would be someone like Ryan O’Reilly from Nashville or even Brock Nelson from the New York Islanders.

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Dylan Cozens

Cozens is in his fifth season and to this point has played in 333 career games. He’s recorded 192 points on 76 goals and 116 assists. This season he’s played in 53 games recording 26 points on ten goals and 16 assists. I see Cozens as one of the least likely of the three for Toronto to acquire.

Ryan O’Reilly

O’Reilly is in his 16^th season playing in 1,122 games recording 801 points on 296 goals and 505 assists. He previously played in Toronto in 2022-23 so he has familiarity with the organization. This season in 49 games he has 30 points on 14 goals and 16 assists. O’Reilly previously won a Stanley Cup which came in 2018-19 with the St. Louis Blues. He also brings a 55.7 career faceoff percentage. This season that faceoff percentage is up to 56.2. Things haven’t gone well this season in Nashville and O’Reilly’s name has been thrown around quite a bit.

Brock Nelson

Nelson is in his 12^th season having played his whole career with the Islanders. In 893 career games, he has 564 points on 291 goals and 273 assists. This season in 53 games he has 33 points on 16 goals and 17 assists. He’s only two years removed from the best season of his career in which he played in all 82 games recording 75 points on 36 goals and 39 assists. He could benefit from a change in scenery and Toronto just may be the spot.