The NHL season has just kicked off and already there is news of a trade that was almost completed.
Canadian Rivals Fail To Complete A Trade
Elliotte Friedman had another episode of his 32 Thoughts podcast today. One of the biggest news items was a narrowly missed trade between two Canadian teams. The trade involves the recently traded Sam Lafferty and the potential for him to have ended up elsewhere.
Friedman on 32T: "I think EDM was a team that liked Lafferty and I wouldn't be surprised if Toronto called the Oilers about Lafferty and fished around Desharnais. That's the kind of player I could see Toronto fishing around on this year and doing it at this time"
Friedman eludes to the idea that the Toronto Maple Leafs had potential talks centered around a Lafferty for Desharnais swap. Ultimately the deal fell through but it pointed out Toronto's next potential move.
Toronto To Target Physicality & Size On Defense
Since the end of free agency, many fans and media have found one glaring hole in the Toronto Maple Leafs roster. Many believe that the defensive unit for the Maple Leafs is not physical enough or tough enough.
Now with the Maple Leafs reportedly poking around on Vincent Desharnais the organization seems to have the same thought.
While the Maple Leafs are unlikely to make any more trades in the near future this is something to keep an eye on. A trade at the deadline for a more physical and aggressive defenseman is certainly on the table.