Maple Leafs should pursue unsettled John Klingberg

John Klingberg's contract talks with the Dallas Stars have broken down, and the Maple Leafs should be prime candidates to trade for the veteran defenceman. The 29-year-old has not been prolific in recent seasons but the 2018 All-Star would certainly be a blue-line upgrade as Toronto seek to add a final piece ahead of a make-or-break postseason.

Subscribe to Yahoo Sports NHL on YouTube for the latest episodes of 'In the Mentions'.

Video Transcript

- So I know there hasn't been a lot of trade talk this year, but the trade deadline is coming up. And one of the names that has been kind of around the news recently is John Klingberg, who isn't really having the best time in Dallas right now. Not necessarily happy with how he's being treated. He thought he'd have an extension by now.

It's getting to the point where the Dallas Stars are really trying to trade him. We heard recently that the trade talks are ramping up. So, it looks like John Klingberg's is going to be on the move. So how does this affect the Leafs? Great question.

When it comes to possible additions for the Leafs of the deadline, the blue line has seemed to look like the main area of focus. In particular, the second pair with Jake Muzzin. I mean, Justin Hall has gotten a look, and he hasn't looked his best. Timothy Liljegren is playing there now, but he's getting-- he's still kind of getting his feet wet in the NHL.

Travis Dermott's gotten a look. And when you kind of envision with the long term goals are for the Leafs this season, you definitely want to think of someone who can play those heavy duty minutes, especially in those moments where four defense are getting played.

Maybe John Klingberg kind of fits that bill there. Now, granted, his defensive numbers have kind of been on decline for the last three years. But, yeah, you can't help but remember back when the Dallas Stars made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final, and John Klingberg was a force. I want to say he had 21 points in 26 games. He was a go to player for the Dallas Stars. Maybe he can do that with-- for the Leafs.

Now, I think what may deter that is the possible price. Because a right shot defenseman who was on a great deal, and who put up 60 points once. That's not going to be cheap. It's not going to be cheap at all. You're definitely giving away your first round pick. You're definitely giving away a top prospect. Maybe even two if a bidding war takes place.

Now, do I think the Leafs absolutely need John Klingberg? No. Actually, I think, what they have now may be good enough for the playoffs, right? Or perhaps is this a cheaper option. But, the fact that his name is around, and hey, maybe if the price is right, John Klingberg ends up being a Leaf.