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Toronto Maple Leafs Avoid Making Brutal Trade

By James Tanner |
Nov 15, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs left wing James van Riemsdyk (25) motions from the bench during the game in which he scored a hat trick against the Nashville Predators at Air Canada Centre. The Maple Leafs defeated the Predators 6-2. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 15, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs left wing James van Riemsdyk (25) motions from the bench during the game in which he scored a hat trick against the Nashville Predators at Air Canada Centre. The Maple Leafs defeated the Predators 6-2. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Maple Leafs lost out to the Calgary Flames for the services of Travis Hamonic this past weekend at the draft.

According to the Toronto Sun, the Toronto Maple Leafs offered the New York Islanders James van Riemsdyk and a 1st round pick for Travis Hamonic.

Hamonic was moved to the Flames in exchange for draft picks.   The Leafs got lucky. If the offer was true, at any rate.

Thank God.

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This trade would have been terrible. It would have been Shanahan’s worst move as Leafs President.   The Trade Market for NHL defenseman is way out of whack.  Blame Taylor Hall and the Oilers.  Smart teams would  not be trading for defenseman at this point.  There is no value.

The Islanders must have wanted to save the cap hit of JVR. Otherwise, why choose Calgary’s offer?  The Toronto offer – if true – was way better.  It makes the Islanders better now, so the fact they turned it down makes me wonder if it’s even true.

Bad Trade for the Toronto Maple Leafs

You can see why the Leafs would want Hamonic.  After requesting a trade a year ago, he had an off year.  Yet, he is only 25 and is an excellent top pairing defenseman.  (There are 62 of them).

I think JVR and  1st is a huge over-payment.  The Leafs are just as weak on LW as D. Though their defense lacks a big-name #1 (which Hamonic certainly is not) they do have excellent overall depth.  If JVR isn’t going to be re-signing, he obviously has to be traded.  But I would think they’d trade him in a move that actually improves the team.

Recent draftee Timothy Liljegren isn’t likely to be in Toronto this year.  The Leafs do have options though.  Colin Miller is better than Hamonic and he wasn’t protected in the expansion draft and may be had cheaper.

Alternatively, the Leafs should just let Carrick and Marincin play.  They should sign Cody Franson. Or Brendan Smith.

Next: The Leafs Depth @ Left Wing

It wouldn’t be the big-splash maybe people are looking for, but it doesn’t cost JVR.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are lucky that trade didn’t happen.  Overpaying for a good, not great defenseman (even if his contract is rather value-laden) is a bad move.  If the Leafs truly wanted Hamonic, they should have matched or bettered the draft picks Calgary sent, but there is no point in trading a star player off the current roster – it’s a sideways move at best.

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