Maple Leafs connected to Brock Nelson as trade rumors ramp up

As reported by Maple Leafs Daily, the injuries to Auston Matthews, David Kämpf, Max Domi, Calle Järnkrok, Max Pacioretty and Ryan Reaves have significantly tested the Leafs' lineup and in particular at center.

Brock Nelson would be a strong fit since he is in the final year of his $6M contract, and he would be a great addition to the Leafs with his capacity to play into the middle six for the Leafs.

At 6'4" and weighing over 200 pounds, Brock Nelson is a physical presence who also helps the offense with an average of 35 goals over the last three seasons.

His ability to play in all situations which is including power play and penalty kill, makes him an ideal addition for a playoff push.

The challenge the Leafs could face by acquiring Brock Nelson is that the Islanders would likely need to retain part of Nelson's salary, which would raise the acquisition cost significantly.

However, the Leafs are familiar with former Islanders coach Lane Lambert, now working as an associate coach in Toronto.

Making a trade well before the deadline is costly whenever which player is traded but the Leafs may be forced to act quickly if injuries persist.

While younger centers like Fraser Minten and Pontus Holmberg have shown promise, Brock Nelson's would add immediate stability to the lineup, and this is not the case for young players like Fraser Minten.

If the Islanders fall further in the standings, they would be even more willing to move Nelson this year.

A trade for Nelson would signal GM Brad Treliving's intent to solidify the Leafs' lineup and make a deep playoff run despite all the injuries.