Former top-five pick linked to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a one-for-one trade

The Toronto Maple Leafs have long been expected to deal Nick Robertson to add more depth and experience to their roster, and now they may have found their deal after he officially requested a trade.

The latest proposal suggests a one-for-one swap with underperforming former top pick Alex Turcotte, who has managed just 32 games in the NHL over the past three seasons, despite showing plenty of talent and production with the AHL's Ontario Reign. The 23-year old was the No. 5 overall pick back in the 2019 NHL Draft, but just hasn't performed the way anyone in LA would have hoped, and with Quinton Byfield taking a step towards stardom in 2023/24, his lack of production becomes even more pronounced.

While Robertson hasn't blown Turcotte's production out of the water, he's found a little more success in the NHL, and while it's likely that LA would need to add an asset to this pick to make a deal happen, it would get the disgruntled Robertson somewhere that he may have a chance of playing while adding depth to the Maple Leafs lineup.