Babcock hopeful Maple Leafs can play well enough to warrant deadline deal

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock hopes his team's on-ice play can motivate management to do some wheeling and dealing.

Following the team's morning skate Wednesday, the club's bench boss said he hopes his team can play well enough in the coming weeks to put general manager Lou Lamoriello under pressure to make a trade at the deadline, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.

"It's our job, as a team, to put as much pressure as we can on Lou to help us," Babcock said, according to TSN's Mark Masters. "... The better you play and the more you look like you got a chance, the more opportunity you have for your GM to help you.

"Always could use help. Never been on a team that didn't need more."

The Maple Leafs currently hold down the third spot in the Atlantic with a comfortable 15-point cushion over the next team in the division, the Florida Panthers.

It's no secret that any such deadline deal would likely be intended to bolster the Maple Leafs' blue line. With Nikita Zaitsev back in the lineup Wednesday and Morgan Rielly appearing close to a return as well, however, the team's defensive corps should get a big boost regardless.

The trade deadline is set for 3:00 p.m. ET on Feb. 26.

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