Toronto Maple Leafs Rumors: Why Trading Mikhail Grabovski Isn't Such a Bad Idea

With the NHL trade deadline just days away, Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke is on the hot seat, and has to make a significant decision concerning the future of his current second-line center Mikhail Grabovski.

Grabovski is a pending unrestricted free agent, and Burke has to decide whether or not to trade him should the two be unable to come to terms on a contract extension. 

The sticking point in contract negotiations seems to be the price. It has been rumored that Grabovski is seeking a substantial raise in yearly salary that would see him earn somewhere in the $5.5 million range per season (he currently earns $2.9 million).

Considering the Leafs are desperate to make the playoffs this year, management would prefer to keep Grabovski in the fold.

However, if the center is firm on his asking price, an extension might not get done.

To make matters worse for Burke, Grabovski's agent recently got a boost in leveraging power.

Tuomo Rutuu in Carolina and Ales Hemsky in Edmonton recently re-signed for $4.75 and $5 million per season, respectively.

As a result, Burke has one heck of a conundrum on his hands.

Hypothetically, he could retain Grabovski without an extension in place, and make an attempt to re-sign him in the offseason before the NHL's free-agency period opens on July 1.

But should this fail to result in a new deal, Toronto would be forced to watch their creative center walk, having received no value in return.

It's a sticky situation to say the least, but then again, Burke is the highest paid GM in the NHL ($3 million per year to be exact), so he should be able to find the best solution for the organization.

If a contract extension fails to be signed prior to Monday's 3 PM EST trade deadline, Burke may very well decide to pull the trigger on a Grabovski trade while the return is high, at which point in time most of Leafs Nation will begin to pull their hair out. 

However, trading Grabovski may prove advantageous for the Leafs. How so, you ask?

Well, according to TSN's Darren Dreger, Toronto will only entertain trading Grabovski if a first-round draft pick is a part of the deal.

Granted, the Leafs need as much offense as they can muster down the stretch, so given their current circumstances, trading Grabovski makes little sense.

But keep in mind one simple fact: Just as quickly as Grabovski leaves, Burke could flop the first-round pick in a different trade—ideally for a rugged, top-six forward.

In essence, although trading Grabovski sounds like a terrible idea, it may in fact enable Toronto to explore trade avenues that would have otherwise not been open.

Considering all possible scenarios, the question Toronto fans are pondering, is quite simple in its complexities—to trade, or not to trade?

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