Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Jake McCabe, Sam Lafferty
The Toronto Maple Leafs are loading up. After their big move earlier this month, they’ve pulled off another significant trade, acquiring Jake McCabe and Sam Lafferty from the Chicago Blackhawks. In return, the Maple Leafs will send a top-ten protected 2025 first-round pick, a 2026 second-round pick, Joey Anderson, and prospect Pavel Gogolev.
Chicago is retaining 50% of McCabe’s contract, and sending two conditional fifth-round selections to Toronto. If the 2025 first-round selection is in the top ten, Chicago will get Toronto’s 2026 first-round pick instead. CapFriendly reports that the 2024 fifth-round pick that is going to Toronto will be the lowest pick in that round the Blackhawks own at the time of the draft.
The biggest part of this deal for Toronto is the salary retention, as McCabe is not a typical rental. With two more years on his contract, the Maple Leafs will get a discounted defenseman for several playoff runs. His deal carries a cap hit of $4MM, meaning McCabe will cost Toronto just $2MM per season through 2024-25, the same amount as Justin Holl, who is currently scheduled for unrestricted free agency this summer.
McCabe, 29, has been rather productive for the Blackhawks this season, registering 20 points in 55 games—a pace that has him on track to blow past his previous career-high of 22 points. It’s not his offensive ability the Maple Leafs were targeting, though. McCabe instantly becomes the team’s most physical defender, and should help the penalty kill with his long reach, strength in front of the net, and willingness to block shots.
Lafferty is not just a throw-in, either. The 27-year-old forward is having a career year with Chicago, scoring ten goals and 21 points in 51 games. He too, is a physical upgrade for the Maple Leafs, giving them a pretty significant depth chart for the bottom six. With Lafferty and Noel Acciari now in place, the team has added two right-handed faceoff options that can be used on the penalty kill and in the defensive zone to go with their stable of left-shot centers.
It’s a pretty impressive haul for Toronto over the last few weeks, especially when considering they didn’t give up a single roster player. But there is real risk in moving so many draft picks when your group has zero playoff success to show for it to this point. Even McCabe, who seems like he would excel in the postseason, has never actually played in a playoff game nearly a decade into his NHL career.
If the Maple Leafs are bounced again, some painful years could be ahead. But for now, general manager Kyle Dubas is willing to put it on the line and give this group the best chance possible.
One thing to note is that with the addition of McCabe and Lafferty, the Maple Leafs no longer have the cap space to activate goaltender Matt Murray from long-term injured reserve. That was expected to happen in the next few days, meaning either another player will be shipped out, or some other transaction will be made to clear cap.
Jordie Benn, Vinni Lettieri Clear Waivers
Feb 26: Both players have cleared waivers today and can now be assigned to the minor leagues.
Feb 25: On top of Jake Leschyshyn‘s previously-reported waiver placement, two others are on the wire today as NorthStar Bets’ Chris Johnston reports (Twitter link) that the Maple Leafs have placed defenseman Jordie Benn on waivers while the Bruins have done the same with forward Vinni Lettieri. Additionally, Johnston tweets that defenseman Kevin Gravel, who was waived yesterday, passed through unclaimed.
Benn has played in 12 games for Toronto this season, picking up a goal and an assist in less than 16 minutes per night while chipping in with 29 blocked shots and 32 hits. However, he has been eighth on the depth chart for a while and hasn’t suited up for a month now. The 35-year-old is on a one-year, one-way contract worth the league minimum of $750K and would be a low-cost depth addition for a team looking to shore up some depth. The impetus for the move from the Maple Leafs is to create some extra cap flexibility as his cost would come off the books entirely if he went unclaimed and was sent to the AHL’s Marlies. With Matt Murray set to come off LTIR as soon as this week, some roster moves will need to be made for them to be able to do so.
As for Lettieri, he was recalled by the Bruins at the end of January but landed on injured reserve one day later without suiting up. This placement means that he has been cleared to return. The 28-year-old has had a productive season with Providence of the AHL, notching 16 goals and 21 assists in 41 games. He has 82 career NHL appearances under his belt and could be scooped for extra depth but the likelier outcome is that he clears and returns to the AHL. That would open up an extra $750K in cap room for Boston heading into the trade deadline.
