Trade Proposal Has Maple Leafs Acquiring Jason Dickinson from the Blackhawks
With the NHL trade deadline fast approaching, the Toronto Maple Leafs are positioning themselves to make a move, particularly in the center position. According to a recent proposal from PuckPedia’s PuckGM tool, one intriguing deal would see the Leafs acquire Jason Dickinson from the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Proposed Deal
In this potential trade, the Maple Leafs would send Nick Robertson, Roni Hirvonen, and a 2025 second-round pick (Florida’s) to Chicago in exchange for Dickinson, with $2.1 million of his $4.5 million cap hit retained.
Why the Trade Makes Sense for the Leafs
Jason Dickinson, currently in the first year of a two-year, $8.5 million deal with the Blackhawks, could be the ideal third-line center for Toronto. At 28 years old, Dickinson offers the Leafs both offensive upside and solid defensive abilities. So far this season, he has registered 7 goals and 7 assists in 47 games. His best season came last year, when he recorded 22 goals and 13 assists for 35 points. Acquiring Dickinson would help strengthen the Leafs’ bottom-six and add depth to a team that is already among the top contenders in the NHL.
Toronto’s Needs and Treliving’s Approach
The Maple Leafs are in need of a center, and general manager Brad Treliving has made it clear that this is a priority heading into the March 7 trade deadline. Despite having some internal options, including players from the Marlies, Treliving acknowledged that adding more depth to the center position is crucial for the team’s playoff push.
“We’ve seen some guys come up and play well,” Treliving said on January 13. “It gives you a little insight into what we’ve got internally. Is it an area that we continue to try to upgrade?” Treliving also noted that many other teams are looking to add a centerman, so it won’t be an easy acquisition.
Toronto’s 30-17-2 record has them sitting atop the Atlantic Division, but adding a reliable center like Dickinson could be the move that solidifies their depth and playoff readiness.
What Chicago Gains from the Deal
For the Blackhawks, this trade makes sense as part of their ongoing rebuild. They’re currently in second-last place in the NHL, with a 15-28-4 record, and general manager Kyle Davidson has expressed that the team is not as far along in its rebuild as he had hoped.
In return for Dickinson, the Blackhawks would gain a promising young player in Nick Robertson, who has 8 goals and 4 assists in 41 games this season. Although Robertson requested a trade earlier in the year, the Leafs were able to keep him on a one-year deal. The 23-year-old would fit well into Chicago’s rebuild, alongside Roni Hirvonen, another 23-year-old prospect. Hirvonen, a former second-round pick, is currently playing in the AHL, where he has 6 goals and 7 assists in 28 games. Both players could provide value to Chicago as they continue to develop their future core.
With the trade deadline approaching, the Maple Leafs’ focus on adding a center could lead them to pursue Jason Dickinson in a deal with the Blackhawks. While there are hurdles such as salary cap space and competition from other teams, this proposal represents a smart, low-risk move that could significantly improve Toronto’s depth. For Chicago, moving Dickinson for younger players and draft picks helps further their rebuilding efforts. As the deadline nears, it will be interesting to see if this trade proposal, or something similar, comes to fruition.