Maple Leafs Rumors: 2 Trade Candidates for 2022-23 Season

The Toronto Maple Leafs head into the 2022-23 season with sky-high expectations. The team enjoyed a successful preseason, and the internal competition was fierce throughout the entire camp. With several new faces in the lineup, it appears the changes have helped, and it could be a huge year in Toronto. Here's a couple of Maple Leafs who should be considered prime trade candidates at this point:

Wayne Simmonds

While there aren't many places he'd like to play more than in Toronto, home-town kid Wayne Simmonds is in tough to make the team. Simmonds appears to have lost his spot to Zach Aston-Reese who was brought in on a PTO and likely going to a sign a one-year deal. Simmonds now appears set to be the 13th forward and could be on team's radars to start the season. The 34-year-old veteran holds a modified no-trade clause as he's already submitted a list of 10 teams he's looking to avoid.

Mac Hollowell

Former fourth-round pick Mac Hollowell was recently sent down to the AHL's Toronto Marlies and there's been rumblings he'd prefer to be traded. The 24-year-old right-handed defenseman had a solid camp but it wasn't enough to crack the deep Maple Leafs' blueline. Hollowell has been a part of Toronto's organization for four years and has yet to sniff a game with the big club. If the Maple Leafs make a deal early on this season, there's certainly a strong chance Hollowell will be included in the package.

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