In related news, the Bruins also announced that center Tomas Nosek has been activated off LTIR. He has been out with a foot injury for a little more than a month. The 30-year-old has eight points in 42 games this season but is a key penalty killer that has won more than 58% of his faceoffs so far.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: Toronto Maple Leafs
Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.
Over the past several months, PHR has looked at every NHL team and given a thorough look at their cap situation for the 2022-23 season and beyond. This is the final piece of the series. This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Current Cap Hit: $88,851,650 (over the $82.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
F Pontus Holmberg (one year, $827.5K)
F Nicholas Robertson (two years, $796.7K)
Potential Bonuses
None
Robertson has been viewed as one of Toronto’s top prospects for a few years now. However, injuries have limited him significantly in the pros and he’s out for the rest of this season after undergoing shoulder surgery. The Maple Leafs frequently use bridge contracts and he’s a very strong candidate to get one. If he returns to health and produces, it could be around the $1.5MM mark but it’s likely to come in below that. Holmberg fit in nicely in Toronto’s bottom six and is playing his way into consideration for a full-time spot beyond this season although he’s back in the minors for the time being. Even so, with their cap situation and Holmberg’s limited NHL experience, a short-term bridge deal around the $1MM range is where his next deal should fall.
Signed Through 2022-23, Non-Entry-Level
F Noel Acciari ($1.25MM, UFA)
F Joey Anderson ($750K, RFA)
F Zach Aston-Reese ($840.6K, UFA)
D Jordie Benn ($750K, UFA)
F Michael Bunting ($950K, UFA)
F Pierre Engvall ($2.25MM, UFA)
D Justin Holl ($2MM, UFA)
F David Kampf ($1.5MM, UFA)
F Alex Kerfoot ($3.5MM, UFA)
D Victor Mete ($750K, RFA)
F Ryan O’Reilly ($1.875MM, UFA)*
G Ilya Samsonov ($1.8MM, RFA)
F Wayne Simmonds ($900K, UFA)
*-St. Louis is retaining 50% of O’Reilly’s cap hit ($3.75MM) and Minnesota is retaining an additional 25% ($1.875MM).
Kerfoot’s hold of a roster spot in Toronto has seemingly been in question for about three of his four years with the team but it’s not because he has a bad contract by any stretch. He’s on pace to push for 40 points again which, coupled with his ability to play center and the wing, should have him earning another million or so on his next deal, one that’s likely to be for more years than this four-year agreement he’s finishing now. Engvall is a capable depth forward but hasn’t shown the ability to produce consistently. Since he doesn’t kill penalties too frequently either, his market might not be the strongest. He could get something close to this amount but not considerably higher. Kampf isn’t much of a scorer himself but with him being good on faceoffs and killing penalties, there should be a market for him that should land him a multi-year deal closer to the $2MM (or even $2.5MM if enough teams show interest.).
Then there are the newcomers. O’Reilly has had a tough year this season but has a long and proven track record as a key two-way player. At 32, he still should be able to land a sizable agreement on a multi-year deal but it’s likely to be for at least a couple million less than his base $7.5MM AAV unless he has a big finish to his season with Toronto; he’s off to a good start on that front. As for Acciari, he had a nice bounce-back showing in the bottom six with St. Louis before the swap and, as a player who can hold his own on the third line or anchor the fourth, can kill penalties, plays with an edge, and win faceoffs, he’ll have a stronger market than he did last summer which should lead to a multi-year agreement and an AAV closer to the $2MM mark at least.
Bunting is going to be a particularly intriguing case to follow. He has been one of the top bargains in the NHL these last two years, providing top-six production for depth forward money. Even with what’s still a limited track record, there are enough comparable deals that could realistically push his asking price past the $5MM mark on a long-term agreement. Is that one Toronto will be able to fit into their salary structure? That’s one of the questions they’ll certainly be pondering. Aston-Reese didn’t have a strong market last summer and likely hasn’t done enough to change that so he should stay in this price range. Simmonds, if he plays another year, will be at the league minimum while Anderson should wind up there as well.
