NHL trade deadline on Monday: what should the Leafs do?
Posted February 25, 2011 7:47 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO, Ont. – The story reads the same every year. After a rough start to the season, the Toronto Maple Leafs make a late playoff push, sign or trade for a veteran player and eventually falter and fall short.
Following a desperate road win over the rival Montreal Canadiens, the Leafs find themselves in a familiar position. Four points out of the final playoff spot with a full 21 games to go, the burning question remains, should the Leafs add an impact player and push for a playoff berth or continue to let their young core ride it out?
With the February 28 trade deadline just around the corner, Leafs GM Brian Burke needs to decide quickly. A lack of action could spark criticism should the Leafs not nab the coveted final playoff spot, while the wrong move could potentially derail the team’s promising youth movement.
One Leafs fan told 680News the team has found a winning formula, and for once, they better stick with it.
“If they’re winning now, just keep going, why change anything?” Kyle remarked outside of the Air Canada Centre.
Burke has already pulled the trigger on several of his veteran players like Tomas Kaberle, who was flipped to the Boston Bruins for Joe Colborne and a first-round draft pick.
The Maple Leafs are 8-2-2 in their last 12 games, with upcoming games against a battered Pittsburgh Penguins squad and the free-falling Atlanta Trashers.
Rogers Sportsnet will have full-coverage of the NHL trade deadline Monday.
