Toronto Maple Leafs Looking To Trade at Deadline, Do They Go Younger Or Older?

As trade deadline day approaches in the NHL the Toronto Maple Leafs will be the subjects of a great deal of rumors, as they have been the past three years.  Most of this speculation will be false, and much of the remainder will be inaccurate either in terms of what teams are trading and what players are being talked about.

All the same, there has been reports from trusted sources that the Leafs have been talking to various teams, and Burke has said as much that not only is he not satisfied with his team, but he is burning up his phone trying to do something about it.

It would seem obvious to say that the most of the players reportedly drawing the most interest from other teams are the ones that are playing the best right now.  Players such as Clarke Macarthur, Kris Versteeg and Mikhail Grabovski could possibly provide an immediate impact for other clubs looking to add some secondary scoring for a reasonable cap hit.  

As clubs make a run for the playoffs, they are also looking to boost their blueline depth, and more importantly, a veteran with playoff experience.  Francois Beauchemin fits this bill, and his affordable 3.8 million cap hit has combined to make him the subject of a lot of rumors.

Other players such as Tyler Bozak or Nikolai Kulemin could also be drawing interest, due to their young age, reponsible two-way play and potential to put up some decent points.

The question is for Brian Burke is, will dealing any of these players draw enough of a return to make it worthwhile?  They are all still relatively young players, with Beauchemin being the seasoned veteran at thirty.  So would you deal players that are already playing in the NHL for younger players who may never make it, or have yet to prove they can contribute?

Or, can Burke make a deal as he did with Phaneuf and try and get another young player with possibly a higher ceiling than the ones already on his team.

There was speculation of Beauchemin going to San Jose or Columbus, with Setoguchi part of the deal coming back from the Sharks, but that was disproved by ESPN.  

The Kings have been looking to add a winger for sometime now, but many of the rumored targets don't seem to be on the market, such as Jarome Iginla.  So if they can't get their primary target, they may be interested in adding someone like Versteeg, who has playoff experience, or MacArthur who could add secondary scoring on the wing.

Since Burke already dealt three prospects to get Versteeg, it doesn't make sense to deal him again unless the offer is one they can't refuse.  MacArthur is a steal the way he is producing for $1.1 million, and at 25 years old, there is a good chance that he can still improve, especially if he continues with these line mates.  

Speaking of his linemates, Kulemin plays the game the way Burke likes and contributes strong two way play, and on a new cap friendly contract he is a valuable asset.  Grabovski is perhaps at his greatest value for a trade right now, but how can you trade a player that is playing the way he is right now, and firmly committed to getting better in the future. 

So a young line that has excellent chemistry, is consistently producing, and are all on very affordable contracts, is their any point to dealing any of them?  There doesn't seem to be any benefit of that.

Now for the other assets, such as Versteeg or Bozak, it would only make sense if you were able to get someone like Brayden Schenn.  A player that a playoff team doesn't need to compete right now, but could be a great benefit to the Leafs in the future.  Of course, it is unlikely that the Kings would have any intention of dealing Schenn.

Finally, the remaining options are dealing one or all of Giguere, Kaberle or Beauchemin, players who could actually draw a decent return and two of which are on expiring contracts.  The problem with this again is that Kaberle has a no-trade clause, and both Giguere and Beauchemin have certain limiting clauses in their contracts.

If Burke can somehow find a way to deal one of these players for a high pick or a young player with a decent ceiling, that seems the most likely way for the Leafs to improve in the next two months.  

So does Burke stay the course and allow his young team to develop through the growing pains, or does he make more moves to either impact the short or long term?

What does Leaf Nation think?  What changes would you do if you were GM?

UPDATE:  Giguere has said that he would be willing to waive his no-movement clause if Burke had a possible trade worked out.  He appreciates what Burke and the organization has done for him in terms of his contract and rejuvenating his career and would thus be willing to consider it to help out Burke.  This isn't to say that Burke has asked him to waive the clause or that there are any firm reports of a trade in place for him, much would depend at this point on his health.