Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Rumors: Will the Leafs let go of forward to sign a defenseman?

The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the best teams in the league and among the favorites to win the Stanley Cup in 2023. The Leafs have been highly active in the trade market recently. As the deadline approaches on March 3, the Maple Leafs appear to be both sellers and buyers.

According to NHL Trade Rumors, the Maple Leafs are considering selling their forward Pierre Engvall. Engvall signed a one-year, $2.25 million contract on July 17, 2022, making him an impending free agent after the 2022-23 season. He has a $2.25 million salary cap hit.

The Toronto Maple Leafs currently have $4.42 million in deadline cap space. The Leafs are also scouting the market for a defenseman to bolster their blue line. Likely, the club will not extend Engvall's contract.

Offloading Engvall will help the Leafs free up their salary cap space and allow them to go for a defenseman with a big salary cap hit.

Who should the Leafs consider adding to their blue line?

The Washington Capitals have been active sellers this trade deadline. The Capitals still have impeding players on their roster, such as defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk.

Riemsdyk is an experienced defenseman who can provide great depth to the Leafs' blue line. On top of that, he also has an affordable salary cap hit of $950,000, which the club would have little trouble spending on his services.

Luke Schenn, another impending free agent, is another defenseman on the market right now. The Maple Leafs have also been linked to the Canucks in their pursuit of Schenn. He has an $850,000 salary cap hit, which will not be a significant issue for the Leafs.

It remains to be seen where the Leafs will end up in their search for the perfect defenseman. The trade deadline will end on March 3 at 3 pm ET.

Toronto Maple Leafs' 2022-23 NHL campaign

The Toronto Maple Leafs are currently second in the Atlantic Division with a 36-15-8 record. The club also has the league's longest Stanley Cup drought of 55 years. The Leafs are among the favorites to win the Stanley Cup this season.

Mitchell Marner has been the Leafs' most valuable player in terms of goal-scoring this season, with 71 points in 59 games.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will travel to the Climate Pledge Arena to face Seattle Kraken on Sunday (February 26). The puck drop is scheduled for 7 pm/ET.