NHL Trade Rumors: Insider speculates on Leafs GM Brad Treliving's mindset for deadline involving Brayden Schenn & Mikko Rantanen

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving has only a few days left to try to deal for someone who can propel the Leafs to the top. There are rumors that Brayden Schenn and/or his brother Luke are on their way to Toronto.

In the meantime, one hockey analyst believes the GM is attempting to keep expectations to a minimum.

Sportsnet's Luke Fox revealed that he just did a segment on the Leafs that entirely revolved around whether or not the team could reunite the Schenn brothers in Toronto. He admitted that there's a "buzz in the air" about that idea.

The NHL insider continued, noting that the GM might not want fans to get their expectations and hopes up.

"Brad Treliving is going above and beyond to temper expectations for the fan base, for media," Fox said. "He's and maybe that's a ploy, maybe that's some gamesmanship, because there's still a week to go here before the deadline. But he's really trying to temper things down and saying, you know, we might not make the headline-grabbing move.

"see an actual guy with some term, whether it's a Schenn or both Schenn or Scott Laughton, or maybe something even bigger? I mean, you're floating out the idea that they would kick tires on Rantanen like something like that, all of a sudden, is headline-grabbing, but the way he's playing it out publicly is don't get excited yet."

Fox added that the rumors are certainly exciting, especially when they're around whether or not Mikko Rantanen, who is on a six-year, $55.5 million contract, or Nathan MacKinnon are available for the Maple Leafs.

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Brad Treliving doesn't anticipate huge moves at trade deadline

Before the deadline, Brad Treliving addressed what he might do.

Brad Treliving addressed the rumors (Imagn)

He said via Maple Leafs Daily that it might not be a "sexy" trade, but that he might make smaller deals.

"It's not, to me, about taking big swings," Trevling said. "Where do you think you can help your team the most? Sometimes you historically look back, and this isn't saying we're doing this or we're not doing that but historically you look back and these attention-grabbing deadline deals, and how many have really paid dividends, right?"

That doesn't make it seem like Mikko Rantanen, Nathan MacKinnon, or either of the Schenn brothers are coming to the Leafs in the next few days.