Trade Rumor: Predators and Maple Leafs Swap Forwards

The Toronto Maple Leafs continue to look for a dance partner as general manager Kyle Dubas is eager to make a trade to upgrade his roster. The latest comes from Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic as he connected with an NHL executive who sees the Maple Leafs making a deal with the Nashville Predators.

The trade would involve Mikael Granlund heading to the Leafs in exchange for Alexander Kerfoot, prospect Filip Hallander and a second-round pick.

Granlund and Kerfoot's names have been out there in trade rumors all season and every insider thinks the Predators forward is the main target for the Leafs. Which means, he's likely going to be traded somewhere else, or not at all.

If the mentioned trade were completed, it would provide the Leafs with a slightly different look for their playoff push and get Kerfoot's $3.5 million off the books for the next two seasons. Assuming of course, they don't turn around and use that money to re-sign Granlund.

So far in 33 games, Kerfoot has managed 15 points, meanwhile Granlund has recorded 13 points in 30 games. Both forwards are versatile and can play down the middle and on the wing. There's certainly a ton of similarities between the two, so would it really make sense to make the change?

Perfect NHL trade deadline fits? I teamed up with ⁦@ThomasDrance⁩ and we asked nine front office team executives to each come up with a realistic trade proposal. The result was interesting ! Enjoy: https://t.co/8XRUpDCFdx
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) March 26, 2021