Maple Leafs’ GM not ruling out making move

Less than seven weeks remain until the trade deadline and Toronto Maple Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello gladly would make a move to improve his club.

Mind you, Lamoriello is not in a spot where he thinks he absolutely must do something before Feb. 26 to increase the Leafs’ chances of a long playoff run.

“I certainly like our roster,” Lamoriello said. “I think it’s solid. To do something for the sake of doing something is never a good thing. (When describing a possible trade) you don’t even want to use the word ‘substantial.’ Sometimes the smallest things become the biggest.”

The Leafs are on their bye week after a pair of losses, but with 53 points, are entrenched in a race for second place in the Atlantic Division with the Boston Bruins.

Yet the belief remains, at least from the outside, that the Leafs must improve their defensive corps. Help could be coming, as Nikita Zaitsev is skating again as he recovers from a lower-body injury and could return soon.

There’s also 21-year-old defenceman Travis Dermott, who was returned to the Toronto Marlies on Thursday along with centre Frederik Gauthier. Lamoriello says the two will play a couple games for the Marlies this weekend before being recalled for the Leafs’ next game against the St. Louis Blues Tuesday.

Dermott was impressive in his first two NHL games, and you have to wonder if Lamoriello will be in a rush to add a defenceman considering Dermott’s play.

“He’s comfortable in his own abilities and he has played extremely well,” Lamoriello said. “He has a bright future (or) a bright present, however you want to put it. We’re extremely pleased with him. He’s earned it.”

Dermott averaged 14 minutes, 12 seconds of ice time and was the Leafs’ top defenceman in possession during five-on-five play in both games.

Dermott is in the mix for two spots with Andreas Borgman and Connor Carrick. One would think once Zaitsev returns, slow and penalty-prone Roman Polak will be the odd man out.

Among the Leafs headed for unrestricted free agency this summer are winger James van Riemsdyk and centre Tyler Bozak.

The GM wouldn’t want to lose any player, especially van Riemsdyk, via free agency with nothing in return, but trading him would leave a hole at forward in the most crucial part of the season.