Toronto Maple Leafs Roundtable: Best Trades of the Decade

Lauren Kelly

There have been some pretty great trades made by the Leafs to get the team to where it currently is now. The best one, in my opinion, is the trade that essentially flipped Jonathan Bernier and Frederik Andersen between Anaheim and Toronto.

Although they were technically two trades, the Leafs essentially acquired Andersen and a 2017 conditional draft pick (the conditions weren’t met) for Bernier, a 2016 first, and 2017 second rounder.

That was definitely a hefty price to pay for Andersen, who was a relatively steady but unproven goalie for the Ducks, because he hadn’t played much at a consistent level in Anaheim. He had been a part of that weird goalie carousel with John Gibson and Anton Khudobin, and Andersen’s final season in Anaheim was plagued with injuries.

Leafs fans weren’t really sure what they were getting in Andersen, but I remember them being relieved to see Bernier gone a few days later.

It’s as simple as this: a team’s goaltending is often the deciding factor in its success.

How Did it Shake Out?

Remember how terrible Montreal was when Carey Price was injured a few seasons back? The Leafs constantly rely on Andersen to bail them out, every single night he plays. And that goes for Curtis McElhinney too.

The Leafs would not nearly be as far up on the next Atlantic team if not for Freddy’s heroics on multiple nights this season. The Leafs paid a hefty price to get Freddy, but I think every Leafs fan can agree that it was well worth it.

If you’re still on the fence about it, just ask yourself where the Leafs would be if they didn’t have Andersen?

They have made excellent depth trades to try and elevate their team to perennial contender status. But this is the one trade I think they really knocked out of the park, and the trade that is the most important to where the team is now.

Because if you really think about it, the Leafs wouldn’t be anywhere without Andersen today. They might not have made the playoffs last season. And they definitely wouldn’t be where they are today.