Toronto Maple Leafs Caught Scouting Rival Teams Prior to Trade Deadline
With the NHL trade deadline approaching, the Toronto Maple Leafs are preparing themselves for some trade.
Scouts were spotted at Saturday's Flyers-Devils game and it's a sign that the Leafs are evaluating potential help ahead of March 7.
Early moves could help Toronto avoid the risks of last-minute deals.
Two players might be targeted for a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs
The two potential targets are Scott Laughton and Morgan Frost who are both Flyers centers with Toronto connections.
Scott Laughton is a native of Oakville and would be an ideal addition to his hometown team.
At 30, he's a polyvalent veteran with 104 goals and 261 points over his career and Scott Laughton consistently contributes 10-15 goals per season.
He also adds valuable intangibles like a 49.6% career win rate on faceoffs, an average of 150 hits and 45 blocks annually and he plays both on the penalty kill and the power play.
Laughton also brings playoff experience with nine points in his last postseason run with the Philadelphia Flyers and with a $3 million cap hit through 2024-25, he's a good option that doesn't cost much.
Morgan Frost is on his side, a young talent with upside since he's only 25 and offers a younger, high-upside option.
The son of former Leafs announcer Andy Frost, he's considered a skilled two-way center.
He was drafted 27th overall in 2017 and Frost has developed into a consistent forward since his beginning in the NHL by averaging 15 goals and 25 assists per 82 games.
This season, Morgan Frost has 11 goals and 13 assists in 42 games and he also has a $2.1 million cap hit that makes him a more affordable option.
The only thing is that he's a free agent at the end of the season and it's likely that he will be a rental unless Toronto re-signs him.
Both players bring the polyvalence, the depth and the playoff potential Toronto needs to make a deep playoff run and is positioning them as ideal trade deadline acquisitions.
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 19 | 159 ANSWERS Toronto Maple Leafs Caught Scouting Rival Teams Prior to Trade Deadline Do you think Brad Treliving should trade for Morgan Frost or Scott Laughton? | ||
| Yes | 94 | 59.1 % |
| No | 65 | 40.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
