The Toronto Maple Leafs have now lost 21 of their last 25 games.
They've officially become one of the most frustrating and uninspiring teams in the NHL and ownership has reportedly given the go-ahead on a full-on, scorched earth, tear it down and start all over, rebuild.
To that end, players like Phil Kessel, Dion Phaneuf and David Clarkson have begun to hear their names bandied about in NHL trade rumors. While bigger deals like that - should they in fact happen - will most likely go down in the offseason, there are a handful of smaller trades GM Dave Nonis and team president Brendan Shanahan can look to enact ahead of the NHL's March trade deadline.
One player, whose name has been connected with an increasing number of potential trades, is center Tyler Bozak.
"There's increased chatter around Bozak, as Damien Cox reported last Saturday. As a general rule, the tightened cap has teams nervous about term, and he's got three years remaining with a $4.2M hit. He's had a rough year and a change of scenery benefits everyone," writes TSN's Elliotte Friedman.
"What do potential trade partners see in him? If it's a No. 2 center, that cap number is reasonable. If a No. 3, it's high. But this is a move Toronto is trying to make."
Bozak was, at one time, the de facto No. 1 center due to his sterling connection with Kessel. Now that that connection seems to have faded and considering his large cap hit, Bozak may be a prime candidate to be moved elsewhere for the season's final stretch.
Another player who seems destined to play for another NHL club come March is center Mike Santorelli, a versatile guy finally managing to stay healthy and putting together a potentially career-year.
"Mike Santorelli is going to be interesting," writes Friedman. "The Toronto forward has a lot going for him: he's a good player and he can move up and down your lineup at both center and wing. His cap hit is a delicious $1.5 million. The longer the Maple Leafs hold on, the more teams can be involved. Even the tightest could get him. Right now, we're probably looking at a second-rounder in exchange. But, could demand drive that any higher?"
While the Leafs would, no doubt, be happy to get a second-rounder for a player like Santorelli, as the deadline approaches and teams looking to make a Cup run become increasingly desperate, the price could increase to a late first-rounder or a comparable combination of picks and prospects.
