It has come out that the Maple Leafs have been taking calls on the availability of Tyson. The highly-skilled defenceman is highly desirable. There is no shortage of hockey teams who have shown interest—the Flames, Canucks, and Blues, to mention a few.
Tyson has plenty of skills in the offensive game. Tyson's ability to distribute the puck to the forwards often leads to a scoring chance. He is known for being a terrific powerplay quarterback who has vision around the ice. He is a highly-skilled defenceman who fits into the system very nicely.
So why are we thinking about trading him? The first reason is that the Leafs know Tyson is a UFA and may demand upwards of $8 million a year. The is no way in the universe that the Leafs can afford to keep the highly-regarded offensive defencemen. The other downside is that Barrie's defensive play often gets him in trouble. To be fair, though, the Maple Leafs knew that before they acquired him.
The other dilemma for the Leafs as we approach the deadline is what to with Kasperi Kapanen. I am not bringing up him because of the benching incident. It is common knowledge the Leafs want a serviceable defenceman if they choose to keep Barrie. Kasperi has struggled this season, but still is a massive chip if the Leafs decide to use him. He is an excellent penalty-killer with offensive skill to burn.
There is something that I have wanted to bring up some time. Jason Spezza's play since the evacuation of Babcock has been outstanding. Jason has fit in nicely as a third/fourth-line center with second-line powerplay ability. He might be a tad slow, but he has the hockey IQ, which makes him a great asset. He has been a great pickup, and I hope the Leafs decide to sign him to another one or two year deal.
There have been some rumblings that the Leafs might also pick up additional forward for depth reasons. This one will be on a straight rental basis. The acquisition will only work if the Leafs have the room to make it fit.
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