Holl might not be a top-end defender but he has held his own while logging around 21 minutes a night this season. He’s also a right-shot player, the handedness that’s always in high demand. While he was a depth defender early on in his time with the Leafs, that’s not the case now and he could add at least $1MM on his next contract which could very well price his way out of Toronto. Benn and Mete both signed minimum deals back in July and their markets haven’t changed significantly since then. Mete is arbitration-eligible once more but because he has 247 career games under his belt, he’s likely to be non-tendered to avoid that risk.
Samsonov chose to sign with Toronto in the hopes of rebuilding his value. That decision has worked out rather well so far as he is staking claim to the starting role. We’ve seen the price tag for young goalies with limited experience go up considerably lately (Samsonov has less than 130 NHL appearances even including the playoffs) and it’s plausible that his next deal could push past the $5MM mark.
Signed Through 2023-24
D T.J. Brodie ($5MM, UFA)
D Mark Giordano ($800K, UFA)
D Timothy Liljegren ($1.4MM, RFA)
F Auston Matthews ($11.64MM, UFA)
G Matt Murray ($4.688MM, UFA)*
D Jake Muzzin ($5.625MM, UFA)
F William Nylander ($6.962MM, UFA)
D Rasmus Sandin ($1.4MM, RFA)
*-Ottawa is retaining an additional $1.5625MM (25%) on Murray’s deal.
It has been widely expected for several years now that Matthews will set the new standard for the highest AAV in the NHL when he signs his next contract. It’s not a matter of if he’ll pass Nathan MacKinnon ($12.6MM starting next season) but by how much. He has been the top goal-scorer in the NHL in the past two seasons and even in a bit of a down year this season, he’s still averaging over a point per game. Matthews will hit the open market at the age of 26 when he’s clearly in the prime of his career. Top centers rarely make it to free agency and if he’s going to be the rare exception, there will be plenty of interest, even at a record-setting price tag.
What happens with Matthews could very well dictate if Toronto can afford to re-sign Nylander as well. He cracked the 80-point mark last season for the first time and is playing at a 95-point pace this year. One more season around that type of production and it’s quite possible that the AAV on a max-term deal for him will push past the $10MM plateau as well. Even if there’s a jump in the Upper Limit by then, keeping both players will be tricky.
Muzzin has spent most of the season on the injured list and there are questions about his ability to return, not only this year but beyond that. He has been ruled out for the rest of 2022-23 as expected, but unless they know that Muzzin isn’t coming back period, any other moves they make will also be limited to rentals. At this point, it doesn’t seem likely that the veteran will be able to command anywhere near this type of money if he is able to come back. As for Brodie, he continues to be a mobile and steady veteran that can kill penalties, log big minutes, play on both sides, and chip in with a few points. Nothing flashy but that type of role is one that’s always in demand. He’ll be 34 when he hits the open market but even so, a deal similar to his current one (four years at $5MM per season) could be doable.
Sandin showed a fair bit of offensive upside in the past and slowly but surely, he’s starting to produce a little more in Toronto. He’s on his bridge deal now, one that carries a $1.6MM qualifying offer. Assuming he continues to develop and starts to push his way into more playing time, he should be able to more than double that with arbitration rights. Liljegren is in a very similar situation although his offensive upside hasn’t been viewed as high as Sandin’s. But otherwise, both players are gradually improving and are trending toward eventual top-four roles. Liljegren’s qualifier checks in at $1.5MM next summer and he, too, should double that at least if he continues to progress. Giordano accepted a contract that was well below market value to stay with his hometown team. If he was to sign another deal, it’d be for his age-41 season and at that point, he’s likely to be around the minimum salary once again.
Murray has had flashes of dominance mixed in with struggles and injuries which is what happened in his previous stops with Ottawa and Pittsburgh as well. When he’s on his game, he’s a capable starting goaltender but the inconsistency will hurt him. When he signed this contract, Murray was viewed as a goalie on the rise. That shouldn’t be the case in 2024 where he’s likely to be viewed as more of a mid-tier netminder. The market rate for those types of players is closer to the $4MM range.
