Canadian team urged to claim Pittsburgh Penguins forward off waivers

The Pittsburgh Penguins have placed winger Danton Heinen on waivers on Sunday. This might be the way the Toronto Maple Leafs get the boost they need on scoring depth.

While he hasn't exactly had the easiest time this season, with just one goal and one assist in 13 games, his past play would seem to indicate he has other scoring in him.

A Leafs team looking for a lift might find what they need in a player like that, according to NHL analyst Nicholas Giannone.

There is value in seeing what Heinen can do at this level, and he did have 29 points last year, splitting time between Pittsburgh and Minnesota, and once had a career-high 47 points with the Boston Bruins.

Originally from British Columbia, he has played for the Canucks and the Ducks and is said to be a reliable two-way player who can play heavy minutes and play in all three zones of the rink.

Players with this kind of skill have rediscovered their form before under new circumstances.

A potential issue is the cap hit that Heinen has, at $2 million; this might be an issue for the Leaf roster that is operating just under the cap. However, the good news is that he appears to have some skill with the way he performed in the AHL.

For the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton organization, he now has 17 points and is +10 in 12 games. A player that the Leafs could use, given the absence of William Nylander due to a lower-body injury, is Heinen, per Giannone.

As the Leafs are currently sitting at the bottom of the Atlantic Division, it is clear that some change is needed, and picking up a player who could add some spark to the team might give them the push that they need.

Leafs coach Craig Berube might have his work cut out for him, especially with the injury concern involving Nylander, and having Heinen ahead of him in the NHL would not harm, considering his flexibility.