Toronto Maple Leafs GM John Chayka is open to making another big move before the trade deadline, including a deal for a defenseman.
Asked Monday if he’d consider a trade on the scale of the Kirill Marchenko-Matthew Knies deal, Chayka said, “Yeah,” according to Sportsnet’s Luke Fox.
Chayka spoke before the Leafs faced the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Toronto had won four straight games, but Chris Tanev’s absence has kept the team’s defensive depth in focus.
The Leafs acquired Marchenko from the Columbus Blue Jackets in a seven-piece trade in September, just before the regular season began. Knies was part of the deal, per theScore.
John Chayka has been busy since becoming GM in May, making nine trades and bringing in 11 new players, according to Sportsnet. While the Leafs have discussed adding a defenseman, he said a trade isn’t their only option for improving defensively.
“There’s no doubt we need to improve our defensive play overall to reach our ultimate goals,” Chayka said. “But I don’t think a transaction is necessarily always the way to improve.”
He pointed to puck management, forwards tracking back and the coaching staff’s systems as areas the Leafs can improve without making a deal. Still, the front office will “continue to evaluate the market and see if there’s an opportunity.”
Tanev was injured on Oct. 10 against the Colorado Avalanche and skated with the team for the first time Monday, The Athletic reported. Chayka said the defenseman should “get back in practice here shortly.”
Toronto has $2,387,500 in cap space, according to PuckPedia. Max Domi, Dakota Joshua and Elvis Merzlikins are on long-term injured reserve, The Athletic reported. Chayka said the salary cap would not be a “gating item” if the Leafs found a deal they wanted to make.
John Chayka doesn’t consider Easton Cowan untouchable in trade talks
Easton Cowan has also come up in trade speculation, but John Chayka didn’t label the 21-year-old forward off limits.
Cowan has 12 points, including five goals and seven assists, in 13 games. He’s also settled onto the top line alongside Auston Matthews and Jack Roslovic.
“I don’t think any player is untradeable, but he’s a good player. He’s everything you’d want at a Toronto Maple Leaf. He loves the Leafs. He’s passionate about it. Plays a 200-foot game. Does whatever it takes. You know, in the gym, doing extra on the ice. It’d be tough to ever improve on a player like that,” Chayka said.
The GM also spoke about Ben Danford, Toronto’s first-round pick in 2024, who is now playing for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. Chayka said the defenseman is being considered for a call-up and that he believes he ‘could play 10, 15 years for us.’
The Leafs were 7-4-2 heading into Wednesday’s game against the Seattle Kraken. John Chayka has left the door open for another trade, but there is no indication that a deal is imminent.
Edited by Sonali Verma
