It’s old news that the Toronto Maple Leafs are looking for a centre. However, two names have been mentioned as serious candidates for a potential trade. Over the past month or so, Toronto has been connected to plenty of centres. Brock Nelson and Yanni Gourde are amongst the names that have been mentioned the most as potential assets for the Leafs to pursue as middle-six centres.
Two Centres the Leafs Could Make a Run For
In the latest edition of TSN’s Insider Trading , Darren Dreger mentioned a few names that could be realistic options for the Maple Leafs before the trade deadline on March 7. Two names that stood out were Ryan Strome and Ryan O’Reilly . Strome is the middle-man on the first line for the Anaheim Ducks . Meanwhile, O’Reilly centres the second line of the Nashville Predators . Dreger threw out some extra names such as Nick Bjugstad and Mikael Granlund . He also mentioned Scott Laughton as an option. However, despite matching Toronto’s job description, he could be expensive. Dreger reported that the Philadelphia Flyers are asking for a first-round pick for the 30-year-old. Laughton has two more years on his contract, making $3M.
Last week, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman shared that the Maple Leafs are looking for a centre that isn’t a rental. This means that general manager Brad Treliving would prefer a player who is under contract further than the remainder of this season. Both Strome and O’Reilly fit that filter. Strome signed a five-year contract with the Ducks in 2022. Therefore, he has two years remaining on his contract after this season earning $5M per year. O’Reilly is in the second season of his four-year contract with the Predators. The veteran makes $4.5M against the salary cap for two more seasons after the current campaign.
Who’s the Better Option of the Two?
The Maple Leafs have played a demo with O’Reilly on the roster before. He was a part of the Leafs team that advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in 18 years. The 33-year-old was a great piece for Toronto and completed them in a way. O’Reilly did a little bit of everything in his 24-game stint with the Leafs in the regular season and playoffs. The centre showed some grit and showcased his undeniable faceoff and defensive ability. His offensive production didn’t slow down either. He scored 11 points in 13 games during the regular season and nine points in 11 playoff games.
The only negative to an O’Reilly project is when the reason for his departure from the Leafs is considered. Toronto were interested in signing the Ontarian to an extension when he was a pending free agent. However, he wanted to play elsewhere because of the spotlight from playing in Toronto. So that was that.
Acquiring Strome would be an interesting addition to the Maple Leafs . The centre is from Mississauga and has close ties to Toronto. He hasn’t played a playoff game in quite some time, but he has some familiarity with postseason hockey for a big hockey market. His last playoff campaign was in the 2021-22 season with the New York Rangers where he played 19 games. Since then, he’s been a member of the Ducks. He’s had a solid first half to the season, scoring 23 points in 39 games.
It’s also worth noting that Strom is a right-handed shot. The Maple Leafs don’t have a right-handed centre. This could give head coach Craig Berube more options and diversity in the faceoff dots.
Main Photo Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
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