The Toronto Maple Leafs have been linked to a potential big defenseman add according to a new report.
Despite being linked to every forward on the trade market, the Toronto Maple Leafs are also in need of defensive help in order to solidify their own side of the ice.
According to Sportsnet's Justin Bourne , the Toronto Maple Leafs could be a team in on St. Louis Blues defenseman Colton Parayko.
The 31-year-old Parayko is being linked as a potential defensive option for Toronto, and despite making $6.5M until 2030, Bourne says Parayko still has long-term defensive value:
"Yes, Parayko is 31 and has five years left on his deal after this one. But for this year, and at least for the next couple, he's a tremendous defender who can also skate and shoot the puck. He's 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, he's got 13 goals on the season after 10 last year, and he makes just $6.5 million," Bourne said.
Is Colton Parayko the answer of the Toronto Maple Leafs?
While Parayko is an impressive two-way defenseman with exceptional size, he does come with some risk.
The most obvious question is Parayko's contract, with runs until 2030. Even with retention, he'll be signed until the age of 37 and Toronto already has so much money committed to an aging defensive core.
Parayko is still showing even in his age-31 season that he can be a top-pairing level defenseman, and what really matters in in the short term.
But he'll be costly for what may possibly be just half of his contract being of the value he's being acquired for.
This season, Parayko has 13 goals and 17 assists in 57 games, and bringing him into Toronto would reunite him with former head coach Craig Berube; who he won a Cup with in 2019.
There's also the question of how much is St. Louis willing to sell that isn't quite yet answered.
A previous report has indicated that while Toronto continues to inquire about Parayko, there doesn't seem to be an interest on the Blues end.
Although being linked with St. Louis on other deals, it seems that while Colton Prayako may be the most intriguing option of all, it may be the hardest and riskiest one for the Leafs to get done, but the one with the most reward.
