The Toronto Maple Leafs have a clear need down the middle of the ice at center and they have been linked to several options.
However, most of the centers that Toronto has been linked to are pending UFAs. But, TSN NHL insider Darren Dreger reports that the Maple Leafs have shown interest in acquiring St. Louis Blues captain Brayden Schenn.
“Some believe that there’s potential of Brayden Schenn being traded by the St. Louis Blues,” Dreger said on Insider Trading. “He is their captain, he does have a full no-trade clause, so it is a complicated process. But we also know Doug Armstrong, the general manager, very well in how aggressive he can be. And the Blues are underachieving right now. So yes, the top contenders looking at the market, looking for a center are interested. And that would include the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“The return would have to be mammoth. Is there a team that would be willing to pay it? It’s too soon to say, but I do believe that the Blues are at least testing or gauging the market to see what that level of interest is and, ultimately, probably have to make that call in the weeks ahead,” Dreger added.
Acquiring Schenn would be a blockbuster as he’s in the fifth year of his eight-year $52 million deal. Given he has years left on his deal, it won’t come cheap to acquire the Blues captain.
Schenn has skated in 55 games recording 11 goals and 19 assists for 30 points.
Schenn is a Potential Trade Candidate
St. Louis has struggled this season which has made Schenn expendable, despite having years left on his deal.
The Blues captain has been an important part of the franchise, but The Athletic’s Chris Johnston had Schenn ranked 11th on his trade bait board.
“It has been an up-and-down campaign in St. Louis, with a coaching change and a few notable moves made already made with an eye toward shaking up the group,” Johnston wrote. “It also didn’t go without notice recently when general manager Doug Armstrong spoke publicly about the possibility of making changes to his core. Enter Schenn, the Blues captain, who the team is believed to at least be gauging interest on. That doesn’t guarantee a move. Especially with Schenn in possession of a full no-trade clause. But it’s enough to land him on the Big Board. The veteran center is having a good season and brings value at both ends of the ice, plus all kinds of playoff experience.”
Schenn helped the Blues win the Stanley Cup in 2019.
Maple Leafs Linked to Centers
Toronto is one of the top teams in the NHL and is expected to be aggressive ahead of the March 7 trade deadline.
The Maple Leafs have been linked to the likes of Schenn, Dylan Cozens, Scott Laughton, Brock Nelson, and Nick Bjugstad among others.
Cozens, like Schenn, has multiple years left on his deal. But, Johnston says Toronto is after the top names on the market.
“It’s my understanding 20 teams have called on Dylan Cozens this year,” Johnston said on The Chris Johnston Show. “That includes some of the ones that (have been mentioned). Whether it’s Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal has poked around, Toronto has made a call, Detroit. It’s 20 teams; we actually should start listing the ones that haven’t bothered to call versus those that have.”
The Maple Leafs are 33-19-2 and in second place in the Atlantic Division.
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