Maple Leafs Joffrey Lupul: Anatomy Of A Trade
Can Joffrey Lupul be the missing piece of the Penguins next Cup run?Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Pittsburgh Penguins’ Trade Offer
Why it will work:
The Pens are overflowing with D-prospects and can afford to lose the smart, calm and capable Harrington. The Pens very well might not even make the playoffs and that will call for sweeping changes. Sweeping changes require cap space and Rob Scuderi is a borderline useless pylon that takes up 3.375M of said cap space.
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Lupul joins Perron, Dupuis and Hornqvist to give the Pens the best group of top 6 wingers Crosby and Malkin have EVER had. All can play 200ft, all can make plays, go to the corners and put the puck in the net when one of the superstars finds them open. They get a plug-in Scuderi out of the lineup, and only take on 700K more to add a quality top 6 winger in Lupul who has proven he can play with great players and elevate his game and has some playoff pedigree.
Toronto gets a highly intelligent defensive Dman in Harrington who could partner in perfectly with Gardiner or Rielly or Percy to provide a safety net for the Leafs puck rushing young Dmen. Scuderi has two more years, and even though he is a borderline NHL defenceman at this point in his career, he’s still been a cup winner and played in a lot of playoff games which the Leafs could use around all their young players.
Why it won’t work:
For a team that has struggled massively with consistency, adding a player that has only scored 4 points in 28 games down the stretch isn’t a recipe for success. The Pens and Rutherford like old school hockey and players like Scuderi and Spalling and attach unwarranted value to them.
In a scenario where the Pens miss the playoffs and decide to make a massive roster turnover in which they move Fleury, Malkin and/or Letang; adding Lupul doesn’t make sense anymore. The Pens decide that they don’t like Lupul’s injury history and contract even with the Leafs retaining some salary.
Next: The Joffrey Blues'