Rumor: Blue Jackets and Maple Leafs inching closer to a deal
Photo credit: Chris Young / THE CANADIAN PRESS
With their opposing positions in the standings, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets make for easy trading partners.
Blue Jackets scouting the Maple Leafs a lot in the AHL
Columbus Blue Jackets President and Interim General Manager John Davidson has been in attendance recently at quite a few Toronto Marlies games. Which suggests he values the players with the Marlies, and that the Blue Jackets and Maple Leafs are probably in talks as the trade deadline approaches. The Blue Jackets would be hoping for an impact player because they have an abundance of youthful talent on defence, in net, and at forward.
Targets from the Toronto Marlies are interesting
According to reports, the Blue Jackets are primarily scouting Ryan Tverberg, Alex Steeves, and right-hand defenseman Topi Niemela from the Marlies. The Leafs assert that their top prospects, Fraser Minten and Easton Cowan, are not available for trade, and that they need a player who is not considered a rental in order to acquire the team's 2024 first-round selection.
Ryan Tverberg is playing in his first full season in the AHL. With the Toronto Marlies, he is enjoying a breakthrough season. In 35 games, the 2020 seventh-round pick has 20 assists and eight goals.
At 24, Alex Steeves is on the older side and has spent the last three years with the Toronto Marlies. Topi Niemela is perhaps the best defensive prospect available to the Maple Leafs. With the Toronto Marlies for his first full season at last, he has 28 points in 48 games.
As Read On Maple Leafs Daily - Leafs and Blue Jackets on the cusp of swinging a trade?
| POLL | ||
2 MARS | 375 ANSWERS Rumor: Blue Jackets and Maple Leafs inching closer to a deal What position would the Leafs add from the Blue Jackets? | ||
| Forward | 74 | 19.7 % |
| Defence | 267 | 71.2 % |
| Goalie | 34 | 9.1 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
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