The Toronto Maple Leafs are having mixed results early on this season.
At the time of this writing, the Maple Leafs have a 3-3-2 record and are sixth in the Atlantic Division standings. They have also lost each of their last two games, so they have been shaky lately.
With the Maple Leafs struggling with consistency early on, it is fair to wonder if they will look to make another move. One of their most obvious needs is another impactful defenseman for the left side of their blueline.
When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, Seattle Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn stands out in a major way. He would be a significant addition to the Maple Leafs’ blueline if brought in and would make them a deeper team.
Due to this, we here at Heavy Sports have a trade pitch that would have the Maple Leafs acquire Dunn from the Kraken in a blockbuster deal.
Maple Leafs Get:
- Vince Dunn (50% Retained)
Kraken Get:
- 2027 First-Round Pick (From Colorado Avalanche)
- Ben Danford
- Miles Wood
- Nick Blankenburg
With this move, the Maple Leafs would be adding another legitimate top-four defenseman to their roster. The Kraken, on the other hand, would most notably get a first-round pick and a promising defenseman prospect in Danford. As for Wood and Blankenburg, they would give Seattle more depth players.
Vince Dunn Is Already Creating Chatter in Rumor Mill & Maple Leafs Should Target Him
In a recent article for The Athletic, Harman Dayal named Dunn among the NHL’s top trade candidates to watch later this season.
“Vince Dunn is Seattle’s best defenseman, and Jared McCann is arguably the club’s best scorer, so keeping them would be a no-brainer if the team is in the playoff hunt this season,” Dayal wrote. “But if they spiral toward another losing campaign, it’ll be hard not to consider selling McCann and/or Dunn at the deadline for significant assets, which could naturally lead to a more focused rebuild.”
If Dunn ends up being shopped by Seattle, the Maple Leafs would absolutely need to target him. He would give them another star defenseman to work with and would be a perfect rental for a Maple Leafs club that wants to go on a playoff run this year.
Furthermore, Dunn would also make sense to sign to a contract extension for the Maple Leafs. The 29-year-old is right in his prime and has been a very good defenseman for several seasons now. Thus, this is a trade that Toronto should look to make.
Looking at Dunn
Dunn is having a great start to the 2026-27 season. In eight games, he has posted two goals, seven points, and a plus-1 rating. He has also scored at least 11 goals and recorded at least 39 points in each of his last four seasons. With this, the 10-year NHL veteran has been an impactful player for a while now.
Ultimately, with the Maple Leafs’ blueline needing another star, don’t be surprised if they try to land Dunn this season. The fit looks very good on paper.
Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Pitch Lands Star Defenseman in Blockbuster Deal