Leafs' Hunt for a Top-Six Forward Stalls Amid Unique Market Roadblocks
Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
The Leafs' push for a top-six forward has hit major obstacles, with Easton Cowan and Ben Danford at the center of tough trade talks and significant market hurdles.
It's no secret that the Toronto Maple Leafs have been exploring ways to add another top-six forward this offseason, but several roadblocks have stood in the way.
One of the biggest challenges is that the Leafs don't have much trade capital unless they're willing to part with a major piece of their future.
Easton Cowan and Ben Danford have been mentioned in speculation, but Cowan and Danford feel borderline untouchable after the Leafs have emptied most of their prospect cupboard.
Cowan is coming off an incredible year with the London Knights, scoring 13 goals and 39 points in just 17 playoff games while leading his team to an OHL championship and eventually winning the Memorial Cup.
Danford, meanwhile, is viewed as a cornerstone defensive prospect, even earning an invitation to the NHLPA Rookie Showcase earlier this summer. Moving either one would be a steep price to pay.
The Leafs also lack draft capital. With no first-round picks until 2028, Toronto doesn't even have the kind of future assets rebuilding teams typically demand in high-value trades.
Combine that with their limited cap space, and adding a big-name forward would almost certainly require salary retention, which is something that always drives up the cost even more.
But recent reports suggest these hurdles aren't the only issues. Beyond the Leafs' internal challenges, the league-wide trade market itself remains very thin. Outside of Pittsburgh, there simply aren't many teams looking to move proven forwards right now. Pierre LeBrun stated as much on TSN's OverDrive on Thursday.
The Leafs are similar to a bunch of teams -- there were going to be too many teams trying to add, and not enough pieces for sale this year... the Leafs, in some ways, got caught like a lot of teams, where they weren't quite able to do what they wanted in the void that Mitch Marner's exit created.
LeBrun believes that, while the Leafs do face some challenges, they may enter the season to see what they have, keeping their options open to add during the season, if they can find a deal to their liking.
What I read between the lines there is that an in-season trade, a tangible one, is possible for them if they can make that work. But, they want to see what they have first.
It also doesn't help that the Leafs' primary trade partner could end up being Kyle Dubas' Pittsburgh Penguins. While Brad Treliving and Dubas have already worked together on the Connor Dewar trade, the added layer of Toronto's former GM, who left under tumultuous circumstances, being on the other end of the call complicates things.
For now, the most realistic approach for the Maple Leafs is patience. The trade market should open up closer to January, and that's when Toronto may finally get the chance to land the impact forward they've been chasing.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 6 | 671 ANSWERS Leafs' Hunt for a Top-Six Forward Stalls Amid Unique Market Roadblocks Should the Maple Leafs wait to make a move until the middle of the season? | ||
| No, they should act before it gets worse. | 299 | 44.6 % |
| Yes, they should bide their time. | 372 | 55.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
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