The Leafs needing defensive help is not new information. This is the same conversation that has been happening since the summer and while the team has addressed some needs by signing Simon Benoit in August and trading for Ilya Lyubushkin last week, there are still needs for this team. Unfortunately, it just became a whole lot more difficult to fill those needs.
The Leafs have been linked to a number of players over the last month and a half as we approach the March 8th deadline and one of the teams whom they've been closely linked to is the Seattle Kraken. Brad Treliving and Kraken GM Ron Francis have a great relationship and have come together on multiple trades in the past. However, it doesn't sound like there's a deal to be made with Seattle now.
Per Elliotte Friedman, the Seattle Kraken have taken 3 players the Leafs have been linked to off the market ahead of Friday's deadline as they are just 7 points back in the Wild Card race in the West and are still very much in the hunt. The Leafs had previously been linked to Adam Larsson, Will Borgen and Jamie Oleksiak, but Francis now appears keen to hang onto all 3 beyond Friday's 3pm ET deadline.
Of the 3, Larsson had checked the most boxes for the Leafs, but either Borgen or Oleksiak would have undoubtedly upgraded the Leafs' blueline as well. There are still some intriguing names out there that the Leafs are still in the running for, but nobody that could have checked as many boxes in one fell swoop as Larsson could have.
It will be interesting to see how Leafs GM Brad Treliving approaches the deadline with 3 of his targets now off the board, 4 if you also include Chris Tanev, who was dealt to Dallas last week. It should be an intriguing few days ahead.
