"A big dude, six foot five": Insider Darren Dreger lists out multiple trade targets for Toronto Maple Leafs as deadline inches closer

The Toronto Maple Leafs are once again poised to be big-time buyers at the 2025 NHL trade deadline. They are leading the Atlantic division with a 27-14-2 record and 56 points, and it's another Stanley Cup or bust season for them.

With the March 7 trade deadline less than two months away, trade chatter has and will continue to pick up in the coming weeks.

TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger talked about some potential trade targets for the Maple Leafs during Friday's edition of "First Up."

"Hey, Philadelphia doesn't want to trade Scott Laughton," Dreger said. "They love what he brings to their young core, especially talk about mentors. I mean, that's kind of what Scott Laughton is, versatile guy, you know, started the year as a center and I think that that's where Toronto would have interest in him.

"But if you watch the Flyers, because of how Noah Cates has evolved, Scott Laughton's playing a lot on the wing. But you know, Philly isn't the gonna move him unless they get that first-round draft pick. And I just, I don't think Toronto has the stomach for that yet."

Dreger then dropped two more names who could be a good fit for the Leafs.

"And the name that I threw out there as part of the quiz was Ryan Strome with Anaheim," Dreger said. "And, you know, I like Ryan. I think that he needs to change the scenery. I think that he's playoff-hungry, and if he gets traded, wherever he gets traded, I think that he, he has the potential to be a difference-maker. The caveat that I would supply here, though, is, let's, let's remember who the coach of Toronto Maple Leafs is, and he's going to want as big and as heavy an option as he can find for that bottom six, that third line center to play a heavy game.

"So who might be available that fits that? And if Utah doesn't fare well between now and closer to the trade deadline, why would you look at Nick Bjugstad as an example? Right? I mean, he's a big dude, six foot five, you know he can play. So there are lots of options. It's still very early."

The Maple Leafs want to add a center

Despite the Maple Leafs' strong start, Thursday's 6-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes showed that they still have some holes. No team is perfect, and the Maple Leafs know they'll need to add some depth at the deadline if they want to make a deep run in the playoffs.

Toronto likely wants to add a center who can play up and down the lineup in a middle-six role. Along with Laughton, Strome and Bjusgtad, Darren Dreger said that four other centermen Toronto could target are Brock Nelson, Ryan O'Reilly, Mikael Granlund and Yanni Gourde.

There are a lot of interesting options down the middle of the ice for Leafs general manager Brad Treliving to look into acquiring.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will be back in action on Saturday when they face the Vancouver Canucks at Scotiabank Arena. The puck drops at 7 p.m. EST.