Philippe Myers has watched his path in Toronto shrink all summer, and it's got nothing to do with how he's played.
GM John Chayka reshaped the Maple Leafs' entire defense core this offseason, and Myers is the one feeling squeezed out.
Toronto added Emil Andrae and Darren Raddysh, re-signed Troy Stecher, and brought in Nick Blankenburg on a professional tryout.
Andrae posted 13 points in 61 games last season, while Stecher added 14 points in 64 games, giving Toronto real depth at the exact spot Myers occupies.
Top prospect Ben Danford also looms, coming off a Calder Cup championship run with the Toronto Marlies and looking ready for a real NHL opportunity.
Myers, a 6-foot-5 right-handed defenseman, is entering the final year of his contract at $850,000 with no trade protection attached.
He posted just 2 points in 39 games last season, going minus-10, the kind of quiet production that makes him expendable once the depth chart gets this crowded.
Why Anaheim looks like the most realistic landing spot
The Anaheim Ducks, Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, and Philadelphia Flyers have all shown varying degrees of interest in Myers.
Anaheim stands out as the likeliest destination, given how thin their blue line depth currently is compared to the other suitors.
Myers still offers something teams value, a smooth-skating, big-bodied defenseman who's never quite turned his tools into consistent NHL production.
That gap between potential and results is exactly why he's found himself on the outside looking in in Toronto, rather than a reflection of any single bad camp.
With no trade protection and a contract that expires after this season, Toronto has every incentive to move him now rather than let him walk for nothing next summer.
A preseason trade looks increasingly likely. The only real question left is which of these four suitors actually makes the call.
Should the Maple Leafs trade Philippe Myers before the season starts?
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