Signed Through 2024-25
F Mitch Marner ($10.903MM, UFA)
F John Tavares ($11MM, UFA)
D Conor Timmins ($850K in 2022-23, $1.1MM in 2023-24 and 2024-25)
G Joseph Woll ($767K, RFA)
Tavares certainly hasn’t played poorly since joining Toronto as he’s averaging just under a point per game in his five seasons with the team but that’s not a great return on one of the priciest UFA deals in NHL history either. The flattened salary cap – something that couldn’t have been foreseen at the time this deal was signed – has also exacerbated the effect of this contract on their cap situation. That all said, he’s still a very important piece for the Maple Leafs but if he’s going to sign a second contract with the team, it will need to be for considerably less than this to fit what their financial outlook is likely to be if they keep their other core pieces.
Marner has been one of the top-scoring wingers in the league for the last several seasons. Over the last five years, only one – Artemi Panarin – has more points than he does. With the cap set to be higher in 2025, it stands to reason that he could take aim at setting the new benchmark for a contract for a winger; Panarin checks in at $11.643MM. Marner will be 28 when this contract kicks in so it’s pretty much a lock that he’ll be securing a max-term agreement if he wants it on the open market.
Timmins was picked up early in the season from Arizona and has done quite well in a limited role which earned him the extension earlier this month. If he can lock down a full-time spot and continues to produce, his next contract could be more than double what he’ll start getting next season.
Woll doesn’t have much NHL action under his belt but with two years left at an AAV that will be below the league minimum next season, he’s the odds-on favorite to be the backup at some point during that stretch. Exactly when that permanent promotion comes will go a long way toward determining how much his next contract will be. If he’s established by then, it could be as high as the $3MM range.
Injury Notes: Maple Leafs, Flyers, Sillinger
The Toronto Maple Leafs have two injured players trending in opposite directions. TSN’s Mark Masters reports that defenseman Rasmus Sandin will miss his third straight game, while head coach Sheldon Keefe said today that goalie Matt Murray will rejoin practice tomorrow and travel on their upcoming five-game road trip.
Sandin is out with an upper-body injury but has not been placed on injured reserve. The 2018 first-round pick is having a strong season offensively, having stepped up to produce 20 points in 51 games while averaging a hair over 18 minutes per game. Murray has been out since the end of January with an ankle injury, his second long-term absence this season. While his questionable injury history has followed him to Toronto, he’s shown improved play when healthy, compiling an 11-5-2 record and a .911 save percentage in 19 appearances.
- The Philadelphia Flyers could be close to getting a fan favorite back in the lineup. Zack MacEwen, who’s been out since late January with a jaw injury sustained in a fight, was on the ice for morning skate today, says The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Olivia Reiner. MacEwen had nine points and 54 penalty minutes in 46 games this season. The news isn’t so positive on Travis Konecny, who head coach John Tortorella said is still being evaluated after leaving the team’s game against Calgary last Monday with an upper-body injury.
- Cole Sillinger took to the ice at practice for the Columbus Blue Jackets today, per team reporter Jeff Svoboda. An illness kept the sophomore center out of yesterday’s game with an illness. It’s been a tough second crack at the NHL for Sillinger, who has just eight points in 52 games this season.
Boston Bruins Acquire Garnet Hathaway, Dmitry Orlov
A few moments after announcing that Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway would be held out of the lineup for tonight’s game for trade protection purposes, the Washington Capitals have sent both players to the league-leading Boston Bruins.
Heading back to the Capitals is forward Craig Smith, Boston’s first-round pick in 2023, Boston’s third-round pick in 2024, and Boston’s second-round pick in 2025. Washington will retain 50% of Orlov’s remaining salary, while the Minnesota Wild will retain 25% of Orlov’s contract, sending the rights to Andrei Svetlakov to Washington (who actually flipped those rights to Boston in the other part of the deal), and acquiring Boston’s fifth-round pick in 2023.
The NHL’s best team just became much better. With the acquisition of Orlov and Hathaway, the Bruins have cemented themselves as a top Stanley Cup contender and an odds-on-favorite for Lord Stanley. In his 11 seasons in Washington, Orlov became one of the more underappreciated defensemen in the league. Being able to do a little bit of everything, averaging over 100 shots, 100 hits, and over 20 minutes a game, Orlov is a complete player that Boston will now be able to supplant into their already talented defensive core.
