With the NHL trade deadline three weeks away, anticipation is building around the league. The Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets have struck already, dealing away sizable packages for two of the top players available. The Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t made a trade yet, but there is no reason to believe they’ll stand pat. With rumours swirling, let’s take a look at the three forwards that fit best in Toronto’s lineup.
Adam Henrique
The Player
Henrique checks a lot of boxes for the Leafs. He would add depth at center, secondary offense and a two-way presence to the Leafs lineup. In a lot of ways, Henrique could act as a Ryan O’Reilly lite, with a similar ability to slot in at multiple positions and play on both special teams. Henrique does not have close to the playoff resume that O’Reilly has, having only reached the playoffs on two occasions in his 14-year career. He did have an impressive playoff run with the Devils as a rookie in 2011-12 though, tallying 13 points in 24 games and scoring the overtime goal to send New Jersey to the Stanley Cup finals. 12 years later, it’s difficult to know how much stock to put into that.
Henrique’s advanced stats from the last few seasons aren’t pretty, but for a center who has been tasked with tough minutes on an awful team, his numbers aren’t terrible. Henrique’s corsi flirted with a career-low last season but has come back up to over 47% so far this year. With 35 points, the Ontario native would rank 6th on the Leafs, only behind the core four forwards and Morgan Rielly.
The Fit
Sheldon Keefe would have options here. Henrique could take Max Domi’s position as the third-line center, sending Domi to either the second or third-line left-wing spot. This would give Sheldon Keefe the option to create a checking line, or at least feel more comfortable playing his third line in crucial defensive situations. He could also fit on the second line, at either left-wing or center. This would give the John Tavares’ line a boost at both ends of the ice, adding both a defensive conscience and another offensive threat that the second line has been lacking.
The Trade
Based on the Monahan trade, the Ducks should be asking for at least a first-round pick or an equivalent prospect plus another mid-range asset or two for Henrique. The Leafs are likely to prefer trading picks rather than their top prospects.
Accommodating Henrique’s $5.825 million cap hit would be a challenge for the Leafs, but the team does have some flexibility. Toronto would likely need Anaheim and potentially a third team to retain part of Henrique’s cap hit to make this work, adding to the acquisition cost.
Toronto receives: Adam Henrique (50% salary retained)
Anaheim receives: Toronto 1st round pick in 2024, Toronto 3rd round pick in 2026, Connor Timmins
Scott Laughton
The Player
The Philadelphia Flyers are reportedly taking calls on the Oakville, Ontario native despite having a 79% chance of making the playoffs according to MoneyPuck. The Flyers are apparently “not eager” to trade Laughton, and if the playoffs continue to be realistic Danny Briere could decide against trading him.
Laughton is having something of a down year, averaging around three minutes less ice time than last year. His production hasn’t been overly impressive either, with just 24 points in 55 games so far. Despite that, Laughton’s fit, style of play, and contract are all attractive to the Leafs. Laughton is locked in at a reasonable $3 million per year through 2025-26.
The Fit
Laughton would almost certainly be acquired to play third-line center for the Leafs. He would bring more of a two-way game than Max Domi does while playing a similar, scrappy style. Laughton would also add to the Leafs penalty kill, giving them another threat to score shorthanded. Laughton was tied with Connor McDavid for third in the NHL with seven shorthanded points in 2022-23.
The Trade
Seeing as Laughton isn’t a rental, he won’t come cheap. Being in a playoff spot, Philadelphia would likely be more inclined to make a hockey trade, acquiring a young roster player or prospect rather than draft picks.
Toronto receives: Scott Laughton, Philadelphia 3rd round pick in 2024
Philadelphia receives: Nick Robertson, Toronto 1st round pick in 2024
Frank Vatrano
The Player
If the Toronto Maple Leafs decide to trade for a winger rather than a center, Vatrano would be a prudent option. No, he’s not as prolific as Jake Guentzel, but he also won’t cost nearly as much and is locked up at a reasonable $3.65 million contract for another season. Vatrano is on a 35-goal, 63-point pace for the Ducks, both of which would be career highs for the winger. While Vatrano has expressed his desire to stay in Anaheim, the team may look to cash in on his breakout year via trade.
Vatrano is the type of scorer the Leafs lack beyond their top four forwards. While he has limited playoff experience, he had an impactful run with the Rangers in 2022, tallying 13 points in 20 games before falling to the Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final.
The Fit
Vatrano would likely slot into a top-six left-wing spot right away, potentially beside Matthews and Marner. This would strengthen the Leafs’ top six and allow Matthew Knies or Tyler Bertuzzi to play against easier competition on the third line. Vatrano would be a helpful addition to the Leafs’ second powerplay unit and get a chance to contribute on the penalty kill as well.
The Trade
With Vatrano’s contract security and the year he’s having, his trade value is the highest it’s ever been. That being said, the Leafs shouldn’t have to sell the farm to acquire him. With Vatrano coming in, it would make sense for the Leafs to give Nick Robertson a change of scenery.
Toronto acquires: Frank Vatrano
Anaheim acquires: Nick Robertson, Toronto 1st round pick in 2026
Which of these forwards would you be most excited for the Leafs to acquire before the trade deadline? Who did I miss? Let me know, and stay tuned for Toronto Maple Leafs trade deadline targets – defensemen.