Leafs reportedly kicking tires on a top-four defenceman ahead of the deadline
AI-generated image · Bay Street Wire
Sources familiar with the discussions say management is prioritizing right-shot defensive depth over a rental winger this time around.
Toronto's front office has begun quietly gauging the trade market for a top-four, right-shot defenceman, according to sources familiar with the club's deadline planning.
The shift in priority — defence over a scoring rental — reflects concerns coaching staff have raised about the second pairing's ability to handle tougher matchups in a playoff series.
Nothing is close, sources caution, and the asking price for the kind of player Toronto wants remains a sticking point.