The Maple Leafs need to be paying attention to Florida.
On Wednesday, the Panthers put MacKenzie Entwistle on waivers, a move meant to free up roster and cap space. With injuries to Sasha Barkov and Brad Marchand already shaping Florida’s early season, the club appears to be creating room for insurance if it wants to stay in the hunt in the Atlantic.
That setup points to a bigger move coming. Entwistle is likely headed to the AHL, and the opening he leaves behind could be used for a blockbuster.
One possibility mentioned is Dylan Larkin, who may finally get his chance to join a contender - and, as the source noted, do it alongside players he knows well. Another route would be a different kind of addition, someone who can bring the same level of peskiness Marchand provides.
However Florida chooses to go, Toronto has to treat it as a warning sign.
The Panthers are clearly not sitting still, and the fact that they’re already lining up for a major move should put the rest of the Atlantic on edge. That matters most for the Maple Leafs, who need to start strong while Florida is dealing with injuries. The opening created by Barkov and Marchand was supposed to help Toronto.
If the Leafs fail to take advantage and the Panthers still swing a major deal, the task gets tougher. Toronto was already viewed as one of the division’s underdogs, and Florida improving while hurt is hardly the kind of break the Leafs need.
And if the Panthers pull off a trade and eventually get Barkov and Marchand back in the lineup, the division picture changes fast. It doesn’t guarantee anything, but it does tilt the odds their way more than any of the alternatives.
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