The Maple Leafs need depth scoring, and Pittsburgh's willingness to move a veteran forward puts Bryan Rust squarely in play.
Elliotte Friedman said on Saturday Headlines that the Penguins “would move a veteran forward for draft picks or prospects.” That's a door John Chayka can walk right through.
This suggests that John Chayka has been extremely active on the phone lately.
With today being a relatively quiet day for both teams, the signs are pointing toward a much busier stretch ahead.
If we read between the lines of what Friedman is reporting, the phones are about to start ringing.
Toronto's top end isn't the problem. Auston Matthews has 19 points, and William Nylander has 18.
The drop-off after that is steep. Nick Paul and Colton Sissons have five points apiece, and Teddy Blueger has two.
Sissons carries a $4,250,000 cap hit for that production. That's exactly the kind of money Chayka would love to turn into something useful.
Rust, 34, has five points through seven games for a Penguins team stuck at 5-6-1.
His $5,125,000 cap hit runs through 2027-28, and he has no trade protection. That makes him the easiest veteran in Pittsburgh to move.
Toronto's cap space is the real obstacle to a Penguins deal
The Leafs have just $2,387,500 in cap room, according to PuckPedia. Something has to go the other way.
Blueger's $2,500,000 is the obvious piece. Pittsburgh would also want a prospect and a pick, given its push to get younger.
Rickard Rakell is the other option. He scored in Saturday's 3-2 overtime win over Nashville, but his modified no-trade clause complicates things.
Chayka has also been hunting an impact defenseman, per Daily Faceoff. This cap sheet can't comfortably handle both.
Toronto's roster looks like a band with two lead guitarists and nobody holding down the rhythm section.
The Leafs are rolling anyway, with four straight wins after Saturday's 7-2 rout in Edmonton. Calgary is next on Monday.
Make the call. Rust gives Jim Hiller a winger who can play either side, and moving Sissons' money in the same deal would be a win twice over.
The Leafs visit Pittsburgh on November 28. If nothing's done by then, Kyle Dubas will have heard from plenty of other buyers.
Should the Maple Leafs trade for Bryan Rust before chasing an impact defenseman?
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