What exactly is a stocking stuffer? Traditionally it is a small, affordable gift placed in a Christmas stocking; nothing flashy, but something useful or fun that complements the larger gifts. If you apply that idea to the NHL trade deadline, it fits perfectly. Not every team is chasing a blockbuster. Some contenders are just looking for the right little addition: the kind of move that doesn’t make headlines but quietly fills a need and makes the roster better.
The Toronto Maple Leafs: An Auston Matthews Wingman
Let’s start with a team that some wouldn’t really consider a contender these days: the Toronto Maple Leafs. The idea of replacing Mitch Marner with another player sounds like a gift far greater than a stocking stuffer. Right now, though, the Toronto Maple Leafs aren’t looking for a perfect fit or one winger to do what Marner did. No, at this point the Leafs will settle for anyone who has any chemistry with Auston Matthews.
What the team has tried so far simply hasn’t worked. He is having a tough season by his own standards, marked by long spells of minimal impact. He was held off the scoresheet in nearly half of his games when blank points were taken, including fifteen scoreless games. Even when he does contribute, it is often limited, with eleven one-point games and only five multi-point performances.
If the Maple Leafs rely on Bobby McMann and Max Domi, they could be in trouble. Toronto would love to trade for a winger who can produce consistently and get Matthews motivated.
The Vancouver Canucks: A Defined Management Structure
This isn’t technically a player trade, but the Canucks would love nothing more than to trade out of the mess created by the ongoing roles-and-responsibilities drama surrounding Patrik Allvin and Jim Rutherford.
Rick Dhaliwal and Don Taylor got into a heated argument about the Canucks and what’s going on with that organization. Are they rebuilding? Are they trying to turn this selection around as quickly as possible? The two executives don’t seem to be on the same page, and while everyone seems to know Rutherford is in control, the question about what Allvin actually does feels justified.
How can this franchise ever get anywhere if it can’t even figure out who’s running the team? Maybe they know, and maybe Allvin is just a public face to point the finger at, but at the top of the Christmas list should be solving this disaster and assigning clearer roles.
Minnesota Wild – A replacement center
The Minnesota Wild are making an effort – their trade to acquire Quinn Hughes made that clear. However, already light in the middle, in trade, they moved Marco Rossi. The Wild could certainly use a center to fill some of that void.
So it makes sense that Ryan O’Reilly is on their radar. Pierre The Athletic’s LeBrun writes:
“The Wild need a center who can win draws, and O’Reilly can still contribute offensively, is a Cup champion and is the type of character guy that Wild general manager and president of hockey operations that Bill Guerin likes as far as the culture part of it.”
O’Reilly will be a player who will get some attention if the Nashville Predators make him available. That said, he shouldn’t be ridiculously expensive to acquire.
Edmonton Oilers – That Adam Henrique is reconsidering the no-trade clause
I’m not suggesting the Oilers should move on from Adam Henrique. He’s struggled and has just two goals and nine points in 38 games, but he’s the kind of player who offers more than scoring. However, if he doesn’t start producing a bit more, there are better and cheaper options available for the Oilers in a deep role.
The problem is that Henrique has a full no-move clause and has already exercised it. Edmonton looked at trade options over the summer but declined to consider moving forward. If the Oilers want or need to add at the deadline, cap space is an issue, and the ability to trade Henrique solves many of those issues. For the Oilers, knowing he would be open to something else if his time in Edmonton didn’t give him the best chance to earn another contract could open up an opportunity for both to get what they want before the trade deadline.
Next: A Man Scorned: We’ve Never Seen Connor McDavid Like This
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