The scene is set for the Leafs to be able to take advantage of a division rival at this year's trade deadline
We are approximately seven weeks away from the trade deadline on March 3rd and there are plenty of big-name trade targets this season. However, despite some players that could be a target for Kyle Dubas, it's hard to say what the Leafs' General Manager has up his sleeve in preparing for the deadline - especially because he has a bit of a penchant for going right when everyone expects him to go left. In other words, the players he brings in are often not the ones Leafs Nation might expect.
Anthony Duclair is one player that hasn't been talked about in relation to the Leafs, but who would definitely be worth considering:
Duclair was injured in the offseason and underwent surgery to repair his Achilles tendon. He began skating again with the Florida Panthers a month ago, speeding up his return to the lineup. On January 3rd, he was listed as week-to-week as he continued practicing with the team.
However, Duclair's contract, which carries a $3 million AAV through the 2023-2024 season, doesn't make the Panthers activating him an easy task with their current $2.3 million cap space.
Last season, Duclair played 74 games with the Panthers and collected 58 points, being slotted as a winger on one of the NHL's hottest lines alongside Jonathan Huberdeau and Sam Bennett. Although it can be assumed that the Panthers will try to waive or demote some guys to clear space for Duclair, this is someone who should be on Dubas' radar for the deadline - especially if the Panthers end up being sellers at the deadline rather than buyers.
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 17 | 139 ANSWERS The scene is set for the Leafs to be able to take advantage of a division rival at this year's trade deadline Should the Leafs take a run at acquiring Anthony Duclair from the Panthers? | ||
| Yes | 74 | 53.2 % |
| No | 65 | 46.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
