Nick Jensen may be a sleeper pick for the Maple Leafs to target, but the fit is there. He is a right-handed shot that can play alongside any of the left-handed shots that the team has. He could be a replacement for what Justin Holl brought to the Maple Leafs lineup last season. He typically blocks more shots than he throws hits, which is an interesting asset. However, when the playoffs come around, you need to put your body on the line, and Jensen will do that. Some may describe him as a Chris Tanev-lite, someone who has no regard for their own body and just cares about the crest on his chest.
Jensen could be moving up the trade target list for Brad Treliving and the Maple Leafs. There have been some big names taken off the board, and while Toronto doesn’t have a ton of assets, they should be able to make this deal work. Jensen’s cap hit is $4.05 million per season for two more seasons after this one. If the Maple Leafs look at their Jake McCabe trade from last season’s deadline, they got him with term and the Chicago Blackhawks retained 50% of his salary. It may make things a bit of a challenge, but there is a possibility that the Capitals retain 50% of his cap hit, which would up the asking price.
