The Toronto Maple Leafs need a centre, want a centre and will try to get a centre before the March 7 trade deadline.
But who exactly should they be targeting?
After scouring the league, I came up with 10 potential targets, ranked them based on a combination of their fit and “gettability” and then had The Athletic’s NHL insider (and my good pal) Chris Johnston weigh in.
Let’s get to it.
Honourable mentions
Jake Evans, Montreal Canadiens
Montreal’s right-shooting, Toronto-born third-line centre is having a strong offensive season (thanks to a fiery shooting percentage). Is he enough of an upgrade on what the Leafs have? The Habs are willing to listen, but at what price will they trade him?
Michael McCarron, Nashville Predators
Here’s why the Leafs might consider McCarron: He’s one of the largest humans playing centre in the NHL today at 6-foot-6 and 232 pounds. McCarron, who plays in Nashville, is also cheap with a cap hit of $900K; he’s under contract for one more season; and he’s a right shot who can kill penalties and win some draws. The hiccup: McCarron is a fourth-line centre averaging about 13 minutes of limited offence.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau, New York Islanders
Is Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello really going to deal Pageau, who has another year left on his contract? Doubtful.
Alexander Wennberg, San Jose Sharks
The Leafs could have signed him in free agency last summer and opted not to. He would be a safe, if not low-upside add with another year left ($5 million cap hit) on his contract.
There are definitely better fits. Strome isn’t some defensive ace who will take pressure off John Tavares and Auston Matthews by absorbing top-line competition; he’s not going to score much; he’s among the worst faceoff men in the league (for whatever that’s worth); and, crucially, he has two more years left on his contract after this one, with a cap hit of $5 million.
Those are a lot of strikes against him (too many for me). Strome would bring the promise of playmaking from lower in the lineup; he’s actually a centre, unlike most of the guys the Leafs have beyond the big two; and hey, he was a close pal of Tavares on Long Island.
CJ says: You probably can’t lay out a more compelling case than that. There are better fits. Next.
Unlikely for many reasons? Yes. Impossible? Not necessarily.
Why won’t it happen? Kadri’s contract is large and long: four more years after this one at a cap hit of $7 million. Kadri is only a few weeks younger than Tavares; he’ll be turning 38 when the deal expires. The last couple years there could be problematic. There’s also the weird dynamic between Calgary ownership and their former GM Brad Treliving, which could make a deal difficult. And there’s the trust factor: The Leafs seemed to get rid of Kadri, at least in part, because of his playoff, err, foibles.
Would they — with a different head coach, GM and front office minus Brendan Shanahan and a few others — be prepared to trust him now? We know this: The GM who signed Kadri to that deal in Calgary happens to be the one running the Leafs now. Kadri also happens to fit the bill, almost to a T, for what the Leafs need in the middle of their third line: a gritty centre who can impact the game at both ends. And hey, what a story it would be!
CJ says: You’ve correctly framed the circumstances at play here, Jonas, because the sense right now is that Calgary isn’t eager to remove any players from its veteran core. Right in the thick of the Western Conference wild-card race, the Flames aren’t looking to rebuild, retool or reload.
Kadri is an essential part of the team’s roster as a top-line center who logs minutes with the No. 1 power-play unit and sits second behind Jonathan Huberdeau in goals and points. Now, should any circumstances unexpectedly change, I think a reunion in Toronto could absolutely make sense for everyone involved. For starters, Kadri owns a no-movement clause in his contract through 2025-26, but that likely isn’t a stumbling block to a deal. The circumstances that led to his 2019 trade to Colorado by the Leafs are believed to be water under the bridge for all involved.
But — and this critical caveat can’t be stressed enough — the Flames would have to be looking to move Kadri, which isn’t the case right now.
Utah may decide (if it hasn’t already) not to trade Bjugstad, its third-line centre, as it tries to pursue a spot in the postseason. But if it does want to trade him, the Leafs might be inclined to suss things out.
Bjugstad’s biggest selling point is, well, he’s big — 6-foot-5 and over 200 pounds. He’s also shown here and there, though not this season, that he can score a bit; he topped 20 goals for the second time last season. What gives me pause with Bjugstad? He’s not the quickest player around. Maybe that’s less of a concern on a ground-and-pound Craig Berube team, but it would worry me in a playoff series when the pace only ratchets up and those who can’t keep up struggle to see the ice.
