Toronto Maple Leafs Should Find An Upgrade As Injuries Pile Up

Injuries have ravaged the Toronto Maple Leafs this season.

Things had gotten somewhat better late this month, with veteran blueliner Chris Tanev back in action and stabilizing Toronto's defense corps. However, that didn't last long at all, as Tanev played only three games after returning before suffering a groin injury that is expected to keep him sidelined for another significant stretch of time. 

In the Maple Leafs' last game before the calendar year turned to 2026, a slew of players – Tanev, Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Dakota Joshua – were out of the lineup against the New Jersey Devils. But while some people were predicting disaster for Toronto against the Devils, the Leafs came up with one of their best efforts of the season in a 4-0 win.

With veteran Jake McCabe doing yeoman's work – and if there is a more important defender than McCabe and Tanev, we're not seeing it – the Maple Leafs have crept out of the basement of the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference.

Although Tanev is hugely important when it comes to the Leafs hanging and banging with the NHL's big-boy teams, Toronto's depth on the back end is sufficient to make them a winning team even with Tanev on the sidelines.

With that said, if Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving is going to make a trade, it says here that it shouldn't be a defenseman he trades for. No, instead, Toronto needs a top-six winger more than anything right now. And the market for a top-six winger is going to be much more robust than the market for a difference-making defenseman.

Now that the Leafs have gotten fortunate to pick up veteran D-man Troy Stecher, Toronto doesn't have an urgent need for a D-man. But let's say the Pittsburgh Penguins continue to slide down the Eastern Conference ranks – something that's very possible, if not probable, given Pittsburgh's 3-5-4 record in their past dozen games – you can see where Pens GM Kyle Dubas is going to make a couple of veterans in particular up for grabs on the trade market.

We're speaking about wingers Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell, who would be terrific additions to any team seeking a bump on offense. Rust doesn't have any no-trade or no-move protection in his contract, and he's having another great year, with 15 goals and 34 points in 36 games. The 33-year-old Rust is signed for another two seasons after this one at a salary cap hit of $5.125-million, so while the Leafs would need to step up with a major offer, there's definitely a scenario in which they could fit him under their salary cap structure.

Similarly, Rakell also would be a major upgrade for Toronto's wing situation. The 32-year-old has an eight-team no-trade clause and he has been dealing with health issues this season, but in 18 games this year, he's posted nine assists and 13 points. And his $5-million salary – which runs for another two seasons after this one – is just as affordable as Rust's.

Now, if Pittsburgh does stay in contention, Rust and Rakell may not be available to the Leafs or any other team in a trade. But we use them as an example to demonstrate that the teams that do sink in the standings from this point on will be ready, willing and able to put a proven performer on the trade block. And that's where Treliving has to pounce.

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The Leafs are going to have trouble rising into a top-three spot in the Atlantic, but if they do get a boost via trade, a wild-card spot is very achievable. In a perfect world, Tanev will be back well ahead of the trade deadline, and Toronto's defense corps will be better than it is without him.

But there's no equivalent winger out there in Toronto's system who is just waiting to get healthy. So the best route forward for the Buds is to pick up an experienced hand on the wing. They're much easier to acquire, and they could be the difference between the Leafs making or missing out on the post-season.

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