3 Defensemen Maple Leafs Can Target To Replace Injured Klingberg

The Toronto Maple Leafs got some serious injury news about John Klingberg as he is likely to be done for the season. Whether this is a good thing or bad thing by the way he has played this season, there is an opening on the defense and money to work with. The team was already likely to add a defender before the trade deadline, but that timetable may have been moved way up.

The Maple Leafs have been playing two defensemen that should be in the AHL this season, William Lagesson and Simon Benoit. With the return of Conor Timmins, it allows Toronto to not jump on a deal immediately, but still have to think about making a deal soon.

Nikita Zadorov isn't happy in Calgary and wants out. This will more than likely come in a trade sooner than later and the Maple Leafs have been heavily linked to him. Now that they have a real need, a spot in the lineup, and the money, they will make a hard push. Zadorov is a second/third line defender that plays a tough game and can score. The Maple Leafs do need more scoring from the back-end, but more than that, the physicality he brings every night.

Staying with the Flames, Chris Tanev is also an option. Contract talks have already been halted with all upcoming UFAs in Calgary, Tanev being one of them. He is in the final year of his deal at $4.5 million AAV and could fit in very nicely in the top-four, pushing Mark Giordano back down to the third pairing. Tanev is very strong defensively, another thing the Maple Leafs would be more than happy to acquire and fit into their lineup. He might not be traded as soon as Zadorov, so it may be about price and when the team intends on upgrading.

Here's a crazy idea for the third potential defenseman the Maple Leafs add, Dmitry Orlov. The Carolina Hurricanes have had the most bizarre split from their top-four to bottom pairing this season. The top-four are a combined +27, while the bottom pairing that includes Orlov (-9), Tony DeAngelo (-10), and Jalen Chatfield (-1) are a combined -20. Many thought that bringing in Orlov to make the already very strong defensive core even better was a play for the trade deadline. This could be an early option with the struggles to move Orlov and get something that will help the team elsewhere or for later on. The Maple Leafs can't take Orlov's full contract and he's signed through next year, but that would be a problem for the summer. Toronto is trying to win and so is Carolina. The bottom pairing, how it is, isn't helping with that right now.