Frustrating Report Emerges Involving Chris Kreider and the Maple Leafs

Thursday saw the Rangers and Ducks finalize trade discussions surrounding 34-year-old Chris Kreider, sending the veteran winger to Anaheim.

While the Leafs played a role in helping to facilitate the trade as the Rangers received the Leafs' 2025 third-round puck from the Ducks as part of the return for Kreider, Pagnotta's report suggests that they themselves could have been the Rangers' trade partner instead.

During Thursday's broadcast of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals, The Fourth Period's Dave Pagnotta revealed that the Leafs showed interest in the former 50-goal scorer, but the Ducks offered what the Rangers deemed to be a fair package first.

Everyone knows Leafs GM Brad Treliving is one to do his due diligence when acquiring players, but it appears he spent too much time reviewing things and it cost the Leafs the opportunity to acquire a top-six forward for what many consider a fairly low price.

The Leafs will now have to turn their attention to the free agent market and possibly be forced to overpay a UFA or pay higher costs in other trades to shore up their top-six and change the forward group with the inevitable departure of Mitch Marner looming.

With just a couple of weeks until the draft and free agency, we should expect to hear the Leafs involved in a number of discussions as they look to weaponize their $25.7M in cap space.