With the NHL trade deadline less than a month away, the Toronto Maple Leafs will likely make a couple of moves to try and make a deeper playoff run than they’re used to. With that in mind, they’re going to be looking to trade away future assets and draft picks to get some depth pieces. The Maple Leafs’ prospect pool isn’t particularly strong — we have them ranked at 23rd in the NHL — but they still have some quality pieces that should warrant some eyes from teams looking for young players.
It’s been reported that two of the club’s best prospects — Fraser Minten and Easton Cowan — are off the table in negotiations. Minten, the 38th overall selection from the 2022 NHL Draft, has seen a few games at the NHL this year but has mostly stayed put in the WHL, where he’s put up 37 points in 28 games. Cowan, who hasn’t seen the NHL, leads the OHL in points per game, potting 24 goals and 69 points in just 38 games so far this year. It’s easy to see why Toronto is hesitant to move the two. Still, there are a few prospects that fans should keep an eye on as potential casualties to the trade deadline.
Nick Robertson
Including 22-year-old Nick Robertson might be a bit of a cop-out, as he’s gotten some significant time in the NHL this season. However, until he shows that he’s a mainstay in the roster rather than bouncing between the NHL and AHL, he should be labeled as a prospect in my eyes. The same report that said Minten and Cowan are not going to be traded suggested that the Maple Leafs have been shopping Robertson and that he’s rightfully garnered some interest from other clubs.
In 32 NHL games this season, Robertson has put up seven goals and 15 points. In the AHL, he’s put up five goals and 11 points in just nine games. He sports an incredibly high hockey IQ, and his shiftiness and soft hands more than make up for his smaller, 5-foot-10 body. He’s been one of the Maple Leafs’ better forecheckers, due to his relentless motor and incessant need for puck retrievals.
For a team that’s lacked depth scoring, the potential of moving Robertson doesn’t sit right with me, but GM Brad Treliving seems to believe it could be the right move for the team’s Cup contention window. If he were to be moved, though, he could probably fetch a quality middle-six player and a mid-round draft pick from the right team. I could absolutely see someone like the San Jose Sharks sending over Anthony Duclair and a fourth or fifth-round pick in this year’s draft.
Topi Niemelä
The best defenseman prospect in the Maple Leafs’ system, Topi Niemelä has seamlessly transitioned to North American hockey after spending the previous four years in Finland’s Liiga. Considering Treliving’s attachment to Minten and Cowan, it’s somewhat surprising to not hear that Niemelä is a no-go in terms of getting dealt at the trade deadline. As a highly touted right-handed defenseman, he should garner a ton of interest from rebuilding teams.
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In his first full year with the Toronto Marlies, Niemelä has scored 25 points — six goals and 19 assists — in 41 games. Last season, he came over at the end of the AHL season, playing in their final six regular season games and putting up five points in seven postseason appearances. He’s borderline NHL-ready; at the very least, he’s developed some more-than-NHL-ready qualities — his defensive zone breakout passes are incredible, and his zone entry defense is impeccable, especially for his age. As he gets older and more mature, the defensive game is only going to improve. He’s got the smarts to be an extremely capable two-way guy.
I would imagine Niemelä would be included in a package for a veteran defenseman — the Maple Leafs have been connected to names like Chris Tanev and Rasmus Ristolainen. He may end up being a contributor for Toronto sooner rather than later, but I have to imagine he’s the most valuable prospect to throw to a team that’s offering a veteran or rental defenseman. I’d be surprised to see him remain in the system past March.
Ryan Tverberg
Ryan Tverberg came out of nowhere — he was the Maple Leafs’ seventh-round selection in the 2020 NHL Draft. Since being picked 213th overall, Tverberg had two near-point-per-game seasons in the NCAA with the University of Connecticut before making the transition to the AHL. He’s found immense success with the Marlies, too, with eight goals and 26 points in 28 AHL games. He was named AHL rookie of the month in January after posting five goals and 15 points in just 11 games, including a game in which he became the first Marlies player to record four goals in more than a decade.
When watching Tverberg’s game, nothing in particular pops out as above-average outside of one thing: his hockey sense. His skating is fine, his hands and shot are fine, he’s not a particularly gritty or motor-run player, but he always seems to be in the right place at the right time. He’s the type of player that every GM wants on their team, and because of that, he should probably be moved in a package for the right depth piece.
Treliving Should Consider Moving Minten and Cowan Too
Despite what was reported, I think Treliving should probably consider shopping top prospects Minten and Cowan for the right price. I doubt they’re untouchable, but it seems like they’re regarded as close, which I don’t understand considering the team’s Cup contention window. Despite what their record may say, and despite the issues that are prevalent in the organization, they are unequivocally a win-now team. Unless Treliving is gearing for a re-tool if the season doesn’t pan out, he’d be smart to consider all options, including moving the two most prized prospects in the organization.