Despite a terrific year, head coach Mike Babcock is looking for more, in particular a scoring threat from the back line that can help the team on power plays and make the club a bit more physical next season.
Rumors are running wild on social media and the press is having a field day with all the speculation that could occur before the upcoming players draft. With several teams looking to make moves in the coming weeks, it makes sense that a deal could happen quickly, especially with Las Vegas being able to pluck players from each team during the expansion draft.
Toronto made great strides and has a solid core of good young forwards. Using these players to improve depth in other areas could make this a team to watch next season, but only if they add the right mix over the summer.
The latest reports from several sources have Babcock showing interest in Anaheim Ducks defender Sami Vatanen. The 25-year-old had a solid season with the Ducks and with a low salary cap number over the next three years, his youth and playing style are exactly what Toronto needs to add this off season.
There are a number of rumors suggesting that a few higher profile players could move to the Maple Leafs, but a closer look at the salary cap shows it could only be possible by moving some of the top talent on the team and after a successful year, that would appear highly unlikely.
The Maple Leafs are in great position to battle for a top-4 spot in next years NHL Playoffs. This organization has done a terrific job in adding some great young talent and molding these young men with the current group of veterans. Another strong summer of adding talent and the sky is the limit for this franchise, but the first step is adding more depth on defense and Vatanen would be a great start.