Juuso Parssinen could be a solid buy-low trade option for the Leafs

Originally selected in the seventh round 210th overall in the 2019 Draft, he is the son of former Anaheim Ducks winger Timo Parssinen. Standing at 6’3″ and weighing 212 pounds, his stock grew quickly after getting drafted to the point he was he was among TPS Turku in his final two seasons in Finland before making the move over to North America in the spring of 2022. From there, he got to join the Milwaukee Admirals for their playoff run where he recorded three points in nine games played.

A strong in the AHL at nearly a point-per-game pace prompted the Predators to call him up partway through the 2022-23 season where he got to spend the rest of the year in the NHL. His rookie season showed plenty of promise with 25 points (six goals and 19 assists) in 45 games played to finish 10th on the team in scoring, which is impressive considering Parssinen wasn’t an everyday player and didn’t start the season in Nashville. He took a step back last campaign as he suffered from the sophomore slump (12 points in 44 games), which included some time spent back with the Admirals. Despite this, he secured a one-year extension just before training camp at a league minimum cap hit.

So far this season, Parssinen has been among the many Predators players who have struggled offensively with only five points in 15 games while also being in and out of the lineup. The last part might explain why he could soon be on the outs because he is not being utilized much by head coach Andrew Brunette at the moment.

Despite his limited offensive output this season, there is reason to believe Parssinen could thrive in a better situation like the Leafs because he has plenty of untapped potential. Since his rookie campaign, he is 12th among Predators in all situations in points per 60 at 1.71. ninth in individual points % at 62.69, and ninth in individual high-danger chances for % at 3.51. He is also good at drawing penalties with the seventh-highest rate at 1.06 which may be due to teams attempting to slow him down because of his larger frame.

At the time of filing, Parssinen is fourth on the Predators in faceoffs at 46.8%, he is sixth on the team in hits/60 at 5v5 with 9.79, and ninth among forwards in blocked shots with nine. He is also bogged down by back luck because his PDO at 5v5 is the lowest on the team at .923 so there is reason to believe he will eventually regress to the mean.

His large frame, versatility, willingness to play physically, abilities to take draws, and young age would make him an enticing piece for the Leafs to consider. Considering the team could need some additional depth down the middle, taking a flyer on a guy who could top out as a solid middle-six centre especially because they could potentially be getting him at his lowest value.

The most logical piece to give up in return would be Nick Robertson as he has struggled to find his footing in the Leafs’ lineup with his offensive struggles being well documented and being a healthy scratch in their last three games. He has already expressed interest in wanting a change of scenery and with the noise surrounding his future not subsiding, a one-for-one trade involving him and Parssinen could make a lot of sense for both teams.

Simply put, Parssinen’s name reportedly being on the trade block should be music to the ears of Treliving. A young player with plenty of untapped skill combined with a large frame and family with the type of playstyle the Leafs want could be an attractive piece for the team to pursue. With his value being low and his cap hit coming in at league minimum, it won’t be too much of a dent in their cap space while they won’t need to give up much to acquire his services.

All of which is to say that Parssinen is a buy-low candidate that Leafs fans should keep their eyes on as he could help address their lack of offence in the bottom six.