Joining him on the New England juggernaut is Hathaway, who is a near-perfect example of what Bruins fans have come to love from their players over the years. A hard-nosed forward, Hathaway can provide depth goal scoring, sufficient work on the penalty kill, and amassing almost 200+ hits every year of his career. If they weren’t already hard enough to play against, Orlov and Hathaway turn Bruins into an even more frustrating opponent for the rest of the league.
Although they only find themselves two points out of a playoff spot, the Capitals’ recent stretch of play has sent them into a bit of a spiral. Losing their last five games in a row, the Capitals seemed to have made a pivot toward selling during this deadline. Still carrying the likes of Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, and John Carlson, it is not likely that this will lead to a full-tear down in D.C. However, with so many players headed for unrestricted free agency after this season, and falling further out of the playoff picture, it is only natural that the Capitals recoup some assets from this group.
Having already traded away this year’s third-round selection and next year’s second-round selection in separate trades, the Capitals looked to restock their draft capital in this deal with Boston. After falling out of favor in Boston and clearing waivers earlier this season, Smith can slot into the Capitals’ bottom six for the remainder of the season.
Much like the trade sending Ryan O’Reilly to the Maple Leafs, the Wild were able to involve themselves in this trade as well. With ample deadline cap space, the Wild have now used 2/3 of their retention slots in the last six days to help facilitate deals around the league.
Boston will also receive the rights to Svetlakov, though his inclusion will be overshadowed by the two NHLers. Drafted in the sixth round of the 2017 NHL Draft, Svetlakov has spent the last several seasons playing for CSKA Moscow of the KHL.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet was the first to report that Hathaway and Orlov were headed to Boston, while Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic first reported Smith and picks would be the return to Washington.
Three Players Placed On Waivers
Three forwards have hit the waiver wire today. Toronto Maple Leafs winger Joey Anderson, Florida Panthers center Chris Tierney, and Anaheim Ducks winger Justin Kirkland are on today’s list, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
For the Maple Leafs, this is one more step in a long list of salary cap management moves this season. As the team looks to add one more small piece after acquiring Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari from the St. Louis Blues, every dollar of salary cap space matters. If Anderson clears waivers, they have the flexibility to shuttle him and his cap hit up and down to the AHL through the trade deadline.
Anderson has slowly moved up the Toronto depth chart over his three seasons there, and he’s played more NHL games this season than the last two combined. The 24-year-old has two goals and an assist in 14 games this year.
With Anthony Duclair nearing a return to action, the Panthers need to create some roster flexibility as well. Tierney had already cleared waivers once preseason, but after spending most of the past three months on the NHL roster, he’ll need to clear again in order for Florida to assign him to the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. Tierney, 28, is averaging under nine minutes of ice time this year and has three points in 13 games with Florida.
Kirkland landing on waivers today signifies he’s healthy again after sustaining an undisclosed injury in early January. The 26-year-old AHL mainstay made his NHL debut this season but has yet to register his first NHL point.
Jake Muzzin Announcement Expected Soon
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have addressed the short term future of defenseman Jake Muzzin this afternoon. After meeting several specialists it was announced that Muzzin will be kept out of the lineup for the rest of the season. Muzzin suffered a cervical spine injury in October and has only appeared in four games for the Maple Leafs. Muzzin is signed through 2023-24 at a cap hit of $5.625MM, and his absence has left a large gap on Toronto’s backend. Many NHL insiders expect the Toronto Maple Leafs to add to the defense before the March 3rd trade deadline as they push to win a playoff round for the first time since 2004.
Dubas: No Extension Talks Planned For Now With O'Reilly
While it’s a frequent occurrence that a team acquires a player on an expiring contract and then quickly signs him to an extension, that won’t be the case for the Maple Leafs and center Ryan O’Reilly. Speaking with reporters today (video link), GM Kyle Dubas indicated that there have been no discussions about an extension nor are there plans to do so. Instead, the plan is to see how he fits in with his new team and then assess whether there’s mutual interest in trying to extend his stay with Toronto. With more than $72.6MM committed to just a dozen players for next season per CapFriendly, it’s going to be quite difficult for them to keep their new middleman unless they’re able to free up considerable cap space this summer.
