The Toronto Maple Leafs have a need to add another scoring winger and could look at a Western Conference team in the trade market.
Heavy.com shared a trade idea that would see the Maple Leafs acquire Mats Zuccarello from the Minnesota Wild in an intriguing deal.
Maple Leafs acquire:
Wild acquire:
- Nick Robertson
- 2027 second-round pick
The proposed deal would be an intriguing one as Toronto would acquire Zuccarello from the Wild to fill a top-six role. The Wild, meanwhile, get a draft pick and a young NHL forward who could use a change of scenery.
The Maple Leafs would add Zuccarello, who’s entering the final year of his two-year, $8.25 million deal. Zuccarello can be Toronto’s second-line left winger, which is a major need for the team. He’s coming off a season where he recorded 19 goals and 35 assists for 54 points in 69 games. His career high is 79 points and 26 goals.
In return, the Maple Leafs would give up a second-round pick and Robertson. The winger would replace Zuccarello in the Wild’s lineup. Robertson is 23 and can play left or right wing and is a good middle-six forward who can score. He settled on a one-year, $1.825 million deal, but he has been scratched multiple times and could be used as a trade candidate. He did request a trade last offseason, and Minnesota takes a flier on him for a pending UFA who may not re-sign.
Robertson recorded 15 goals and 7 assists for 22 points in 69 games last season with the Maple Leafs.
Robertson and Maple Leafs Settle on 1-Year Deal
The Maple Leafs and Robertson signed a one-year contract worth $1.825 million to avoid arbitration.
Robertson was the lone restricted free agent among the 11 players who filed for salary arbitration who remained without a contract. The Maple Leafs reportedly filed at $1.2 million, while Robertson filed for $2.25 million, according to Nick Kypreos.
Robertson requested a trade last offseason as he was frustrated with his role, but the Maple Leafs opted not to trade him. Instead, he was a useful forward during the regular season, but once again in the playoffs, he was a healthy scratch.
Robertson ended up skating in 3 playoff games, recording 1 goal and 1 assist for 2 points. The Maple Leafs now have 14 NHL forwards under contract for next season and could also have Easton Cowan pushing for playing time.
Zuccarello Would Be Top-6 Forward for Maple Leafs
If Toronto does trade for Zuccarello, he would be a top-six winger, which is a need for the Maple Leafs.
In the offseason, Toronto has put an emphasis on the bottom-six and depth forwards. Toronto has acquired Nic Roy, Mattias Maccelli, Dakota Joshua, and Michael Pezzetta to be bottom-six forwards.
However, Maple Leafs’ general manager Brad Treliving says adding a top-six winger is still a goal, but that may not happen until the trade deadline now.
“Mitch was a top-six forward, and we haven’t replaced that hole,” Treliving said on July 1. “That’s really where our focus is.”
Toronto has just under $2 million in cap space. So they do have some room to make a move..
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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