Bjugstad played a bit role for Edmonton in the 2023 playoffs, and the Oilers were outshot 79-45 in his five-on-five minutes.
CJ says: For what it’s worth, the Oilers were really happy with what they got out of Bjugstad during that playoff run. They buried him with defensive zone starts and difficult assignments at five-on-five and were only outscored 4-3 during those minutes.
Theoretically, Toronto could look at using him in a similar role to free the elite offensive players up for more appealing opportunities.
The biggest barrier to a trade here is Utah HC’s ambitions — the organization has no designs on preemptively waving a white flag on a playoff push during its first season playing out of Salt Lake City. The team formerly known as the Arizona Coyotes stockpiled a ridiculous number of draft picks in recent years and doesn’t seem at all inclined to be an all-out seller like it was in the past.
Still, it’s probably worth making a call to see if Bjugstad might be available. He’s not a headline-drawer compared to others on this list, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be a difference-maker.
The good with Laughton? He’s competitive, he’s signed for next season at a mild $3 million cap hit and he’s not a minus offensively like David Kämpf.
The not-so-good with Laughton? He’s valuable to the Flyers and won’t come cheap, he’s playing mostly on the wing these days (and on the fourth line at times too), and his minutes have been trending downward on a rebuilding Philadelphia team. I don’t hate it, but I don’t love it either.
CJ says: The cost to pry Laughton out of Philadelphia has been set at a first-round draft pick, which is in line with some other impact centres that moved before previous trade deadlines, but might be too rich for the Leafs. They’ve already parted with their 2025 first and would have to dip into their 2026 or 2027 stockpile to meet the Flyers’ price.
The fact remains that Philadelphia is under no pressure to deal Laughton now because he’s signed through next season and could be dangled as a rental 12 months down the road.
Small and slick, Granlund doesn’t feel like a fit for a team coached by Berube and managed by Treliving. But here’s why the Leafs should seriously consider it: Granlund could breathe some offensive life into the bottom six and could even play higher in the lineup in the case of injury. A major upgrade on Pontus Holmberg that way to say the least.
Granlund’s contract ($5 million cap hit) expires at the end of the year, so there’s no long-term commitment. It’s hard to see it happening, though. Beyond his ill fit for a Berube-style team, Granlund is another player who’s played a lot on the wing. He also struggled mightily in Pittsburgh when he was last dealt in-season.
Granlund is playing top-line minutes with San Jose but could breathe some life into Toronto’s bottom six. (Robert Edwards / Imagn Images)
CJ says: A big part of Granlund’s resurgence during two seasons in San Jose is due to the fact he has consistently been given the top-six treatment — playing more than five minutes per game (!) on average than he did with the Penguins at the end of 2022-23. In fact, it’s gone so well that Granlund could still be signed to an extension by the Sharks rather than dealt at the deadline. There’s mutual interest in exploring that possibility.
The question the Leafs or any other potential acquiring team need to ask themselves here: How significantly would a reduction in role impact Granlund’s ability to make a positive impact in his new environment? And is that unknown worth the risk after he’s grown accustomed to playing top-line minutes at even strength and on the power play?
Coyle should probably be higher. He’s exactly what the Leafs need.
Matchup centre? Check. When the Bruins face the Leafs, they turn to Coyle for the Matthews matchup. Another centre who can provide some offence? Check. Though he’s having a down year offensively this season, Coyle averaged 19 goals and about 50 points in the previous three seasons. Under team control beyond this season at a reasonable price ($5.25 million cap hit)? Check. The problem? The Bruins don’t have to trade Coyle and probably won’t unless they’re bowled over with an offer, especially to a division rival. Coyle also has a no-movement clause in his contract, giving him veto power over any deal.
Bruins president Cam Neely did suggest recently that his team might have to consider a retool, so if you’re the Leafs it’s worth a call.
