The Toronto Maple Leafs are no strangers to deadline drama, but the latest chatter surrounding the team suggests a move that could fundamentally alter their DNA. With the March trade deadline approaching, insider Nick Kypreos has dropped a bombshell that challenges the team’s current roster construction.
The rumor? The Leafs could leverage their newfound goaltending depth—specifically Anthony Stolarz—to finally land a premium defenseman. The target? None other than New Jersey Devils star Dougie Hamilton.
If you thought the Leafs were standing pat with their goaltending tandem, think again. With Joseph Woll emerging as the number one goalie and young prospects knocking on the door (Dennis Hildeby), General Manager Brad Treliving might be preparing to move on from Stolarz to fix the blue line once and for all. But is the cost too high?
Analyzing the Stolarz-Hamilton Trade Scenario
According to Kypreos writing for the Toronto Star, the Maple Leafs are in a unique position of strength between the pipes. With Joseph Woll likely taking the bulk of the starts if he remains healthy and provides the best chance to win, Stolarz becomes a luxury the Leafs might not be able to afford if they want to upgrade elsewhere.
Kypreos suggests that Stolarz, along with prospects like Artur Akhtyamov or the giant Dennis Hildeby, could be the chips used to acquire a scoring winger or a high-profile defenseman.
The connection to the New Jersey Devils is where this rumor catches fire. Dougie Hamilton, currently carrying a $9 million cap hit with three seasons remaining, has been linked to Toronto. The proposed logic is tantalizing: The Devils get New Jersey native Anthony Stolarz to stabilize their crease and get younger, potentially moving Jake Allen to a contender. In exchange, the Leafs get the elite offensive defenseman they have coveted for years.
My Take: High Risk, High Reward for Treliving
As someone who has watched the Leafs navigate cap hell for the better part of a decade, this trade scenario is fascinating but fraught with complications.
On the surface, Stolarz is the most logical trade candidate. He’s 31, and he is about to begin a four-year, $15-million contract extension in July. That creates cost certainty for an acquiring team like the Devils. However, we cannot ignore the fine print: Stolarz holds a 16-team no-trade list this season. Would he waive it to go home to New Jersey? Likely yes, but it’s a hurdle.
The proposed package floating around—Stolarz, Dakota Joshua, an expiring Calle Jarnkrok, and the Leafs receive a prospect like Chase Cheslock or Kevan Benjamin to go along with Hamilton—is a lot of moving parts.
From the Leafs’ perspective, acquiring Hamilton is a swing for the fences. Hamilton brings size and elite puck-moving ability. However, absorbing that $9 million cap hit without the Devils retaining salary is a salary cap gymnastics routine that would make an Olympian sweat.
Why the Devils do it: They get out from under a massive contract as they look to retool, and they secure a legitimate starting option in Stolarz who fits their timeline better than their current tandem.
Why the Leafs do it: You don’t win the Stanley Cup without a defense that can move the puck. If management believes Woll is the true Number 1 and Hildeby is ready for backup duty, trading Stolarz to land a player of Hamilton’s caliber is exactly the kind of “all-in” move this market demands.
However, trading a goalie who has provided stability is terrifying when healthy. If Woll gets injured—a scenario Leafs fans know too well—and Stolarz is in New Jersey, the season rests on the shoulders of Hildeby. It’s a gamble, but fortune favors the bold.
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The post Is a Dougie Hamilton Trade the Bold Move the Maple Leafs Need Now? appeared first on NHL Trade Rumors.
