"This is an annual occurrence, but with the team's struggles stretching further into the season than most fans are comfortable with, the temperature has been cranked. If you scan social media, you might see anything from people suggesting a tear-down and tank season for Gavin McKenna or Keaton Verhoeff or a mid-season trade of one of the team's stars. Neither of these will happen, but the fact that fans are talking about it should shine some light on how rough things have been."
"Especially considering the parity of the league, and more specifically, the Eastern Conference at this point, it's looking less and less like the Leafs are going to finish first in the division with a notable gap behind them. So, it shouldn't have surprised anybody when The Athletic published their trade bait board and two Maple Leafs, Morgan Rielly and Brandon Carlo, cracked it."
"The thought of trading Carlo, however, has been popping up more often than not, and I can see why. A big, defensively sturdy, right-handed defenceman with two more years at a reasonable contract is something that will have more teams interested than not, and considering the haul the Leafs had to pay to get him last season, it's hard not to daydream about the potential return the Leafs could get for him."
The Toronto Maple Leafs began the season slowly, provoking fan calls for a teardown, tank or mid-season star trades. Such extreme options are emotionally driven and unlikely, but debating buyer versus seller status at the deadline is reasonable given league and Eastern Conference parity. The Athletic listed Morgan Rielly and Brandon Carlo as trade bait. Rielly's long tenure and locker-room presence complicate any trade conversation. Carlo appeals as a big, defensively sturdy, right-handed defenseman with two years remaining on a reasonable contract, making him attractive to other teams. The Leafs should only consider moving Carlo for a return comparable to what they paid.
Read at TheLeafsNation
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]