CJ says: Full disclosure — I really wrestled with this one. As much as I want to call the concept far-fetched, the Bruins senior leadership has openly discussed the need to consider a path at this deadline that sees them refresh the roster. In the event they choose to walk down that road, trading a 32-year-old centre with one year remaining on his contract seems like a prudent thing to consider, especially since Coyle should generate a meaningful return in a trade.
Now, does it matter that they might be helping out a division rival if they make that kind of deal with Toronto? Honestly, it shouldn’t. One of the best deals the Bruins pulled off in their history was prying Tuukka Rask from the Leafs in 2006. All of which is a long way to say that I began by thinking that this was a preposterous idea, only to start warming to it the more I thought it through.
Boston is probably far more likely to deal Frederic, a pending UFA, than Coyle.
But, again, would they deal him to a division rival? That’s one potential hurdle. The other? Frederic is having a down year, with just seven goals and 14 points so far. Part of what made him so attractive in the past was the scoring/grit combo he brought. Frederic scored 18 goals last year and 17 the year before that with strong underlying numbers. He’s another player, mind you, who sometimes plays the wing. And yet, Frederic still feels like the right fit for this particular Leafs team — their head coach and GM especially. Why? Frederic is 6-foot-3, 221 pounds and plays with zero fear and a real edge.
The Leafs might just bet that his scoring touch will return, too. They’ve witnessed it firsthand when it matters: Frederic scored in Games 1 and 3 against the Leafs last spring. Unlike some of the other names on this list, the acquisition cost shouldn’t be outrageous.
CJ says: The intangibles and vibes are both strong here, especially with Frederic’s willingness to drop the gloves and literally fight for his teammates. That could add an extra layer of attraction for a Leafs team that seems to be having an increasingly tough time finding a spot for veteran Ryan Reaves in the lineup on a nightly basis.
The biggest question with Frederic is whether he raises the ceiling on what Toronto is hoping to accomplish with its third line. As Jonas correctly notes, he plays as much wing as he does centre these days and he’s never been particularly effective in the faceoff dot. Frederic is a playoff warrior-type who the Bruins are almost certain to move as a rental before March 7, but the Leafs might best aim for a target who checks more boxes.
Trent Frederic plays with edge, which could make him a good fit for the Leafs. (Bob DeChiara / Imagn Images)
What I like most about Gourde for the Leafs? He plays a grimy game, he’s playoff-proven and he’s perfectly suited to tackle top lines, alleviating some of that responsibility from Matthews and Tavares. Gourde played just that kind of role for the Tampa Bay Lightning during their back-to-back Stanley Cups.
Though he may not drive a lot of offence in the regular season — he’s on pace for only 32 points in Seattle this season — Gourde has shown he can produce when it matters. He had 13 points in 14 games during his last playoff run with the Kraken and 13 goals during those Cup runs with Tampa. In 83 career playoff games, Gourde has 20 goals and 42 points.
The Leafs prize size and Gourde isn’t that at 5-foot-9 and 174 pounds. But he plays bigger than that. Does this front office believe he can be enough of a difference-maker to pay, say, their top pick in the upcoming draft — a second-rounder — if that’s what it takes?
CJ says: The biggest thing an interested team needs to get its mind around is what version of Gourde it’s acquiring. The 33-year-old is currently out of the Kraken’s lineup due to injury. He’s been limited to just 35 games so far this season and, even when he’s played, he’s seen a steep decline in both ice time and production since last year.
There are blinking red warning lights here. Gourde’s reputation as a highly competitive player is well-earned and his Stanley Cup credentials are going to attract attention, but it’s also possible the hard miles he’s logged over the years are catching up with him. That possibility needs to be considered. However, an opportunist might look at the situation and conclude the Kraken aren’t in a particularly strong position to maximize their asset’s trade value, making Gourde an attractive buy-low candidate.
Can the Leafs afford to take that kind of risk?
Nelson brings the promise of one precious element: Goal scoring in the postseason for a team that’s traditionally lacked that.
Nelson has popped 20 goals in his last 52 playoff games. That’s a top-20 per-game mark (0.38) leaguewide over that period from 2020 until now (min. 30 games), one that just eclipses Matthews (0.37) as well as Tavares (0.32) and Mitch Marner (0.16). Nelson’s goal scoring is down a bit this year, as are his shots and attempts, which needs to at least be noted given his age (33).
