The rumor mill continues to grind for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The most notable chatter at the moment is the team’s need for help on the blue line.
The talk had been that the Leafs could lose up to two defensemen to injury. Brandon Carlo and Oliver Ekman-Larsson were questionable for Friday night’s tilt against the Vegas Golden Knights. However, both players suited up for the game.
While the injury scare may not be as significant as initially believed, the Maple Leafs are, nonetheless, still looking for help. Names like Rasmus Andersson and Dougie Hamilton have been swirling around Toronto.
However, Andersson is now a member of the Golden Knights. Hamilton, for his part, could stay in New Jersey following Luke Hughes’ shoulder injury.
That situation doesn’t leave the Maple Leafs with very many options to work with. But one option that remains atop most pundits’ list is Luke Schenn. Schenn has already had two tours of duty in Toronto. So, a third stint may not seem out of the question.
In fact, the Maple Leafs attempted to acquire Schenn last season. However, the Nashville Predators traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins, who then flipped him to the Winnipeg Jets. The veteran blueliner remains in Winnipeg.
As such, insider Pierre LeBrun suggested in a piece in The Athletic that Schenn could be a viable option for the Maple Leafs moving forward this season.
Maple Leafs Familiar with Schenn’s Skillset
The Maple Leafs are quite familiar with Schenn’s skill set. He’s the prototypical defensive defenseman who can play a solid role on a top pairing. In previous tours in Toronto, Schenn accompanied Morgan Rielly on the Leafs’ top pair. That match worked well, allowing Rielly to play more to his strengths.
However, the circumstances would be different in Toronto this time around. The last time Schenn played for the Maple Leafs, Sheldon Keefe was the head coach. Now that Craig Berube is in charge, the game plan may be a distinct one.
The Maple Leafs could do much worse than Luke Schenn. However, the biggest question mark would be if the Jets are willing to deal him at this point in their season.
Schenn Would Likely Be a Trade Deadline Move
The Olympic break coming up in about 12 days has created a bit of a trade deadline-light. That situation could precipitate some trade. For instance, the Rasmus Andersson and Kiefer Sherwood trades happened much earlier than anticipated.
Nevertheless, it’s a bit hard to see the Jets moving Schenn before the Olympic break. Winnipeg is not totally out of the playoff race. So, they might feel they still have a shot to turn things around. The club should have more clarity on its situation after the Olympic break. That’s why the Jets may wait until the March 6 deadline to pull the trigger.
If they do, the Maple Leafs will surely be there to kick the tires on Schenn, if he does become available on the market. There’s still enough time for anything to happen this season.
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