The Columbus Blue Jackets put Danton Heinen on waivers Wednesday, and that gives the Toronto Maple Leafs a possible low-cost option to consider.
Heinen’s name is the one that stands out more than Emil Andrae’s for Toronto. Earlier in the day, Columbus also waived Andrae, whom the Maple Leafs had dealt to the Blue Jackets in the Kirill Marchenko trade.
A reunion with Andrae does not look likely, though. Toronto’s blue line could use help, but his two-year, $3.1 million contract makes that a tough fit with the Leafs’ cap situation.
Heinen, on the other hand, is a different story.
The 31-year-old winger has 622 NHL games on his résumé and 253 career points, and he is coming off a stretch in which he failed to record a point in his first 10 games this season. Still, there’s enough track record there to suggest he could help an NHL team, especially in a bottom-six role.
His contract also works in his favor. He carries a $1 million cap hit and is on a two-way deal, which gives a team more flexibility.
That said, Toronto already has a crowded group in its bottom six. Zach MacEwen, Colton Sissons, Teddy Blueger, and Brandon Duhaime are all players the Maple Leafs have shown they’re comfortable with so far, which makes a claim on Heinen feel like a long shot.
So while it is extremely unlikely that Heinen ends up in Toronto, there is still a path for the Leafs to make it happen if John Chayka chooses to go that direction.
The Maple Leafs are 8-7-2 after Tuesday night’s loss to the Utah Mammoth, and the bigger picture is clear: this roster still needs ways to get better.
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Maple Leafs Trade Piece Emil Andrae Suddenly Faces Another Uncertain Turn
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Andrae has appeared in five games for Columbus this season, and now the next step in his season is up in the air again. For Toronto, it is another reminder that the trade market can keep spinning long after the paperwork is done, especially when a players immediate future depends on whether he sticks in the NHL or gets pushed down the organizational ladder. [Read more 🡒]