Mason McTavish is a name that has been featured prominently in trade rumors this summer as the Ducks young star forward is due a new deal. The 22 year old UFA has been linked to a flurry of teams, including the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Leafs are a sqaud that are staying busy this offseason as they look to continue addressing lineup holes caused by the loss of 100 point producer Mitch Marner. They have been linked to several young up and coming talents, Mason McTavish amongst them.
The fit makes sense for Toronto as McTavish is a center who can slot immediately into their top 6 and be an effective producer playing with the likes of Auston Matthews, William Nylander, John Tavares and Matthew Knies among others. The Leafs only have a little under $2 million in salary space so some cap magic would need to get done to make a McTavish deal work. But the idea is enticing for them.
Unfortunately for the Leafs and other clubs who have been monitoring the status of McTavish, it appears unlikely he will be on the move from Anaheim after all. According to Anthony Di Marco on “The Daily Faceoff,” he claimed Mason will likely extend his stay in Anaheim on a bridge deal.
This move would make sense for the Ducks. McTavish is a young forward piece they should be able to build around. And they have already made some tough decisions on moving on from former core players such as Trevor Zegras.
McTavish will enter his 4th full season in the NHL this year. Last year in Anaheim, he touted 22 goals and 30 assists for 52 points in 76 games. We’ll see if he indeed once again suits up in a Ducks uniform this year once his new contract gets done of if an unexpected change in scenery is in order.