There’s more to like: Nelson is 6-foot-4 and over 200 pounds and can kill penalties, add another dimension to the power play, move up to second-line centre if needed and even slide to the wing if necessary. The tricky thing might be timing. The Islanders are sure to want to take their shot at the postseason, meaning GM Lou Lamoriello may be unwilling to sell until the last possible moment — and even then at a high price. And does he have any inclination to help the Leafs?
CJ says: There is plenty to like about Nelson and it should be no surprise to learn he’s featured prominently on the Leafs’ list of potential targets.
One thing to factor into the acquisition cost — likely a first-round pick, at minimum — is you’d have to be comfortable paying that kind of premium for a couple months of his services. If the Islanders move him ahead of the deadline, Nelson will be a rental who is widely expected to test the free-agent waters on July 1. That’s not a deal-breaker, obviously, but it’s an important factor to weigh given there are players available with some term remaining on their contracts beyond this season.
Still, it’s expected that multiple Stanley Cup contenders will be vying for Nelson’s services if Lamoriello decides he’s willing to bite the bullet and part with a lifelong Islander. His versatility, his size, his straight-line game and his impressive playoff resume make him potentially the most impactful forward available at this year’s deadline.
Two years later, O’Reilly is still exactly what this team needs: A tough-minded top-nine centre who can handle difficult minutes in any situation, can produce offensively and has a proven playoff history, including that spring two years ago when he helped the Leafs to the second round for the first time in forever.
O’Reilly also won his Cup in 2019 with Berube as his coach and he’s under contract for two more seasons after this one, with a mild-for-a-quality-centre cap hit of $4.5 million.
Two obstacles loom though:
1. Does O’Reilly want to return to Toronto for the next two and half seasons?
2. Can the Leafs put together a trade package that entices the Preds to even consider it?
Only O’Reilly knows the answer to the first question. We do know O’Reilly could have stayed in Toronto if he wanted to, but chose Nashville in free agency instead. And his brother Cal is a prospect in the Preds organization, for what that’s worth.
Ryan O’Reilly is exactly what the Leafs need right now. (Dan Hamilton / Imagn Images)
The second question is thornier for the Leafs given their limited pool of trade assets. It took three picks — a first, second and third — to get O’Reilly from the Blues when he was on an expiring contract. What now when O’Reilly is almost 34 with additional years left on his contract?
The Preds need to get younger and could use help at centre. Can the Leafs sell them on a package headlined by Fraser Minten that also includes Nick Robertson, who might be good for 20-25 goals with more opportunity? Would they have interest in Max Domi as someone who could help them now? Does Nashville GM Barry Trotz insist on the Leafs’ first-round pick in 2026 or their second this summer or … Easton Cowan?
If they can find a way there amid all that, O’Reilly is the guy for the Leafs.
CJ says: If the Leafs, or anyone else for that matter, want to get their hands on O’Reilly, they’re going to need to build a trade package around a good young player (or prospect). This season may not have gone the way the Predators envisioned, but they’re not looking for a full-scale rebuild. Maybe something more like a renovation.
I wonder whether or not the Leafs can meet that ask, or whether they even want to be bold enough to try. There may be some semantics at play, but Nashville doesn’t feel it aggressively needs to shop O’Reilly because of the years remaining on his contract and his level of play. While management there also wants to be sympathetic to his personal wishes, they can only extend him that level of courtesy to a point.
Ultimately, they need to do what’s best for the organization. As for O’Reilly, only he and those in his inner circle know for sure how he might view the prospect of a return to Toronto, but it’s worth pointing out he’d be returning to a different situation than the one he left behind in 2023. New general manager, new coaching staff, different vibe around the building. Built-in familiarity with Berube, not to mention many of the players still in the dressing room. It certainly doesn’t feel like a complete non-starter.
— Stats and research courtesy of Natural Stat Trick, Evolving Hockey, Puckpedia and Hockey Stat Cards
(Top photo of Charlie Coyle skating against Morgan Rielly: Claus Andersen / Getty Images)
