Toronto: Are They Contender Or Do They Wait?
Luke Fox of Sportsnet opines that Toronto’s need for a right-handed shooting top-four defenseman may not be an option as most of the markets best are left-handed.
In a market of wingers, Toronto needs a center. Depth centers like David Desharnais, Mark Letestu, and Luke Glendening are available.
Some potential assets to move include Matt Martin and Josh Leivo. Leivo is more likely to go once Lou Lamoriello’s price goes down. He has been passed on the depth chart and is expendable.
Calvin Pickard may be flipped somewhere for a cheap pick, and Connor Carrick may be an intriguing piece and would be easy to pry away.
Then there are the UFA’s. They should stick around until the summer. Toronto must avoid bidding wars and stay the course. It seems they may just wait and only make minor moves.
Arthur Staple of The Athletic examines Matt Martin and his eagerness to see the trade deadline come and go. The most common rumor is Martin reuniting with the New York Islanders. His $2.5 million salary is steep but a little retention could sweeten that deal. Things have not quite worked out in Toronto as Martin plays less and less.
“You just have to focus on the reality of your situation,” Martin told The Athletic on Thursday morning. “I have to continue to work hard and wait for my next opportunity. It’s hard, especially getting a lot of questions from people and hearing rumors. You try to keep that stuff out of your head as much as possible.”
Again the wait is there for Martin. Ross Johnston has filled in well on the fourth line for New York, so the possibility exists that the Islanders may not be a fit either.