The Toronto Maple Leafs have stumbled out to an inconsistent start to this season following an offseason involving a major overhaul of the front office, the coaching staff, and the roster under new GM John Chayka.
So far, the moves have had positives and negatives, but the club is still searching for the kind of consistency that will return them to the Stanley Cup Playoffs after missing last spring.
But if things continue to fall off the rails, Chayka, who has already shown a willingness for shrewd moves, could be forced into more trades, and an NHL Insider has named a pair of candidates who could be moved.
NHL Insider Names Pair Of Toronto Maple Leafs Players Who Are Trade Candidates
Per NHL Insider David Pagnotta, both Dakota Joshua and Miles Wood have been listed as potential trade candidates.
“Until they move out guys that have term…whether it’s a Dakota Joshua or a Miles Wood; they’ve been looking…for a top 4 calibre defenseman; they haven’t been able to do it, because the guys they’ve been looking at have term.”
Wood was part of the package acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets along with forward Kirill Marchenko in the deal that sent Matthew Knies to Ohio. He has yet to play this season and was recently transferred to Long-Term Injured Reserve.
Meanwhile, Joshua, who was acquired from the Vancouver Canucks, still has one more season beyond the current campaign with a $3,250,000 salary cap hit. He’s played in five games this season and has a single assist.
GM John Chayka Is Trying To Upgrade The Maple Leafs Blue Line
According to recent comments from Pierre LeBrun, Chayka is actively involved in trying to upgrade the blue line.
“Yeah, and not from a lack of trying. John Chayka, the GM of the Leafs, according to what I’m hearing from other teams around the league, continues to make calls about trying to upgrade the blue line in a real way,” LeBrun said. “Not in a band-aid way and not in a patchwork way, but if the Leafs make the kind of trade they want to make between now and March 1st, it’s for a meaningful upgrade on the blue line that is beyond just this year, that fits in with this core, and helps the steam moving forward.”
LeBrun continued:
“In other words, I think he would be trying to be doing this even if their record was reversed right now. This is not about winning or losing or being in a losing streak, but this is a priority item if at all possible, for the Leafs to upgrade their blue line. The thing is, we’re in mid-November and strangely enough, teams aren’t really selling on top four defensemen right now this early in the year.”
Maple Leafs Rumored to Be Considering Move for Marchenko Trade Piece