"With the Olympic break now at hand, some focus is shifting away from the Toronto Maple Leafs towards hopes for Team Canada in the tournament, and while up until now the Olympic team construction has been a sideshow to the NHL season, we will now need to confront our feelings about Sam Bennett as a Canadian Olympian (honestly, the Canadian forward group is so deep it's hard to get too worked up."
"Whether the Leafs are buyers or sellers, it seems like it would be a huge waste of Toronto's advantage to not maximize its available cap space over the trade deadline, while limiting the commitments for next season. If Toronto is retaining salary on three deals, it's a miss. If they aren't taking back salary where they can, it's also a miss."
"Helping out Kyle Dubas might not be high on the Maple Leafs wish list, but taking back Kevin Hayes' contract from Pittsburgh would make sense for the Leafs especially when Dubas' deadline history has often involved bringing in players he's familiar with. Adam Henrique is someone the Oilers will be looking to dump and could be worth a look for the Maple Leafs in the remaining games of the season as well."
The Olympic break shifts attention toward Team Canada and creates concern over player health and performance affecting the Maple Leafs' playoff prospects. A strong showing from Matthews, Nylander, and Ekman-Larsson would help Toronto's chances, and Sam Bennett's potential Olympic role prompts evaluation. The Leafs should fully use their cap-space advantage at the trade deadline by taking back salary selectively and avoiding unnecessary long-term commitments. Taking back contracts like Kevin Hayes' or considering Adam Henrique could make sense if the fit and incentives align. Smart short-term salary reclamation and targeted roster fits can preserve flexibility for next season.
Read at TheLeafsNation
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