Report: Maple Leafs Targeting 'Affordable Centers' Ahead Of NHL Trade Deadline

The Toronto Maple Leafs are the Atlantic Division's top team, but every good NHL team would love to add players ahead of the NHL's trade deadline.

During Tuesday's edition of TSN's Insider Trading, insider Darren Dreger identified a couple of names that Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving could be looking at ahead of the March 7 trade deadline.

"Brock Nelson is interesting from the New York Islanders. There are a lot of teams that have interest in him. So, I think the group that the Toronto Maple Leafs have identified as a little bit more diverse, I think you’re looking at Ryan Strome, maybe Ryan O’Reilly, how about a return there from Nashville?" Dreger said.

"Scott Laughton is out there again but the Flyers want a first-round draft pick in return, so maybe that’s a stretch. Mikael Granlund’s name is out there. Yanni Gourde. Nick Bjugstad. I’ll tell you this, Brad Treliving’s whiteboard is probably jammed with more affordable centers."

Toronto currently has Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Max Domi, and David Kampf down the middle. While those four players make up a great center group, it's likely the Maple Leafs would want to add another player with size down the middle.

Nelson stands at 6-foot-4 and has 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) in 40 games with the New York Islanders this season. Strome is a bit smaller, standing at 6-foot-1, but has seven goals and 16 assists in 39 games.

Related: Brock Nelson, Yanni Gourde Viewed as ‘Best Fits’ for Maple Leafs’ Center Depth: Should Toronto Pursue Them?

He's in the final season of a six-year contract which carries an annual average value of $6 million. The Islanders would have to retain some of Nelson's salary to make a trade with the Maple Leafs work.

O'Reilly played with Toronto in 2023, scoring three goals and six assists for nine points in 11 playoff games, as the Maple Leafs' third-line center. He might be interested in a return given he won the Stanley Cup with Craig Berube in St. Louis.

The caveat with O'Reilly is that he still has two more seasons after this one at a $4.5 million cap hit.

According to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun, Gourde wouldn't have a problem with a trade to Toronto. "He’s got a modified no-trade, but my understanding is he would have no issue with a move to the Leafs," LeBrun said.

Related: Report: Kraken's Yanni Gourde Would Have 'No Issue' With Trade To Maple Leafs Ahead Of Trade Deadline

Gourde is in the final year of his six-year contract with an annual average value of $5,166,667.

Granlund could be an interesting pickup for Toronto. His 11 goals and 24 assists for 35 points in 40 games would place him fourth in Maple Leafs scoring this season. He's also produced in the playoffs, which would be good for Toronto.

The 32-year-old is in the final season of a four-year, $20 million contract. His cap hit would come in at $5 million unless the San Jose Sharks would retain some salary.

Bjugstad doesn't have the most points — sitting at 10 through 31 games — but is a right-shot center, something Toronto doesn't have at the moment. He also towers over most forwards at 6-foot-5. His cap hit is the least among players on this list at $2.1 million.

The Maple Leafs currently have $1,358,229 in cap space with Calle Jarnkrok and Jani Hakanpaa on long-term injured reserve.

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