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Toronto Maple Leafs rumors aren’t taking a break during the Olympics, with one circling back to this high-end blueliner.
With the Olympics currently in full swing, Maple Leafs rumors have seemingly taken a bit of a backseat. Still, Toronto continues to make some background noise as the NHL trade deadline continues to creep up.
In particular, part of the chatter that just won’t go away involves New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton.
A few weeks ago, a Hamilton trade seemed imminent. The Devils were willing to pull the trigger, especially after unloading their biggest anchor, Ondrej Palat, in a deal with the New York Islanders. Then, crickets.
The Devils suffered a significant injury by losing Luke Hughes for the foreseeable future. That situation seemed to slam the brakes on the possibility of Hamilton heading out the door. But leave it to James Mirtle of The Athletic to stoke the flames of this Maple Leafs rumor.
Yes, he admitted that the deal was pretty much dead in the water. But could things have changed since mid-January?
It’s possible that the Devils have changed their minds, particularly on their asking price. Perhaps their desperation to make a move could have dropped the price on Hamilton. The situation might now be such that New Jersey is willing to deal Hamilton to anyone willing to take his cap hit off their books.
That’s why this Maple Leafs rumor could be picking up some steam.
Maple Leafs Definitely Could Use Hamilton
The biggest hole on the Maple Leafs’ blue line belongs to Chris Tanev. There is no sense in activating Tanev at any point this season. Even if the Leafs are in the midst of a playoff chase, the veteran blueliner would be a better addition at some point in the postseason.
If the club does shut down Tanev for the remainder of the season, these Maple Leafs rumors could come to fruition.
Keeping Tanev on LTIR could open up enough cap space for the Maple Leafs to add what’s left of Hamilton’s cap hit this season. It would give the Leafs enough room to work something out, at least this year.
Then, the team would need to figure out how to make the math work for next season. But that’s a bridge the Leafs would cross during the summer.
Maple Leafs Rumors Suggest Major Blueline Shake-Up
Another part of the ongoing Maple Leafs rumors involves trading Morgan Rielly. The chatter makes sense to a certain extent. While moving Rielly has its merits on paper, the Leafs would do well to add any big, mobile defenseman who could support the offense.
That’s what the Leafs would get by adding Hamilton, along with Rielly. It’s worth trying out this experiment. While the Leafs would lose a premier shutdown defenseman, the fact is that adding more firepower in Hamilton could be a major boost to the Leafs’ overall offense.
Ultimately, Maple Leafs rumors won’t go away until the club pulls off the sort of move that quells the anguish of a beleaguered fan base. However, the betting odds suggest that’s something that’s likely happening during the offseason. The most Leafs fans can hope for is a sensible sell-off at this year’s NHL trade deadline.
Nestor Quixtan Seasoned NHL analyst and baseball writer focused on covering clubs across each league with news, analysis, and insights. Originally from Toronto, Canada, Nestor’s singular experiences and background have enabled him to bring a different take on the sports world as a whole. Nestor’s fondness for baseball and hockey set the tone for his love and passion for writing about sports. More about Nestor Quixtan
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