Doubt if any team is going to making trades right now.
It's always easy to say, "I want to add". I just wonder who do Hathaway replace in the lineup or even Schenn. Not. saying I wouldn't mind either player on the Leafs, but just don't know who they replace if the lineup is healthy.

I dont think throwing Knies into a top 6 role right off the bat is a good idea but what do i know. They could use more reliable depth scoring.

I only want the leafs to add if they go through a rough stretch or near the deadline. They’ve got quite the chemistry right now. Perhaps the add will be a healthy Rielly when he is ready. I agree a left wing who can rotate to C as needed would be great. But giving up a Kerfoot for the sake of it right now doesn’t make much sense. In todays game with special teams playing such a big role, I’d rather keep him until the right replacement comes along.

I think it would be interesting to see if a top 6 LW like Niederreiter who plays with a bit of an edge, bottom 6 RH center like gritty and pending UFA Acciari in St Louis as a possibility (but he has now scored 6 goals in the last 11 games and might be valued for more than what he is actually worth), a bottom 6 RW like pending UFA Hathaway and a Muzzin replacement added. Luke Schenn would be nice as well for the playoffs but I am not sure who he would replace in the top 8.

The defense is the toughest position to correct in my opinion.

Muzzin is a physical 6'3" 217 lbs LHD that averaged approximately 2 hits a game and had an offensive upside of approximately 0.5 ppg. He was just about to turn 30 when the Leafs acquired him and his 5.8% Cap hit at the time would be equivalent to approximately $4.9 MIL with an additional year left. Not sure who replaces him in the league currently (LHD or RHD) . There is certainly no Leaf that can replace that role. I feel we need to find some way to replace Muzzin but....what current dman in the league born around 1992 that is 6'3"+ 217+ lbs who plays physical and scores at a 0,5 ppg pace while being signed for around $5.0 MIL this year and next?

And who do we move to get that fiction dman?
- Rielly has struggled on and off for a few years (not sure what the advanced stats say) but now has a NMC for 8 years at $7.5 MIL. He's not going anywhere.
- Giordano took a MASSIVE pay cut to play in TO and has been playing great. He's not going anywhere.
- Brodie is owed $7.5 MIL in real money next season and has an NTC. He's not going anywhere.
- Benn is a 6'2" LD that can play both sides on a league minimum contract. He's not going anywhere.
- Dubas just acquired 6'2" RD Timmins who is still under team control as an RFA. He's not going anywhere.
- Sandin and Liljegren are young with decent talent. They're not going anywhere.

That leaves UFA Holl on a rental contract to move but he might not get back his current value to the Leafs so I am not sure if he should be moved or not.

Contracts NEED to be moved so it has to be prospects and NOT picks like you said. Currently they can't sign Knies even if he wanted to play for us. It's crazy!

Goaltending is solid which has surprised me and I suspect most Leaf fans.

Something like:

Bunting / Matthews / Nylander
*Niederreiter / Tavares / Marner
Engvall / Kampf / Jarnkrok
Aston-Reese / *Acciari / *Hathaway
Rielly / Brodie
Sandin / *Unicorn
Giordano / Liljegren
Murray
Samsonov

scratches:Malgin, Benn, Timmons

Out:Kerfoot, Holl, Prospects and maybe some picks

If Timmins can put together a decent run here and be a serviceable bottom pair i think we are set on D for the rest of the year.

Rielly - Brodie
Sandin - Liljegren
Giordano - Holl
extra: Timmins.

If one of the LD gets hurt Brodie and move over to the left side and open a spot for Timmins on the bottom pair, and If someone on the right gets hurt it opens up a spot for Timmins on the bottom pair.
Gio going down to bottom pair to give him a rest and when Rielly comes back give him some nights off to keep him fresh for the playoffs and give Timmins more of a chance to prove himself.

We should go out and get a left wing. Niederreiter, or Henrique at half retained would be my targets. i would have claimed Bemstrom from Columbus when he was availalble as well. Knies signing near the end of the year would be nice too. However im not convinced he should be elevated to the top 6 right away.