I’ve written about the forwards the Toronto Maple Leafs should target at the trade deadline. Now let’s look at the weakest position and the Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Deadline Targets – Defencemen. With no big names traded as of yet, there’s a deeper pool of talent available at the defence position compared to forwards. Here are the top five defenders the Toronto Maple Leafs should target in a trade.
Chris Tanev
The Player
Let’s start with an obvious candidate. Chris Tanev will be traded, and the Leafs have reportedly already contacted the Flames about a deal for him. They have competition around the league though, with the Canucks and Oilers also reportedly pushing to acquire him.
The reasons Tanev is so coveted are clear, he’s a warrior, well-known for putting his body on the line to help his team. He’s the type of player every team wants for a playoff run, an ideal fit as a top-four right-handed defenceman on several cup contenders, including the Leafs. There should be concerns about his health though, considering his age and style of play. Tanev, 34 leads the league with 159 shots blocked this season. He’s blocked over 1500 pucks in his career, a staggering amount. Regardless of the health concerns, Tanev should be the Leafs’ top blue-line target.
The Fit
Tanev would be a fantastic fit beside Morgan Rielly for the playoffs, filling the role Luke Schenn occupied last season. This would allow TJ Brodie to slide down the lineup, potentially playing on the left side with Timothy Liljegren.
Another option would be pairing McCabe with Tanev, creating a true shut-down pair that the Leafs lack. In this case, Rielly and Brodie would stay together, matching up with the opponent’s second lines and Benoit or Mark Giordano could play alongside Liljegren on the third pair.
Tanev would also become a key penalty killer for Toronto, boosting their 22nd-ranked PK.
The Trade
The Flames are reportedly holding out for a first-rounder for Tanev. With a pending bidding war looming, the Flames should be able to fetch that, if not slightly more. With the Flames heading toward a rebuild, acquiring a borderline NHLer or top AHLer in the deal would make sense. Alex Steeves could fit in this deal, allowing him to have an NHL audition for Calgary.
Toronto receives: Chris Tanev
Calgary receives: Toronto’s 2024 1st round pick, Alex Steeves
Ilya Lyubushkin
The Player
Lyubushkin is a familiar face for the Maple Leafs. Kyle Dubas dumped Nick Ritchie and a pick for him before the 2022 trade deadline. The Russian defenceman played primarily with Morgan Rielly after the trade, with his physicality standing out. Lyubushkin is a decent puck mover too, he occasionally flashes some offensive skills.
Dubas’ front office made a mistake in letting Lyubushkin walk in free agency, opting to keep Justin Holl over him. A year later, Holl walked for nothing and the Leafs failed to fill the hole on the right side of their blue line. If the Leafs miss out on Tanev, Lyubushkin would be a solid consolation prize.
The Fit
Similar to Tanev, the initial thought would be to pair Rielly and Lyubushkin together, especially due to their history together. Otherwise, Lyubushkin could pair with either McCabe or Brodie allowing one of them to play on their natural left side. Lyubushkin would also be tabbed for a key role on Toronto’s penalty kill.
The Trade
Other than the familiarity, Lyubushkin’s price tag should be attractive for the Leafs. He was traded just last summer from Buffalo to Anaheim for a 2025 4th-round pick. A 3rd rounder, equivalent prospect or a combination of lower picks should get the deal done. The Leafs could potentially look to add Lyubushkin to a deal that includes Adam Henrique or Frank Vatrano.
Toronto receives: Adam Henrique (50% salary retained), Ilya Lyubushkin
Anaheim receives: Toronto 1st round pick in 2024, Toronto 3rd round pick in 2026, Toronto 2024 4th round pick, Connor Timmins, Alex Steeves
Matt Dumba
Before Brad Treviling made the ill-advised decision to sign John Klingberg, he reportedly tried to sign Matt Dumba. Months later, Dumba remains an attractive target for the Leafs. Dumba has only eight points in 50 games for the Coyotes this season, but he can bring more offence to the table. His instinctive, physical play, ability to log big minutes, and right-handedness make him an outstanding fit on Toronto’s blue line. Dumba often plays bigger than his 6’0 frame, he’s known to dish out huge hits and is willing to drop the gloves when he needs to.
