Prominent NHL Insider Rules Out Top Trade Target for the Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs are coming off of a very disappointing defeat against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday night, where a 4-2 lead slipped away and ultimately ended in a 5-4 loss.

The loss pushed the Maple Leafs to 8-7-1 on the season, clearly indicating a need for a shakeup -- potentially even a blockbuster trade to ignite a spark on the team.

One player that may be available after recently being scratched by his team is Jordan Kyrou of the St. Louis Blues.

Kyrou was a scratch after being called out for his play not meeting the standards of the team. He was a -2 rating in a 6-1 drubbing against the Washington Capitals this past week.

During a recent edition of "The Sheet" with Jeff Marek, the trusted NHL insider indicated that the Maple Leafs could really benefit from acquiring the speed of someone like Kyrou. However, due to head coach Craig Berube's presence in Toronto, it is all but a given that it won't happen, as Berube and Kyrou have butted heads in the past.

Regardless of the hiccup, Kyrou still leads the Blues in points with 9 in 15 games, though he holds a -7 rating.

A Toronto native, Kyrou has been linked to the Maple Leafs in the past, but given Marek's recent comments and the Maple Leafs' lack of cap space, a trade to Toronto does not appear to be in the cards.

While the Maple Leafs are unlikely to acquire Kyrou, changes are certainty needed after the disappointing play to start the season.

With the David Kampf situation taking time to unfold, it's hard not to think a potential package involving Kampf as part of a bigger trade to shake up the team could be on the horizon.