Maple Leafs Recall Erik Kallgren On Emergency Basis
With Matt Murray still injured and Ilya Samsonov missing practice yesterday due to illness, the Maple Leafs needed a second goalie on the active roster. That goaltender is Erik Kallgren as the team announced (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled him while assigning forward Pontus Holmberg to AHL Toronto in a corresponding move.
Kallgren has split this season between the NHL and AHL and actually has fared better with the Maple Leafs than the Marlies. In 10 NHL contests, the 26-year-old has a 2.67 GAA along with a .898 SV% while in 16 minor league appearances, his GAA jumps to 3.33 while his SV% dips to .884. He’s in the final season of a two-year, two-way contract and will be eligible for restricted free agency this summer.
Holmberg, meanwhile, has acquitted himself well in his first taste of NHL action this season. He has played in 36 games with the Leafs so far, picking up five goals and eight assists but with yesterday’s additions of Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari, playing time was going to be difficult to come by. He’ll return to the Marlies where he has seven points in 16 games so far.
While unannounced by the team yesterday, veteran Wayne Simmonds was also papered to the minors. But even after that, Toronto is currently over the maximum 23-player roster with Kallgren’s promotion. Teams get two emergency goalie recalls per season that allows them to go over the limit for up to 48 hours and barring another roster move, it appears that’s what they’re going with here.
Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Ryan O’Reilly In Three-Team Trade
The Toronto Maple Leafs, St. Louis Blues, and Minnesota Wild have completed a three-team, blockbuster trade.
In the deal, Toronto has acquired St. Louis’ captain, Ryan O’Reilly, veteran forward Noel Acciari, and prospect Josh Pillar. St. Louis has received Mikhail Abramov, Adam Gaudette, Toronto’s 2023 first-round pick, Ottawa’s 2023 third-round pick, and Toronto’s 2024 second-round pick. Minnesota received Toronto’s fourth-round pick in 2025.
As part of the deal, St. Louis will retain 50% of O’Reilly’s salary, while Minnesota will retain 25% of the cap hit. Both O’Reilly and Acciari are set to hit unrestricted free agency at year’s end.
It goes without saying that this is an extremely significant trade, and one that represents a major push from Toronto to try to finally get the franchise past the first round of the NHL playoffs. The Maple Leafs will, in all likelihood, once again be playing the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round, assuming there are no major changes in the standings.
The Lightning have won the Eastern Conference for three straight seasons, so for Toronto to really gear itself up for that expected first-round matchup, they would need to increase their firepower from their already talent-rich position.
Now, after this trade, Toronto boasts Auston Matthews, John Tavares, and O’Reilly as the team’s top-three centers. Most would be hard-pressed to find another team in the NHL that can boast such a strong trio of pivots.
It’s true that O’Reilly’s offense is down from the rate he normally scores at.
He’s got just 12 goals and 19 points in 40 games this season, which is just two points more than current Maple Leafs third-line center David Kampf.
But O’Reilly isn’t being acquired for what he’ll bring to Toronto’s scoring attack, they already score goals in bunches.
He’s been acquired by the Maple Leafs because he brings exactly what many have felt Toronto has lacked in recent years in their biggest moments: competitive fire, the ability to rise to the occasion, and a willingness to rally in the face of challenges in order to get a job done.
O’Reilly’s exploits in the Blues’ 2019 Stanley Cup championship run cemented his status as a beloved St. Louis Blue. O’Reilly captured the Conn Smythe Trophy scoring 23 points in 26 games, as well as playing absolutely stellar defense that often left the line he was matched up against suffocated and unable to build offensive momentum. Overall, he has 56 points in his 64-game playoff career, a higher career playoff point-per-game scoring rate than Matthews, Tavares, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander, despite the fact that those players are normally considered to be in a different stratosphere of offensive talent.
With O’Reilly in tow, head coach Sheldon Keefe will be able to build a shutdown line that he can match with the deadliest scoring lines he faces in the playoffs. While the Maple Leafs have had competent defensive centers in the past, none boast the type of resume O’Reilly has built, especially in the unique environment of the playoffs. With forwards who are strong in their own end such as Kampf, Acciari, or even Zach Aston-Reese, Keefe could be able to complement his two deadly scoring lines with a premier shutdown line as well, boasting the kind of three-line mix that could handle any in-game situation.
