Toronto Maple Leafs Eyeing 30-goal Scorer in Rumoured Blockbuster Deal

This season, the Toronto Maple Leafs have had trouble balancing their forward group. The Maple Leafs' lack of depth at center ice has been their main issue thus far. John Tavares was predicted to take a bit of a backseat and start for the Maple Leafs as their third-line center going into the season. The Maple Leafs planned to move William Nylander to center in tandem with this move to test his ability to take on the role.

Max Domi is now the third-line center, and John Tavares is back on the second line after the Maple Leafs abandoned that plan just one month into the NHL season. This is a good move for the time being, but the Maple Leafs will need a stronger one-two punch down the middle when the Stanley Cup Playoffs arrive. A possible fix for the Maple Leafs' issue was proposed in a report published this afternoon by James Mirtle of The Athletic.

Toronto Maple Leafs reporter James Mirtle discussed the team and how they could strengthen the roster during a segment on Sportsnet. The next most likely move, aside from the anticipated trade for Timothy Liljegren, will be to add a center.

James Mirtle claims that Brock Nelson, a veteran of the New York Islanders, is one name that is being mentioned that would make sense. He's about to enter the last year of his contract, and he might be a great trade target if the Islanders don't think they can compete.

The Toronto Maple Leafs would need to sign a player who is capable of both offensive and defensive duties because they are adopting a new style under Craig Berube. Brock Nelson, who comes from the New York Islanders' defense-first system, is the ideal fit for this position. For a number of seasons, Brock Nelson has been a potent offensive player in New York. Nelson has surpassed the 30-goal milestone for the Islanders in each of the previous three seasons. As a member of several Islanders teams that advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, he also has a wealth of playoff experience.

Brock Nelson is probably the best player the Toronto Maple Leafs can realistically add to their roster before the trade deadline, assuming he becomes available. He would take over as the team's second-line center, freeing up the other players to play positions they are more accustomed to.