What do the Maple Leafs need at the 2022 Trade Deadline?

Since the new year, the Toronto Maple Leafs have barely kept their head above water. Since the beginning of February, the Maple Leafs are 7-7 and have lost their last two games. Dubas will need to look at the backend, especially if Jake Muzzin is out long term. Goaltending has been a battle as of late, Campbell and Mrazek rank last in the NHL in save percentage since January 8th. What does Dubas do in this situation? Look at an insurance goalie? Pick up a few depth defensemen? At the pace the Leafs are going, they aren’t going to be successful in the playoffs. With the trade deadline fast approaching, what should Kyle Dubas do to make their team better?

Defence Depth

It’s been an “ongoing” battle trying to solve the issues of the Maple Leafs defence. Over the past three seasons, they have brought in Jake Muzzin and TJ Brodie. These are two names that you would think would help solve the nightmares on the back end. We are two-thirds the way through the 21-22 season and are back to square one. With Jake Muzzin out long term, what does Kyle Dubas do? Time to look at the market and bring in defenceman depth. It sounds like Muzzin will be around for the playoffs, so bringing in an extra d-man will help boost the depth for a playoff run. Here are a couple options the Maple Leafs could look at.

Ben Chiarot

If the Canadiens want to make a deal with their division rival, the Maple Leafs will have to sweeten the pot to bring Chiarot to Toronto. A 6’3 234lbs gritty defenceman that will do anything for his team, is what the Maple Leafs need. Ben Chiarot was a big factor for Montreal’s incredible run to the Stanley Cup Finals last year. He currently makes $3.5 million which makes it affordable for the cap crunched Maple Leafs. What could a trade look like?

Chiarot is a defenceman that the Maple Leafs need in the playoff run. He is a player that isn’t afraid to sacrifice the body to make a play. The price seems steep but if you are all in to win, you will need to give up a little more to get key pieces.

Jakob Chychrun

With the Maple Leafs having a small window to win, it might be time to put all the eggs in one basket. Bringing on an all-star defenceman like Jakob Chychrun would boost the blue line of the Toronto Maple Leafs by a significant amount. He's a player that's not going to give you a lot of points but a player who you can rely on defensively. With the goaltending being a little shaky, having Chychrun will help reduce pucks getting to the net. A 24-year-old defenceman that is getting paid $4.6 million for the next 3 seasons is a big reason why Arizona wants a lot in this trade package. Here is the package I have proposed below.

In this deal, Arizona would be getting back Alex Kerfoot who is a great two-way centreman that can be reliable up and down the line up. An upcoming defenceman in Timothy Liljegren, who is starting to feel more confident on the blueline with lots of potential. The Maple Leafs would also add two high picks (1st and 2nd). The package does seem like a lot, but Toronto would be getting an absolute stud on the blue line.

Goaltending Insurance

Before the all-star break, it wasn’t even a question who was going to be the #1 starter because Jack Campbell has been carrying the Maple Leafs night after night. Something has changed since the all-star break because Campbell does not seem like himself. In his last 10 starts, he has allowed 5 goals 4 times and 4 goals 2 times. It’s a good thing the Maple Leafs’ offence have been scoring a ton because if they weren’t, things could have got ugly. With the confidence of Campbell and Mrazek dropping, do the Maple Leafs go out and look for another goalie for insurance? Here is the option below that best fits the line-up.

A trade that makes sense for both parties. For Chicago to retain some salary, Toronto will most likely need to sweeten the pot by offering a couple picks. By moving Mrazek, the Leafs can run with Campbell and Fleury as their goaltenders for the remainder of the season plus playoffs. The Maple Leafs would be acquiring one of the best goalies in NHL history. Fleury would be the “go-to” guy to run deep into the playoffs. If the Leafs want to get into the second round of the playoffs, you will need a goalie like Fleury to win games.

There are major concerns for Kyle Dubas right now and he needs to make moves at the deadline. With playoffs fast approaching, and Muzzin out for a significant amount of time, the Maple Leafs will need to do some shopping to acquire some defencemen depth and possibly a goalie with playoff experience.