Maple Leafs’ Kyle Dubas Scouting Panthers & Canadiens

As the trade deadline is just six weeks away, Toronto Maple Leafs’ general manager Kyle Dubas is at work scouting potential players he would like to bring in for a playoff run. The team needs to get out of the first round and it appears as though they are destined to match up once again with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Dubas was at the game between the Florida Panthers and the Montreal Canadiens and there are a number of interesting players he could have been paying close attention to. There has been speculation whether the Maple Leafs will swing bigger on a forward addition or a defensive addition, so let’s take a look at both.

Forwards

Sam Bennett

Sam Bennett may be the most likely player to not only be moved by the Panthers, but on the Maple Leafs’ radar. He would be a very good third line centre to give the team depth while being on a cheap contract through the 2024-25 season. He has a cap hit of just $4.425 million AAV and has the physicality and scoring combination that the Maple Leafs are looking to add.

Related: Nylander Returning to Maple Leafs Relies on Matthews’ Contract

It may cause complications down the line, but the Maple Leafs have to think about right now while their big four are under contract and they have a very strong team. There’s also a possibility that the Panthers eat a small portion of that contract or take a forward back this season. They have to move someone like Bennett out before a couple of players return from the LTIR in order to be cap compliant. Bennett is one of the leading candidates even though he has done well since coming to Florida.

Sam Reinhart

Sam Reinhart is another option that the Panthers must consider moving as he also earns quite a bit of money. He is under contract through next season, has been more productive, but also has a cap hit of $6.5 million AAV. This would be tougher for the Maple Leafs to fit onto their team, especially past this season, but the Panthers would also be able to eat more.

It may require a player like Alex Kerfoot to be moved out this season or in the offseason, but Reinhart has proven he can be a very good scorer. He is capable of playing centre or the wing, so the Maple Leafs could choose to load up their top-six further or give themselves better depth.

Sean Monahan

From the Canadiens, Sean Monahan is definitely an option considering he fits the bill as a middle-six centre. He would fit well into the Maple Leafs’ third line centre role and they would only be on the hook for his contract until the end of the season since he is a UFA. Monahan does make quite a bit of money as well, but the Canadiens are in a much better position to retain salary. He could essentially have a cap hit of just under $3.2 million and it would be a better quality of play than the Maple Leafs have gotten from Kerfoot.

Defence

Joel Edmundson

Joel Edmundson is expected to be moved despite liking it in Montreal. The same thing happened last season with Brett Kulak and he almost returned in free agency. The Canadiens are trying to get the most back from the players they intend to sell off at the deadline and Edmundson can fetch them a first round pick and more.

The Maple Leafs have draft picks and a first could be worth it to replace what they lost in Jake Muzzin. Edmundson has a cap hit of $3.5 million through next season, so things could get complicated if Muzzin does return. If not, Edmundson is a great defensive presence. Something to keep note of is that there are many worthy defencemen already fighting for spots on the Maple Leafs’ back-end.

Radko Gudas

Radko Gudas is a darkhorse that I think Dubas could be looking at. It doesn’t appear as though the Panthers will be able to climb their way into the playoffs and have a tough defender that will garner a lot of trade interest. Gudas has a cap hit of $2.5 million and plays great in his own end.

The big defender will fight, block shots, and hit every opportunity he gets. Unlike Edmundson, Gudas is a UFA at the end of the season and plays on the right side. Again, he would be taking away an opportunity from one of their young defenders, but that’s what it may take to win.