The Toronto Maple Leafs will be active ahead of the trade deadline as the team will likely look to acquire a center.
The website PuckPedia‘s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the Maple Leafs acquiring Jason Dickinson from the Chicago Blackhawks.
Maple Leafs acquire:
- Jason Dickinson ($2.1 million retained)
Blackhawks acquire:
- Nick Robertson
- Roni Hirvonen
- 2025 second-round pick (Florida’s)
The proposed deal would be an intriguing one as Toronto would acquire Dickinson for an NHL player, a prospect, and a draft pick.
Dickinson is in the first year of his two-year $8.5 million deal with the Blackhawks. He could be the Maple Leafs’ third-line center and add some offense to the bottom of the lineup. Dickinson has skated in 47 games recording 7 goals and 7 assists for 14 points. His career-high came last season when he recorded 22 goals and 13 assists for 35 points.
In return, the Maple Leafs would deal a second-round pick as well as Robertson. Robertson requested a trade this summer but ended up signing a one-year deal. His name has been in trade rumors and his age would fit the Blackhawks rebuild. The 23-year-old has 8 goals and 4 assists for 12 points in 41 games this season.
Hirvonen, meanwhile, is also 23 and is a former second-round pick. He’s playing in the AHL and he’s skated in 28 games recording 6 goals and 7 assists for 13 points. He could push for NHL minutes in Chicago.
Maple Leafs Looking to Acquire a Center
Toronto’s biggest need ahead of the March 7 trade deadline is a center.
The Maple Leafs are one of the top teams in the NHL, and general manager Brad Treliving says adding a center is a preference.
“We’ve been able to take a look at what we’ve got internally, right? Which is important. So, we’ve seen some guys come up and play well,” Treliving said to the media on January 13. “It gives you a little insight into what you have within the organization. Guys get put into different roles. Guys from the Marlies come up. I think we got (center) depth. Got lots of guys that can play the position. Is it an area that we continue to try to upgrade?”
However, making a move is easier said than done due to Toronto’s assets and salary cap. Treliving also knows the Maple Leafs aren’t the only team looking to add a centerman.
“But we, probably along with 15 or 18 other teams, would like to add center depth. So, it seems to be a position du jour,” Treliving added.
Toronto is 30-17-2 and in first place in the Atlantic Division.
Blackhawks GM Expected Team to be Further Along in Rebuild
Chicago entered this season with hopes of being competitive and competing for a playoff spot.
However, the Blackhawks have the second-worst record in the NHL, and general manager Kyle Davidson admitted he thought the team would be further along in its rebuild.
“Our team as a whole has not quite been what, realistically, what we expected us to be at this point,” Davidson said. “I think we expected to be a bit further ahead than we are. Having said that, if you asked almost every player, to a person in that room, they’ll say they need to be better.”
The Blackhawks are 15-28-4 and haven’t made the playoffs since the 2019-20 season.
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