Rasmus Sandin Could Force the Maple Leafs to Trade Travis Dermott

The Toronto Maple Leafs head into the 2020-21 season in unfamiliar territory. The team, for once, has some depth on their blue line and the spotlight in training camp will be on the internal competition for spots. One player to watch is 2018 first-round pick, Rasmus Sandin.

The 20-year-old appeared in 28 games for the Leafs last season, recording eight points and has his eyes set on a full-time job in 2021. Leafs management would love for Sandin to play himself on to the team out of training camp and never look back, and if you ask Sandin, that's exactly what's going to happen.

I'm definitely a lot stronger. ... Even William (Nylander) can't even handle me on the ice right now. He's obviously a great player, so going against him, I can play in a little bit of a different way. Before I definitely was just more trying to have my stick and trying to be more in a good position. Now I can pair that up ... with pushing other players from the puck a bit more and winning those battles. That's why I feel like this (prolonged break) has helped me a lot on the ice.

If Sandin shows up at camp for the Leafs and wins a spot, it could mean Travis Dermott is on the outside looking in. With the Leafs cap crunch and Dermott due an extension after next season, Dermott could potentially be moved. The two play a similar style of game and Sandin is four years younger. 

The likes of Zach Hyman and Frederik Andersen will also need a contract after next season and considering the Leafs currently only have $13 million in cap space available with only 13 players under contract at the moment, it's going to be a numbers game in Toronto. 

Keep an eye on Rasmus Sandin next season, he's ready for camp and is expecting big things. If his development doesn't force the Leafs to make a trade, the salary cap certainly will.

Photo credit:  Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire