The Toronto Maple Leafs’ current blueline corps is by no means a finished product. While the addition of Darren Raddysh was a good start, there is still more that John Chayka would like to do.
One of the most evident needs is another puck-moving defenseman. There might be a couple available this season. If the Leafs can land them, they would be remiss if they didn’t pounce.
But there’s one other glaring need: A solid defensive defenseman. At the moment, Toronto has a high-end one in Chris Tanev. Unfortunately, Tanev is 36 and coming off an injury-plagued season. So, there’s really no telling if he’ll be a viable solution moving forward.
That’s why the Maple Leafs might need to target a replacement for Tanev. And there might just be one in Vancouver. That Tanev replacement could be Filip Hronek.
Before proceeding, it’s worth pointing out that Hronek has publicly stated his desire to remain in Vancouver even if the organization is set to go through a massive rebuild. But it’s uncertain how long that desire could last.
With the Canucks poised for another finish at the bottom of the league, would it be surprising to see trade rumors heating up around Hronek?
That’s where the Maple Leafs could jump into the mix. If Hronek, who’s 28 at the moment, sees his chances at winning a Stanley Cup fading quickly, would he be compelled to a trade, especially if the Canucks are looking to cash in on a highly tradeable asset?
That’s a situation that could unfold faster than most fans believe.
What Would It Cost for Maple Leafs to Land Hronek?
All right, so the big question is: What would it cost the Maple Leafs to land a top-pairing blueliner like Hronek?
An interesting piece that could go west is Morgan Rielly. Rielly is a BC native and could be open to heading to Vancouver. Of course, it would take much more than Rielly to make this deal work. The Leafs would have to cough up a first-round pick, if not multiple ones.
The Maple Leafs would also have to throw in a rebuilding piece that the Canucks would feel could help them down the line.
The good news is that this trade would hinge mostly on futures. The problem is that the Maple Leafs don’t have very many of said futures. That’s something that could complicate this move.
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Toronto Needs a Workhorse like Hronek
Ultimately, the Leafs need a workhorse like Filip Hronek. The team’s aging blue line will have to begin a serious turnover in the next couple of seasons. Tanev may be nearing the end of the line, while Jake McCabe and Oliver Ekman-Larsson could also be seeing their career enter the stretch run.
Hronek isn’t exactly a kid, but he’s young enough to where he could be a mainstay for the Maple Leafs for the next half-decade or so. If Toronto is seriously back in playoff contention, it wouldn’t be strange to hear rumblings involving the Leafs kicking the tires on a defenseman like Hronek.
Such a trade might be one of the biggest in-season moves in 2026-27.
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