The Toronto Maple Leafs will be looking to acquire a centerman ahead of the March 7 trade deadline.
The Maple Leafs have a need for a third-line center and NHL analyst Chris Gerics of HockeyPatrol links Toronto to Casey Mittelstadt of the Colorado Avalanche.
“If Colorado is willing to get rid of Mikko Rantanen, who knows what constitutes a right deal, however, if the team is so lukewarm on him then a deal could be done,” Gerics wrote. “He adds everything Toronto needs too; he scores goals, is a fantastic playmaker, is a solid faceoff man (though his numbers are down this season), has two more years left on his deal and give them a solid power play contributor.”
Mittelstadt is in the first year of his three-year $17.25 million deal with the Avalanche. However, his name has come up in trade talks. Gerics believes a deal with Mittelstadt and Oliver Kylington for Easton Cowan, Nick Robertson, Topi Niemela, and a 2026 third-round pick.
“With the team looking to get some type of deal done, there’s no shortage of options available. Hidden in there though is a real gem in Casey Mittelstadt; it’s only going to cost them their potential future,” Gerics added.
Gerics has skated in 55 games recording 9 goals and 23 assists for 32 points with the Avalanche this season.
Mittelstadt a Trade Candidate
Colorado traded for Mittelstadt last trade deadline, but a year later his name has come up in trade talks.
Mittelstadt has struggled this season with the Avalanche and DailyFaceoff.com’s Frank Seravalli has the centerman ranked fifth on his trade bait board.
“Given that both Mittelstadt and Bowen Byram are on our Targets board, it’s fair to say that neither side has been enthralled with the one-for-one swap that was one of the true surprises of Deadline 2024,” Seravalli wrote. “Unlike Byram, Mittelstadt is at least under contract for two seasons beyond this one. So he would provide a little cost certainty moving forward. He just hasn’t quite been a fit, or as productive, in Jared Bednar’s lineup. We’re told the Avalanche are willing to shake things up if they can find the right deal.”
Mittelstadt is currently the Avalanche’s second-line center. He was selected eighth overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2017.
Maple Leafs Likely to Acquire a Center
Toronto will be active ahead of the March 7 trade deadline.
The Maple Leafs have one of the best rosters in the NHL as Toronto will look to acquire a centerman ahead of the deadline. However, Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving says acquiring a center could be easier said than done.
“I think we’ve got depth,” Treliving said on January 13. “We got lots of guys who can play the position. Is it an area that we continue to try to upgrade? I would say this: the guys at the top of the food chain are pretty darn good. Auston, and how can you talk anything but positively about the year John’s having? So to say you’re going to get somebody above that, I don’t think that’s realistic. Is there ways we can continue to look at adding to that? Sure. I think there’s some depth there, is that an area we’d like to continue to look at? I’m sure it’s one. But, we along with 15 or 18 other teams are looking at center depth, so it seems to be a position de jour.”
Toronto is 32-19-2 and in second place in the Atlantic Division.
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