Welcome to 2022 Offseason Trade Targets, where we’ll examine several teams the Toronto Maple Leafs could be interested in doing business with this summer. From minor moves to blockbuster deals, I’ll cover them all as we dive into some potential trade options for general manager (GM) Kyle Dubas.
After a recent visit to the Philadelphia Flyers dressing room, where there were a trio of forward targets for Toronto to consider, we make our way south to Texas and examine some trade targets on the Dallas Stars. They have a couple of restricted free agents to sign in forward Jason Robertson and goaltender Jake Oettinger, but the team seems to be in a good financial state and has a nice mix of young and veteran talent going into 2022-23. Here are two players the Maple Leafs should have interest in acquiring:
Roope Hintz
Stars forward Roope Hintz is an underrated player who has a ton of talent and can play all over the ice. The 25-year-old is a big body at 6-foot-3 and holds an impressive skillset that allows him to play in all situations including the power play and penalty kill. That type of versatility is something the Maple Leafs could use much more of in their lineup.
Hintz is a pending restricted free agent who is signed for next season at $3.1 million. He finished the 2021-22 season with a career-high 37 goals and 72 points in 80 games. The Finnish forward then went on to chip in with another four points in six Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Hintz would be perfect in Toronto because of the fact he can play down the middle and on the wing. He’d likely start on the second-line left wing with John Tavares and William Nylander and may be skilled enough to push Tavares to the wing. There’s been a lot of rumblings about this lately among Leafs Nation as some have suggested perhaps the Maple Leafs captain should eventually transition to that position. Adding a player like Hintz could give the team that option.
Related: Maple Leafs’ 2022 Offseason Trade Targets: Second-Line Left Wing
The price tag of acquiring Hintz would be very high. However, the Maple Leafs have a long list of top-end prospects and a few young roster players that the Stars could have interest in. Would Nick Robertson – the brother of Jason – Alexander Kerfoot and defenseman Rasmus Sandin be too much to give up? Hintz is the type of player who could push the Maple…
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