The Toronto Maple Leafs will be one of the teams to watch this offseason as the team will likely make some major changes.
The website PuckPedia’s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the Maple Leafs acquire Filip Hronek from the Vancouver Canucks.
Maple Leafs acquire:
- Filip Hronek
- 2025 fourth-round pick (Ottawa)
Canucks acquire:
The proposed deal would be an intriguing one as Toronto would acquire a star defenseman in exchange for two NHL players who could use a change of scenery.
Toronto would acquire Hronek, who’s entering the second year of his eight-year, $58 million deal. Hronek is a 6-foot right-shot defenseman who can be a solid second-pair defenseman for the Maple Leafs. He recorded 5 goals and 28 assists for 33 points in 61 games last season.
In return, the Maple Leafs would deal Rielly who would replace Hronek on the Canucks’ backend. Rielly is from B.C. and would get to play at home and have a change of scenery, which is needed. Rielly has five years left on his eight-year, $60 million deal. He would help add some offense to the backend as he recorded 7 goals and 34 assists for 41 points in 82 games last season.
The Canucks would also acquire Robertson who’s a pending RFA and could use a change of scenery. Robertson hasn’t been given a ton of chances with the Maple Leafs and would be a middle-six forward for the Canucks. He recorded 15 goals and 7 assists for 22 points in 69 games.
Maple Leafs GM Likes The Build of The Defense
Toronto was eliminated in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, and Maple Leafs general manager, Brad Treliving, said some DNA had to change.
Although Treliving thought the DNA of the team had to change, one area he felt comfortable with was their defense. Treliving has rebuilt the Maple Leafs’ defense and he says he likes how the D-core is built.
“I like the length of our defense, I like the makeup of our defense but you still have to get up and down the ice. Part of how we play will lend itself to giving up some volume,” Treliving said. “We need to get more offence from our defence. Not just goals. We can get some more volume the other way. In terms of personnel, we’ll see. I like the D-core but we can’t be rigid. We fell short. We have to continue to look at ways we can get better.”
The Maple Leafs’ blue line is led by the likes of Chris Tanev, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Brandon Carlo.
Insider Expects Maple Leafs to Move Rielly
Rielly has a full no-movement clause and has made it clear he doesn’t want to be traded.
However, NHL insider Frank Seravalli of DailyFaceoff named Rielly a trade candidate this offseason and urged Toronto to trade him.
“The Leafs need a puck-moving defenseman, someone who can help get them out of trouble efficiently and exiting the zone with more ease. Rielly isn’t that anymore,” Seravalli wrote. “He’s been a fine playoff contributor, surprisingly enough, but he isn’t an effective quarterback on the first power play unit and his game showed significant signs of slowing down this season. Should the Leafs make a move before that contract becomes onerous?”
Rielly has spent his entire career with the Maple Leafs after being drafted fifth overall in 2012.
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