Injuries can cause a season to quickly sneak away from a team before they even realize it’s happening.
Chris Tanev isn’t the biggest name in the hockey world, but his injury is greatly impacting the Toronto Maple Leafs’ defensive depth, and it’s the kind of situation they probably need to avoid letting fester too long.
It’s early in the season to make a trade, but the Leafs clearly aren’t opposed to that — they traded Matthew Knies the day before the season began.
A Tuesday night loss at Utah to the Mammoth, 5-4, in which the Maple Leafs gave up four goals in the second period — that also proved something might need to be done.
Sportsnet Urges D-Man Trade
Sportsnet’s Justin Bourne didn’t hold back in his article following the Maple Leafs’ 5-4 loss on Tuesday night: He thinks they “can’t wait” to trade for a blue liner.
“The Leafs, with this much firepower — and, oh buddy, do they once again have firepower — are going to help by outscoring their issues on some nights,” Bourne writes. “There are some under-talented teams out there they should make short work of. And even when they fall behind, they can always get back into a game. But to build something sustainably good, something that can hold up for long stretches of play against good opponents, Toronto’s next step has to be an addition on the back-end. I know it, you know it, and they know it, it’s just a matter of who’s out there, and how much it will cost.”
Bourne goes on to call it “a race against the clock to find a solution.”
Last season got entirely away from the Maple Leafs, not only because of injuries, but it’s something they can’t afford to let happen again.
2 Trade Targets
Bourne goes on to mention two names from other teams that he thinks the Maple Leafs should target: Zach Whitecloud from Calgary and Rasmus Ristolainen from Philadelphia.
“Names being floated out there include Zach Whitecloud, who’s a hard-nosed middle-pair defenseman who would improve the team’s physicality,” Bourne writes. “While stylistically different, Rasmus Ristolainen probably slots in somewhere similar to Whitecloud. While both of them would help the Leafs compared to what they’ve got now, neither guy is some elite puck-mover who would eat big minutes and significantly move the needle.”
Whitecloud has been in trade rumors more broadly, too, so the Maple Leafs may not be his only suitor. And Ristolainen was a trade candidate at last season’s trade deadline — and with the brutal start the Flyers are off to, he’s a guy that could get moved soon if Philadelphia gets the right offer.
Bourne’s article isn’t breaking news to Toronto fans, who know their defense is a bit lacking. But the sense of urgency he includes is a fascinating perspective, and probably the right one — the Maple Leafs can’t get caught flat footed in this need to improve.
Maple Leafs ‘Can’t Wait’ to Trade for 2 Defensemen Targets