The Toronto Maple Leafs are likely to add a centerman ahead of the trade deadline and they are now linked to a center from a rival.
Toronto has been linked to several forwards and now The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel and Chris Johnston have linked them to Boston Bruins center Charlie Coyle. Siegel ranked Coyle as the fifth-best center option for Toronto to acquire.
“Coyle should probably be higher. He’s exactly what the Leafs need. Matchup center? Check. When the Bruins face the Leafs, they turn to Coyle for the Matthews matchup,” Siegel wrote. “Another center who can provide some offense? Check. Though he’s having a down year offensively this season, Coyle averaged 19 goals and about 50 points in the previous three seasons. Under team control beyond this season at a reasonable price ($5.25 million cap hit)? Check.
“The problem? The Bruins don’t have to trade Coyle and probably won’t unless they’re bowled over with an offer, especially to a division rival. Coyle also has a no-movement clause in his contract, giving him veto power over any deal. Bruins president Cam Neely did suggest recently that his team might have to consider a retool, so if you’re the Leafs it’s worth a call,” Siegel added.
As Siegel writes, it’s uncertain if Boston would be looking to trade him. He’s in the fifth year of his six-year $31.5 million deal.
Coyle has skated in 48 games recording 12 goals and 6 assists for 18 points. The 32-year-old could be Toronto’s third-line center and serve as insurance should John Tavares leave in free agency.
Insider Believes Coyle Move Makes Sense for Maple Leafs
After Siegel suggested Toronto should trade for Coyle, Johnston admitted he wasn’t sure it was a fit.
However, after digging through it more, Johnston believes Coyle to the Maple Leafs makes a lot of sense for Toronto.
“Full disclosure — I really wrestled with this one. As much as I want to call the concept far-fetched, the Bruins senior leadership has openly discussed the need to consider a path at this deadline that sees them refresh the roster,” Johnston wrote. “In the event they choose to walk down that road, trading a 32-year-old center with one year remaining on his contract seems like a prudent thing to consider, especially since Coyle should generate a meaningful return in a trade.
“Now, does it matter that they might be helping out a division rival if they make that kind of deal with Toronto? Honestly, it shouldn’t. One of the best deals the Bruins pulled off in their history was prying Tuukka Rask from the Leafs in 2006. All of which is a long way to say that I began by thinking that this was a preposterous idea, only to start warming to it the more I thought it through,” Johnston added.
As Johnston says, trading with a divisional rival is always tough. But, if Boston is out of a playoff spot by the deadline, getting assets for Coyle makes sense.
Toronto, meanwhile, would be able to get Coyle who can be a shutdown third-line center, and also add some offense.
Toronto GM Says Center is a Need
The Maple Leafs will be active ahead of the deadline and adding a center is a priority.
Toronto’s general manager Brad Treliving spoke to the media on January 13 and said adding a center was a need.
“How can you talk anything but positively of the year John’s had, right?” Treliving said. “So to say you’re going to go and get somebody above that, I don’t think that’s realistic. Is there ways that we can continue to look at adding to that? Sure. Sure, it’s one. But we, probably along with 15 or 18 other teams, would like to add center depth. So, it seems to be a position du jour.”
The Maple Leafs are 30-16-2 and in first place in the Atlantic Division.
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Maple Leafs Linked to Trading for $31.5 Million Center From Rival