Toronto Maple Leafs Roundtable: The Ideal Trade Deadline
By Tim Chiasson
John Krpan’s Ideal Trade Deadline
To Ducks: JVR
To Leafs: Brandon Montour or Shea Theodore
To Any one: Ben Smith
To Leafs: Not even a bag of pucks, just a bag that used to have pucks in it
To Rangers: one of Hunlak
To Leafs: 2019 second rounder
Trade 1: The Ducks need a top line winger so we gift them JVR for the small price of Montour or Theodore. Whomever the Leafs scouting staff likes more. Okay okay, it’s not a small price but both players help each team instantly for a playoff run and neither are just rentals.
The Ducks get a top line winger for cheap and for another year and the Leafs get a young defenseman that could turn out better than anyone they currently have. In the very least, it helps solidify their top four. Both teams get better now and next year.
Trade 2: We just need to get rid of Ben Smith so Babcock isn’t tempted to use him. Even Babcock knows Ben Smith is a better man than he is a player. We don’t need those guys taking spots away from a great guy that is also a better player. *whatever sound a goat makes*.
Trade 3: We can afford to lose one of Hunwick or Polak. Rangers are looking for a right-handed D-man. Polak would fit here. Hunwick doesn’t, as he is a lefty but he was once on the Rangers and well… familiarity sometimes makes it feel safe.
Conclusion: We can sustain goal scoring without JVR, but need a good D-man (whether he plays now or not) to be able to do anything in the playoffs. The ducks can afford to trade a D-man.
Ben Smith is a good AHLer.
If Theodore or Montour play for the Leafs right away, one of these guys would be sitting in the Press box anyway.