NHL Trade Rumors: Toronto Maple Leafs and Teams That Won't Make a Move

It's a seller's paradise in the NHL these days, which ultimately means the approaching trade deadline will be more of a dud than a warehouse full of dynamite.

That's not to say that there won't be plenty of activity as contenders look to load up in anticipation of the arms race otherwise known as the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Still, don't expect to see any of these teams popping up on the hockey wire much, if at all, come February 27th.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Leafs haven't so much as sniffed the postseason since 2004 when they lost to the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. As such, it stands to reason that puckheads in Hogtown would pine for GM Brian Burke to do everything in his power to make sure that Toronto, Cup-less since 1967, hang onto the eighth seed in the East, at the very least.

Yet, it seems all too likely that Toronto will stand pat at the deadline. Their roster as currently constituted is more suited to "selling" than "buying," with a whopping 19 veterans set to hit free-agency by the summer of 2013. Don't expect Burke to make any moves unless he decides, for whatever reason, that his team would be better served rebuilding. 

Los Angeles Kings

This was supposed to be the year for the Kings, the year GM Dean Lombardi's painstakingly careful rebuilding project finally yielded a deep run in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Then, the season happened and, well, LA's revamped roster proved impotent in putting the puck in the net. Certainly, the Kings would've been better served had Ryan Smyth not convinced the front office to trade him back to the Edmonton Oilers and may yet find an offensive upgrade somewhere out on the market.

Unfortunately for the Kings and their long-suffering fans, the team has already tied up a boatload of money in long-term contracts with key players like Anze Kopitar, Mike Richards, Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson and will soon have to pony up big bucks to keep Jonathan Quick.

In that case, the Kings are likely to tread lightly at the deadline with the hope of preserving their big-picture cap flexibility over the flippant pursuit of a one-off playoff run.  

Minnesota Wild

The Wild currently find themselves where the Kings were just a year or two ago—a young team ahead of schedule in a comprehensive rebuilding project within earshot of a playoff spot.

Fans in Minnesota might want GM Chuck Fletcher to cash in some of his chips in pursuit of some instant postseason gratification, though the organization knows full well the costs and benefits of doing so when the team sits in 12th place in the competitive Western Conference.

So, as you might imagine, the Wild will likely sit tight at the deadline and allow their young roster to continue to grow together, whether that growth yields a top-eight spot in the conference or not.

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