The Toronto Maple Leafs are in a dogfight for the Atlantic Division lead with days to go before the NHL trade deadline. 

They won five consecutive games before Monday’s loss but haven’t created any distance from the Florida Panthers or Tampa Bay Lightning because they, too, are on a hot streak. 

Over the weekend, the Panthers acquired Seth Jones to add to their already potent blueline, and they placed Matthew Tkachuk on long-term injury reserve to add cap space for another move.

The Tampa Bay Lightning made the biggest move last off-season when they signed Jake Guentzel. They appear to be ready to make a big splash at this year’s deadline.

For the Maple Leafs to ensure they stay atop the Atlantic Division and position themselves to roster a lineup capable of beating the Lightning or the Panthers, they need to take risks and aim high. 

The one time the Maple Leafs made it beyond the first round of the playoffs was when they brought on Jake McCabe, Luke Schenn and Ryan O’Reilly. Depth scoring has been an issue for the Maple Leafs while they continue to deal with injuries, and they are still searching for a perfect defense partner for Morgan Rielly, both of which could be found on the trade market.

Acquiring Brandon Tanev, Scott Laughton or Nick Bjugstad could help the team defensively, but their issues in the playoffs haven’t been on that side of the puck. Although fitting a player like Brock Nelson, Brayden Schenn, Brock Boeser, Alex Tuch or Rickard Rakell would be difficult, those trades would move the needle in the right direction.

Adding Nelson or Schenn to play as the third-line center would allow Bobby McMann or Max Domi to move onto John Tavares and William Nylander’s left wing and plug two holes in the lineup. Making a deal for Boeser, Tuch or Rakell would provide Tavares and Nylander the winger they are looking for and keep the effective third line of McMann, Domi and Nick Robertson together. 

On the back end, the Maple Leafs have been linked to several players. Their third defensive pairing has been a rotation of Simon Benoit, Conor Timmins and Philippe Myers, but the Maple Leafs would likely want to find an upgrade on each. Adding a big-name defenseman to skate alongside Rielly would allow Oliver Ekman-Larsson to move to the third pairing.

Some names that surfaced in trade speculation are Colton Parayko, Luke Schenn and Connor Murphy. Each defender is right-handed, has size and is effective.

To fit any of these players under the salary cap, the Maple Leafs would need their trade partners to retain some salary, and they would likely have to move someone from their roster. David Kampf and Ryan Reaves are fourth-liners earning $2.4 million and $1.35 million, respectively, and can be replaced by players within the organization making significantly less money. 

The Hockey News Big Show: What Should The Toronto Maple Leafs Do Before The NHL Trade Deadline? The Hockey News Big Show is back with a new episode one week away from the NHL trade deadline.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported the Maple Leafs want a center, and because Craig Berube coached Brayden Schenn during his time with the St. Louis Blues, they are one of the favorites to land him. Like Nelson, Schenn’s price tag is quite high, but they might have the assets and willingness to pull it off. Easton Cowan, Ben Danford and Fraser Minten are highly regarded prospects around the NHL, and the team still possesses first-round picks in 2026 and 2027. 

The Stanley Cup-winning experience the Panthers and Lightning have, as well as the talented rosters they have, not only heightens the importance of winning the division but highlights why it’s necessary to stay on pace with their rivals. The trade deadline won’t just help them in the playoffs but will help them in the regular season to position themselves in the best possible spot.

NHL Trade Deadline Central 2025: Trade Tracker, Analysis, Speculation, Lists And More One of the most anticipated times on the hockey calendar is here with NHL trade deadline week.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.