Maple Leafs urged to keep veteran trade candidate with a contract extensio

The are looking toward a trade deadline of selling off expiring contracts. This is a lost season, and it doesn't behoove them to lose Steve Cishek Jersey players for nothing after the season if they can extract value for them now, before Friday's deadline. There's one guy, though, that thinks the Leafs should keep around: Troy Stecher. The premise that Maxwell breaks down further is that Stecher might actually have more value to the Maple Leafs going forward than he would bring back in an unexciting draft pick. The Maple Leafs would have to sign Stecher to a contract extension if they don't trade him, but that likely wouldn't cost too much. "Stechers actually a UFA the Leafs should look to retain," Maxwell writes. "We saw how poor their blueline was at moving the puck before Stechers arrival, so Toronto can take all the puck-moving defensemen they can get. Considering Stecher will likely come in at a small number, potentially even six figures, the Leafs should try to keep the defender around, as the value he provides on their blueline is worth more than a middle-round pick." MORE: The Maple Leafs have four players set to be unrestricted free agents after the season. The other three are Bobby McMann, Scott Laughton and Calle Jarnkrok. Maxwell made the case for why each of them should be traded, and likely at least a couple will be before the Friday deadline. Stecher will be one to watch, though. If he stays put, it could mean the Leafs have an extension in the works with him. More NHL news: Javy Guerra Jersey