Potential defenseman candidates for the Maple Leafs
Jonas Siegel of The Athletic: The Toronto Maple Leafs are a better team with Jake Muzzin in the lineup and without him. He’ll be re-evaluated in February but is likely done for the season.
Replacing him won’t be easy, and internally won’t cut it. The Leafs are going to need to try and do something. Finding someone to play with Morgan Rielly or T.J. Brodie would be ideal, and then someone to play with Justin Holl would be next.
The Leafs won’t know Muzzin’s status until late February, just before the March 3rd trade deadline.
Potential trade candidates if their team falls out the playoff race:
Dmitry Orlov – Washington Capitals – pending UFA at a $5.1 million cap hit.
Artem Zub – Ottawa Senators – pending UFA at $2.5 million.
Scott Mayfield – New York Islanders – pending UFA at $1.45 million.
Connor Murphy – Chicago Blackhawks – three years left at $4.4 million.
Would the Maple Leafs be willing to move their 2023 first-round pick? Rasmus Sandin or Timothy Liljegren? Nick Robertson?
A growing concern in Vancouver
TSN: Darren Dreger when asked where we are with regard to the Vancouver Canucks and head coach Bruce Boudreau.
“The preference would be to wait but there’s also growing concern among the Vancouver Canucks brass that the longer they wait, the bigger the effect is going to be on the players. We can see in Vancouver that there’s some players that are struggling, so is that going to become a bigger issue moving forward? Also, we know that Bruce Boudreau likes to lean on a small group of players, which is contrary to a team concept.
Another problem: lots of speculation around Rick Tocchet as potentially being one of if not the top candidate to the Vancouver Canucks. But are the Canucks the right fit for Rick Tocchet and does Rick Tocchet want to leave that wonderful job with TNT in TV? So big decisions looming.”