O’Reilly is also a highly-regarded leader and someone whose locker room presence has played a major role in a Stanley Cup victory and in last season’s playoffs, where O’Reilly’s Blues were one of the few teams who truly gave the eventual champions, the Colorado Avalanche, a run for their money.
There are some who would rather the Maple Leafs spent these assets on a forward with some more points than O’Reilly has scored this season. But when looking at the problems that have plagued Toronto in prior years, it’s hard to say there is anyone available on the trade market who would be better fit than O’Reilly.
Beyond just O’Reilly, Toronto has also acquired Acciari, a well-respected, versatile bottom-six forward. The 31-year-old has scored 10 goals and 18 points this season, and can play both center and on the wings. While he doesn’t bring the scoring pedigree or star value that comes with O’Reilly, Acciari has 54 games of playoff experience and has been to a Stanley Cup final. He’ll undoubtedly be an upgrade for Toronto’s bottom six and helps with their overall goal of adding character players with playoff experience.
They also acquire prospect Josh Pillar, who currently plays for the Saskatoon Blades of the WHL. He’s a 21-year-old winger who was a fourth-rounder of the Wild at the 2021 draft. He’s scored decently well in the WHL and just returned from injury. He plays a polished game but his ultimate professional upside remains unclear. Per CapFriendly, the Maple Leafs will have exclusive rights to sign Pillar to his entry-level deal until June 1st.
From St. Louis’ point-of-view, this deal might be a tough pill to swallow but it’s ultimately a positive move for the team. It’s never ideal for any team to lose its captain and especially so if that player was a crucial part of the franchise’s first-ever Stanley Cup championship. But looking at this trade with the emotion of losing O’Reilly aside, this is a deal that should leave Blues fans satisfied.
Firstly, they landed another top draft pick for this upcoming NHL draft, adding another premier selection in a class that has drawn rave reviews from scouts. In addition, the reality of the Blues’ season and O’Reilly’s contract status makes this a trade that the Blues simply had to make. The team has spent significant dollars locking up Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas recently, and sinking significant cap space into O’Reilly for the rest of what is shaping up to be a lost season (and a few years beyond) simply wouldn’t make sense, especially at the opportunity cost of adding the sort of draft pick haul they received.
If adding Acciari helped GM Doug Armstrong coax the best possible package of picks from the Maple Leafs in this deal, then that’s fine. Acciari likely could have been traded on his own, but adding him into this deal is a reasonable choice if it helped the Blues add that 2024 second-rounder.
In addition to the bounty of draft choices they received, the Blues also got Abramov, who is a 21-year-old 2019 fourth-rounder. He has scored 16 points in 34 AHL games this year and is someone for the team to plug into their AHL affiliate in Springfield to see what their development staff can do with his offensive skill.
They also received the 2017-18 Hobey Baker award winner, Gaudette, who has been a top scorer for the Toronto Marlies this season. With 34 points in 40 AHL games, he could either serve as an experienced depth NHLer to help fill a spot on St. Louis’ roster (he does have experience playing center) or could help Springfield.
For Minnesota, this is a tidy, if a relatively insignificant bit of business for the team. Their trade of Pillar indicates that they likely were going to let his rights lapse in the summer anyway, so for their relatively minor retention on O’Reilly, they net a mid-round draft pick. While much as been made of the Wild’s precarious cap position, they do actually have some room to maneuver this year. Turning some of that vacant space into a mid-round draft pick is nothing to complain about.
Overall, this is a trade that has the potential to serve as a significant moment for both the Maple Leafs and Blues franchises. For Toronto, they add a player whose resume seems almost perfectly tailored to address the problems that have ailed them in the playoff runs of the past. For St. Louis, they turn an expiring asset into a multitude of draft picks that could allow them to quickly move on from this disappointing campaign.
If the Maple Leafs don’t end up winning the Stanley Cup or even getting out of the first round, it will be easy to look back at this deal and criticize their management for paying so many draft picks for rental players.
But ultimately, this trade is simply a team hungry for some playoff success adding one of the most accomplished playoff performers on the market. Even if it doesn’t end up working out as the involved teams hope, this is a difficult deal to criticize.
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