The Toronto Maple Leafs have one of the oldest blue lines in the NHL. Four of the top six are over 30. Brandon Carlo and Simon Benoit are in their late 20s, with potential seventh defenseman Henry Thrun in his mid-20s.
Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs lack high-end defensive prospects who could make the team soon. 19-year-old Ben Danford is Toronto’s top defensive prospect, but is still a couple of seasons away. Beyond Danford, things get a bit scarce. Noah Chadwick and William Villeneuve may get into the lineup at some point, but don’t project as top-tier blue liners.
That situation means that the Maple Leafs will need to revamp their blue line sooner rather than later. That’s why the Leafs could target a rising star in New Jersey: Seamus Casey. Casey has been part of ongoing speculation as his path to a full-time NHL role is blocked.
The Devils have a solid defensive core, with Luke Hughes likely becoming the team’s top defender of the future. As a result, the Devils could be willing to move the 21-year-old instead of letting him languish in the minors.
Here’s a look at what this trade proposal could look like:
Maple Leafs get:
Seamus Casey, D
Devils get:
Nick Robertson, F
2027 second-round pick
The return for Casey may seem underwhelming. However, it’s worth keeping in mind that Casey is a former second-round pick with all of 14 games of NHL experience. As such, trading a second-rounder for Casey seems commensurate.
Including Nick Robertson in the deal gives the Devils a piece they could use. New Jersey could use more depth on the wings. So, Robertson fills that role.
Casey Could Fit Maple Leafs’ Blue Line Well
Seamus Casey is a right-shot blue liner with a considerable offensive upside. He registered four goals and eight points in 14 games last season. He’s a bit undersized at 5’10” and 181 pounds, but then again, Casey’s role isn’t as a shutdown defender.
The Maple Leafs could find a very good fit for Casey as an eventual replacement for Morgan Rielly. Since Casey is a right-shot, he could play well with someone like Simon Benoit on the third pair as he adjusts to a top-four and a top-two role.
Adding Casey now would be a preemptive move. It would be like thinking several moves ahead, especially if the Leafs are serious about moving Morgan Rielly at some point down the road.
Toronto Gets More Flexibility with Casey
Even if the Maple Leafs didn’t trade Morgan Rielly, the club could get plenty of flexibility by adding Casey. The Miami native could eventually slide into the top pair, allowing the team to move Rielly down the depth chart.
Furthermore, the emergence of a defenseman like Casey would take the pressure off playing Rielly more than the team should.
Overall, trading for Seamus Casey is a move the Toronto Maple Leafs should explore. While it may not be easy to pry him away from the Devils, the Devils don’t have a lineup spot for him at the moment. So, that scenario could open an avenue for Toronto to make a future-oriented move.
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