The Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to explore the trade market for a new defenseman. Veteran blueliner Chris Tanev recently suffered a fairly significant upper-body injury. The setback is serious enough for the club to place him on injured reserve. As of now, there is no exact timetable for his return to the ice.
With Tanev out, the Maple Leafs have a significant hole to fill. Without the star, Toronto most recently allowed five goals in a loss to the Utah Mammoth. Because it is so early in the season, general manager John Chayka could have a hard time prying away a top defender, though. Because of this, The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel believes Chayka will likely have to target a blueliner on a bottom-tiered team.
According to the reporter, Chicago Blackhawks veteran Ian Cole may be a solution for the Toronto Maple Leafs. “Could Ian Cole, a shutdown type, albeit an aging shutdown type, be had from the Chicago Blackhawks?” writes Siegel. “Cole’s contract expires at the end of the season, and he might be able to approximate some of what Tanev brought — the ruggedness, experience and shot blocking.”
Cole, 37, would obviously be seen as a short-term fix for Chayka and the Maple Leafs. While not exactly a high-profile player, the Blackhawks veteran has proven to be a reliable player well into his 30s. In fact, he has not missed a game since the 2023-24 season and has averaged over 18 minutes per game over the last five seasons.
Ian Cole Would be an Economical Trade Option for the Toronto Maple Leafs
Many Toronto Maple Leafs fans may feel underwhelmed by a trade for Cole. After all, Chayka recently rolled the dice by swapping Matthew Knies for Kirill Marchenko. A similar blockbuster trade involving a blueliner, however, seems very doubtful. Budding stars such as Simon Edvinsson and Alexander Nikishin are available in the market, but Toronto likely does not have the assets/funds to land these players.
The Athletic’s Corey Pronman did recently rate the Maple Leafs’ pipeline as the 12th-best in the NHL. Nevertheless, money is a clear concern in Toronto. According to PuckPedia.com, Chayka is currently $6.65 million over the salary cap. Potentially adding another high-priced player seems unfeasible. Edvinsson and Nikishin are asking for around $9 million per season in their next contracts.
Cole, on the other hand, is earning $4 million for the 2026-27 campaign. The Toronto Maple Leafs would still have to get creative to take on such a contract. Offloading Morgan Rielly’s $7.5 million AAV deal would hypothetically help, but Toronto is already shorthanded on the blue line and needs to add a defenseman, not lose one.
Toronto’s Offseason Spending Limits Trade Targets
The Toronto Maple Leafs may have other options besides Chicago’s veteran. In fact, Siegel also named Rasmus Ristolainen and Zach Whitecloud as other potential trade possibilities. These two specific players, however, will cost more to acquire. Chayka revamped his roster during the offseason by spending significant funds. The team’s top exec now needs to be mindful of salary cap constraints when bolstering his blue line in the near future.
Maple Leafs Linked to Blackhawks Veteran as Tanev Replacement