2017 NHL trade rumors: Maple Leafs say they won’t be active at the deadline

The high prices paid for role players on the NHL trade market the last few days has fans across the league hoping their team gets in on the action.

The Toronto Maple Leafs won’t, if their coach is to be believed. Nor do they need to.

Toronto has a few veteran assets they could ship off at a moment’s notice. But they’re also flushed with young talent already and in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race.

They might stand pat and let the rebuild play out. Coach Mike Babcock told TSN Radio as much on Friday:

“What I’d tell you is we’ve got a long-term plan here. We feel like we’d do anything we can to get in the playoffs that doesn’t get in the way of our long-term plan. I’m no different than anyone else. People can speculate, but the reality is, you look at our group, and I think this is our group moving ahead.

What we can do in the offseason to help ourselves, that’s a big job for our management team. But right now, if anybody is looking for us to be the news on trade deadline day, I’d find something else to do.”

GM Lou Lamoriello agreed when speaking to Lance Hornby of The Toronto Sun, indicating that the team has “to do what’s right” for the long-term health of the franchise. A big trade could shake up the dynamics of a room already starting to blossom into something special.

“We can’t get off track, we have to do what’s best for today, not because of something that may sound enticing, something at the end of the rainbow that’s not there. At the same time, we keep an open mind.”

Two big names, Ben Bishop and Martin Hanzal, left the trade market on Sunday. But the Leafs should be more interested in the other big fish, St. Louis Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. The 28-year-old blueliner wants to play close to New York anyway, and Toronto stands as good a chance as any at getting him to re-sign there long-term. His age makes him a reasonable part of the future they’re building.

Toronto’s window is just opening, so a trade like that might not be necessary right now. If the market interest is there for the likes of Joffrey Lupul, Matt Hunwick or Tyler Bozak, maybe they’ll make a move. Maybe they won’t.

The Leafs certainly have the assets to make a big splash, but apparently not the urgency. Hard to blame them. They’re just getting started.