The Toronto Maple Leafs are in their Stanley Cup window but the team has yet to make an addition to the forward group. However, one trade pitch has the Leafs adding a veteran forward who can add some scoring to the middle of the lineup.
The website PuckPedia‘s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the Maple Leafs acquire Jordan Eberle from the Seattle Kraken in a multi-player deal.
Maple Leafs acquire:
- Jordan Eberle ($1.4 million retained)
Kraken acquire:
- Nathan Mayes (signing rights)
- Vladimir Bobylev (signing rights)
- 2025 second-round pick (Florida’s)
- 206 fifth-round pick
The proposed deal sees Toronto add Eberle for two draft picks and two prospects. The deal does make sense for both teams. The Maple Leafs add someone to help them win now while Seattle gets prospects and picks to help their young core.
Eberle is entering the first year of a two-year $9.5 million deal. The veteran forward has skated in 1018 NHL games recording 299 goals and 403 assists for 702 points. The forward would project to be a middle-six forward for the Maple Leafs would could play on the second power-play unit.
As for the return, Seattle gets the signing rights to Mayes and Bobylev along with the two draft picks. Mayes was selected in the seventh round of the 2024 NHL draft. The defenseman played in the WHL last season.
Bobylev, meanwhile, was selected in the fifth round of the 2016 NHL draft but has yet to sign with the Maple Leafs. He has been playing in Europe and whether or not he ever comes over to the NHL is uncertain.
Eberle Signs Extension With Kraken
Eberle could have been a free agent on July 1, but the veteran forward signed an extension with Seattle in March.
“We are thrilled to have Jordan remain with the Kraken for the next two years,” said Kraken general manager Ron Francis in a statement. “This extension is well deserved, and getting it done has been a priority for us. Between his leadership in the locker room and his on-ice performance Jordan has been an important part of our franchise from day one. We are looking forward to many more memorable moments with him on the ice.”
Eberle has spent the last three seasons in Seattle. The forward was selected by the Kraken in the expansion draft. He is second in franchise history in games played, goals, assists, and points. He leads the franchise in game-winning goals.
The 34-year-old has also played for the Edmonton Oilers and New York Islanders.
Maple Leafs GM Says More Moves Could Happen
Toronto has had a relatively quiet offseason since being eliminated in the first round.
The Maple Leafs focused on defense adding Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, as well as goalie Anthony Stolarz in free agency. Yet, ahead of training camps opening, Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving has hinted at the team making more moves.
“To me, we’ve still got five weeks or so till camp. And, you know, we’re not set yet. We continue to look at ways to make our team better,” Treliving said on OverDrive on TSN 1050. “I said at the end of the year we’re going to look at everything.
“Sometimes people fall in love with ‘ ‘let’s make a big change just to make a big change’. At the end of the day, you can go out and make big changes,” Treliving added. “If they’re not making your team better, to me it doesn’t make any sense to just make a change just to stand up and say ‘look at it, we made this big change.'”
Toronto will open its 2024-25 NHL season on the road on October 9 against the Montreal Canadiens.
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Trade Pitch Sees Maple Leafs Acquire $9.5 Million Veteran Forward