Will the Toronto Maple Leafs feel pressure to make a big trade after the moves made by the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning?
TSN: So the Florida Panthers added Seth Jones on the weekend, and the Tampa Bay Lightning traded for Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand. Pierre LeBrun on if there is added pressure now on the Toronto Maple Leafs to fill two holes they have on their roster.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Jennifer Hedger: “You mentioned Brock Nelson and the Toronto Maple Leafs maybe kicking tires on Brock Nelson. I mean, there’s a team where they see the Panthers going out and making their move. They saw the bolts going out and making their move, and they haven’t done anything yet.
Is there more pressure because of those two teams doing something already, or was the pressure already there for the Toronto Maple Leafs?”
LeBrun: “So I will tell you that whenever I’ve asked the GM that question over the years, when a rival makes a big move around this time of year or around July 1st, 100% of the time, the GM will say, ‘No, I can’t let myself get influenced by what the Joneses are doing.’
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But the reality is, I think there is a lot of pressure on Brad Treliving and the Toronto Maple Leafs, because they have holes, and they have holes that could prevent him from finally breaking through in the playoffs. They need a third-line center. That’s just reality, and it’s not us pointing that out. Brad Treliving himself, through numerous media availabilities this year, has pointed that out. I also think they need a right shot D, and they’re trying to get both.
You know, Brock Nelson would be ideal. Brayden Schenn, I think, would be ideal. But the price on Brayden Schenn right now is exorbitant. I don’t know if the Leafs be willing to go there, but they might.”
Hedger: “This is a prospect thing. They’re going to want …”
LeBrun: “They’re going to want the three equivalent is essentially, essentially a three first round picks, what Dregs has talked about, right? And you know, Scott Laughton is there from Philly. So certainly some options, but some of the lower options that the lease were maybe banking on still being there later in the week are gone. Jake Evans re-signed in Montreal. They had checked in with Montreal on him. Yanni Gourde traded to Tampa. So that’s another reason why there’s some pressure here, because the center market is not that bad.”
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