The Toronto Maple Leafs could look to add more talent to their roster, and one way is by adding more offense to the back end.
Heavy.com has a trade idea that would see the Maple Leafs acquire Rasmus Ristolainen from the Philadelphia Flyers in a blockbuster deal.
Maple Leafs acquire:
Flyers acquire:
- Ben Danford
- Calle Jarnkrok
- Nick Robertson
- 2028 third-round pick
The proposed deal would be an intriguing one, as Toronto would bolster its blue line, but the cost would be high, including a third-round pick, two NHL forwards, and the Maple Leafs’ top defensive prospect.
Toronto would acquire Ristolainen, who can add some more offense to the back end and potentially quarterback the power play. He has two years left on his $25.5 million deal and would add some more offense to the blue line. Ristolainen recorded 4 goals and 15 assists for 19 points in 63 games.
In return, Toronto would give up a third-round pick and Danford as the key parts of the deal. Danford was a first-round pick in 2024 and is likely a couple of years away from being in the NHL, so Toronto moves on from him in a win-now move.
The Maple Leafs would also give up Jarnkrok to help make the salaries work. He’s in the final year of his four-year, $8.4 million deal. He’d be a bottom-six forward with the Flyers and could be used as a trade candidate at the deadline.
Robertson, meanwhile, is another cap dump as he doesn’t have a clear-cut roster spot with the Maple Leafs. But, he’d be a middle-six forward and add some more offense to the Flyers’ offense.
Maple Leafs Have Shown Interest in Ristolainen
Toronto trading for Ristolainen wouldn’t be a surprise, as the Maple Leafs have shown interest in him.
At the trade deadline, as the Maple Leafs were looking to add a defenseman, they had talks with the Flyers for Ristolainen. Yet, NHL insider Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reported that Philadelphia turned down the trade request.
“League executives also suggested the Senators could try to see if they can find a fit with the Philadelphia Flyers for right-shot blueliner Rasmus Ristolainen, who has two years left at $5.1 million per season,” Garrioch wrote.
“But it should be noted that the Toronto Maple Leafs tried desperately to get Ristolainen at the trade deadline in March, and were rebuffed. “The Leafs offered the moon and couldn’t get him out of there,” a league source said,” Garrioch added.
Whether or not the Flyers would trade away Ristolainen now is uncertain. But perhaps with the Flyers looking to rebuild, Ristolainen will be dealt this year.
Maple Leafs Trying to Move Money Out
Toronto has been linked to making more moves this summer.
The Maple Leafs have an excess of forwards and could look to trade some, according to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, as Toronto has been linked to signing Jack Roslovic.
“I’ve heard there’s still a few teams looking at him. He’s the best available player remaining. Obviously, he hasn’t found anything he 100 percent likes,” Friedman said on 32 Thoughts about Roslovic. “But there’s definitely a few teams poking around there. I’ve heard five or six, so he has to get to something he’s comfortable with, and we know with Toronto, they’re trying to move money around.”
The Maple Leafs’ most obvious trade candidates are David Kampf, Jarnkrok, and Robertson.
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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