The Fit
Dumba could fit with any of Rielly, McCabe or Brodie on the Leafs’ back end. Although a pairing with Rielly would be intriguing, the Leafs’ top defender has traditionally played better with stay-at-home defenders. If that isn’t a fit, Brodie’s defensive style could complement Dumba’s strengths. This would give Sheldon Keefe the chance to try McCabe and Rielly together as the top pairing. If Keefe feels more comfortable with Brodie playing the right side with Rielly, McCabe and Dumba would make a solid shut-down pair too. While the fit isn’t as clear as somebody like Tanev, Dumba would still be a major upgrade for Toronto’s defence.
The Trade
Dumba’s value should be close to Tanev’s as a top rental defenceman on the market. Considering he’s on an expiring contract and isn’t having his best season offensively a first-round pick might be a bit steep. If Dumba is a good fit, the Leafs could look to extend him in the offseason too.
Toronto receives: Matt Dumba, Arizona 2024 4th round pick
Arizona receives: Toronto 2024 1st round pick
Sean Walker
The Player
As I mentioned with Scott Laughton in my previous article, Philadelphia is in a bit of an awkward position. They are likely to make the playoffs, but they’d still be wise to cash in on Walker rather than risk losing him for nothing in the offseason.
Walker is known as more of an offensive defenceman, but he’s been solid on both ends of the ice for the Flyers this season. He’s not a big, bruising defenceman at 5’11, but he’s a strong skater who moves the puck efficiently and has been trusted in a penalty-killing role.
The Fit
It’s fair to question whether Walker is a prototypical fit if Timothy Liljegren remains on the team seeing as they fill similar roles. That being said, Walker’s ability to play both sides of the ice makes him an attractive trade target. Walker would likely get a shot in the top four to start, potentially beside Jake McCabe or TJ Brodie.
The Trade
Walker is a solid player, but I’m not convinced his track record is impressive enough for the Flyers to land a first-round pick. A second-round pick or equivalent plus another asset should get this trade done.
Toronto receives: Sean Walker
Philadelphia receives: New York Islanders 2024 3rd round pick, Nick Abruzzese
Noah Hanifin
The Player
Considering his age, size and ability Noah Hanifin is the top defenceman on the trade market. He’s averaging over 23 minutes per game this season. Offensively Hanifin isn’t elite, but he is a valuable contributor. His defensive game has been up and down in his career, but he’s come into his own of late. Whether Hanifin wants to sign an extension with a Canadian team is unclear, and whoever acquires him must do their due diligence on whether they’d have a shot to resign him.
The Fit
While Hanifin is the top defenceman on the market, the fact that he’s left-handed makes him a somewhat awkward fit in Toronto. Can a top four with four lefties work? Jake McCabe and TJ Brodie have experience playing their off-side, but Brodie in particular has looked much better on his natural, left side this season. It’s possible the Leafs trade for Hanifin anyway and allow Brodie to walk in the offseason. Then, Timothy Liljegren or another right-handed player could step up into the top four next season. In this case, Toronto’s top three defencemen would still be left-handed, which isn’t ideal.
If Hanifin is acquired, pairing him with Jake McCabe would make the most sense. Together, they would be relied upon as Toronto’s shut-down pair, giving Brodie and Rielly a break from the opponent’s top competition. Hanifin would make the Leafs’ blue line better, but the fit is questionable. Especially considering the assets Calgary will demand to acquire Hanifin and the money he will command on his next contract.
The Trade
The Hampus Lindholm deal between the Bruins and Ducks is a valuable guide for what Hanifin will cost in a trade. In that deal, the Ducks were able to land a 1st, two 2nds and former first-round pick Urho Vaakanainen for Lindholm. The Leafs don’t have an abundance of draft pick capital to dangle, so making this trade will likely command one of their top prospects and a promising young player plus draft picks.
Toronto receives: Noah Hanifin
Calgary receives: Toronto 2024 1st round pick, Toronto 2024 5th round pick, Nick Robertson, Topi Niemela
Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Deadline Targets – Defencemen
Which defenceman would you most like the Toronto Maple Leafs to target in a trade? Who should have been on my trade Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Deadline Targets – Defencemen list? Let me know, and stay tuned for the NHL trade deadline and more on Area 51.
