Photo credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
The Toronto Maple Leafs are evaluating the trade market, and head coach Craig Berube might be pushing to reunite with Robert Thomas.
Insider Darren Dreger reports that general manager Brad Treliving has officially kicked the tires on the St. Louis Blues star.
It is a massive development that could completely alter the trajectory of the season for this franchise.
Berube knows the skilled center intimately from their days winning a Stanley Cup together in Missouri. He understands exactly what makes him tick under pressure.
Over his NHL career, the 26-year-old has established himself as an elite setup man. With 23 assists and 35 points in the bank through 43 games this season, his vision creates space where there shouldn't be any.
Acquiring a playmaker of this caliber immediately upgrades the transition game and guarantees more controlled entries on the power play. Crisp passing is exactly what the top six needs.
It also solves a lingering, complicated lineup debate that has dominated talk radio all year.
Shifting Tavares To The Flank
Adding an established top-six center down the middle allows the coaching staff to finally move John Tavares to the wing permanently.
It's no secret that Tavares has lost a step. Placing him on the wing would allow for someone a little more mobile to come in and control the middle of the ice.
Whispers of that positional shift have circulated for months around Scotiabank Arena. Taking heavy defensive responsibilities away from the veteran keeps his legs fresh for the spring.
Pulling off a blockbuster of this magnitude sends a very aggressive statement to the rest of the Atlantic Division.
Management is clearly not satisfied with the current group and expects a deep postseason run. Standing pat is no longer an acceptable option.
Shaking up the core shifts the culture instantly. The locker room needs a jolt, and bringing in a proven winner provides exactly that spark.
To make the tight salary cap math work, significant money has to either head out ahead of time, or go the other way. The Leafs do have a lot of cap space this summer, but significant roster turnover is expected, and dollars need to be spent wisely.
Interestingly, Dreger noted that veteran blueliner Oliver Ekman-Larsson has not been approached to waive any trade protection yet. Treliving is clearly exploring different avenues to clear cap space.
The clock is ticking fast. The front office needs concrete assets to work with to pull off the biggest shocker of the deadline.
Also read on Puck Reporter :
Vincent Trocheck reveals where he'll be traded and a final goodbye to the Rangers
Vincent Trocheck reveals where he'll be traded and a final goodbye to the Rangers