NHL insider floats "purely hypothetical" Toronto Maple Leafs trade for $26,700,000 Montreal Canadiens forward

NHL insider David Pagnotta mentioned a possible trade involving Christian Dvorak and the Toronto Maple Leafs in Monday’s edition of “The Latest.” The NHL trade deadline is on March 7, and many are wondering about the Canadiens’ plans.

Dvorak is an American center in the last year of a six-year, $26.7 million contract. His $4.45 million cap hit could make him a trade option for teams needing forward depth.

Pagnotta mentioned the Toronto Maple Leafs’ need for a reliable second or third-line forward. Toronto general manager Brad Treliving might explore creative ways to address the team’s limited cap space. Although Dvorak seems like a suitable option, Pagnotta stressed that this is purely speculative. Montreal could retain part of Dvorak’s salary in a trade.

"It's purely hypothetical, but Christian Dvorak in Montreal available, $4.45 million cap hit. The Habs have one retention slot left, whether it's Toronto or another team. He would kind of stabilize things on a third line, where he's playing right now in Montreal. So that's another name to look at, not necessarily for the Leafs, but just in general across this trade market," Pagnotta said.

Dvorak has had an uneven season with the Canadiens. He's scored three goals with nine assists in 42 games. However, he remains valuable in some areas. He has a 55.9% success rate in faceoffs this season and helps on the penalty kill. In his career, he has scored 96 goals and 228 points in 494 games.

The Canadiens’ recent performance has created uncertainty about their trade deadline plans. After a slow start, they improved with a 12-5-1 record in their last 18 games. The team must decide whether to push for the playoffs or trade veterans like Dvorak to focus on the future.

Brad Treliving's trade deadline plans for Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving shared the team’s plans ahead of the March 7 trade deadline. He said they want to add a middle-six center, focusing on someone defensively strong and physical. Treliving added that trading top prospects like Easton Cowan or Fraser Minten is unlikely.

“You look at good teams and you need to have good young players on entry-level deals and on lower money, those help you become successful as well. Certainly, it’s a balance,” Treliving said (via athletic.com).

Possible trade targets for the Toronto Maple Leafs include Scott Laughton, Yanni Gourde, and Ryan O'Reilly. Treliving emphasized the importance of finding the right fit at the right price.

Other updates involve plans to improve the power play and ensure Auston Matthews stays healthy for the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. The team remains focused on maintaining its strong position in the Atlantic Division while exploring trade opportunities.