Maple Leafs might be modest in trade market

Blustery Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke doesn’t love making moves during trade deadline, but he loves making splashy ones almost any other time of the year. TSN’s Bob McKenzie believes that Burke’s wish list might be too specific to land a big move this time around, though.

McKenzie reports that the Maple Leafs’ big wish is “a top six forward with size who can score.”

After reminding us that few players match that description – at least ones who seem conceivably available – McKenzie knocked names such as Bobby Ryan, James van Riemsdyk and Jeff Carter off the list for reasons ranging from prohibitive contracts to worrisome injuries.

Interestingly enough, McKenzie didn’t mention the power forward trade target du jour, Tuomo Ruutu. It’s unclear if McKenzie omitted him from the list because the asking price for Ruutu is too high or some other factor.

A more promising reason to stay put

Then again, Burke might just want to keep things the way they are because Toronto is starting to pick up its play. James Reimer and the Buds are on a three-game winning streak, placing them seventh in the East and just a tantalizing four points away from the fourth seed (and home ice advantage for at least one round of the playoffs).

The Maple Leafs keep scoring at a great rate this season (167 goals scored places them third overall in the East), but it’s really Reimer’s return to form that bodes well for a team that tends to live and die by the sword.

Check out highlights from Toronto’s 6-3 win over the Oilers below.