Toronto Maple Leafs: Trevor Moore Extension a Bonafide Steal

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced on Sunday the signing of Trevor Moore to a two-year contract extension.

Fun fact: Trevor Moore has the same number of points as Nikita Zaitsev this season.

Fun fact #2: Zaitsev has played in 38 more games than Moore.

Fun fact #3: Moore will make approximately $3.75 million less than Zaitsev next season.

Fun fact #4: That’s wild.

Obviously, comparing the offensive production of a forward and a defenceman is not the most accurate endeavour, but it nonetheless highlights the sheer value the Leafs can expect from Moore on his recent deal.

In his 6 games up with the Leafs, Moore’s 3 points weren’t exactly handed to him, either. Rather, he was forced to earn that production on his own accord, seeing the ice for just 8 minutes per night alongside a pair of offensive anchors in Par Lindholm and Frederik Gauthier.

In most cases, that kind of usage would hamper even the most grizzled vet’s production, let alone a rookie making his NHL debut. But Moore succeeded, somehow, in the least conducive circumstances possible. And despite beginning just 40.9% of his shifts in the offensive zone, the 23-year-old’s first true stint as a Leaf was bookmarked by a sparkling 55.7% 5v5 CF/60 and equally enticing 4.1% Corsi Rel.

That is what Kyle Dubas locked down on Sunday. As for each of the next two seasons, the Leafs will now benefit from that level of production, and likely more, all for the simple price of what is barely a smidge above league-minimum. Then there’s the kicker that Moore’s usage in the years to come projects to be a heck of a lot more conducive than it was of late.

Finding this type of value may very well keep the Leafs as we know them afloat. For, once the inevitable cap crunch kicks in next year, fleshing out the roster with a supporting cast of impactful yet cost-effective assets will be vital to the Leafs’ long-term success and act as the sole avenue through which Dubas can keep his core intact.

Moore happens to fit that bill to a tee.

In terms of offensive impact, the 19 goals Moore has put forth through 30 games on the Marlies this season lead the team in that regard and are also enough to place the former undrafted free agent on a staggering 48-goal pace if extrapolated over a full AHL season.

League-wide, Moore’s nose for the net lands him in a tie for 4th in AHL goal scoring as of January 14th –  just 4 back of the top spot despite having missed 7 games while up with the Leafs.

As for special teams, Moore ticks that box as well by logging high-quality minutes on both Marlies’ top units, be it power play or penalty kill, to great success. Even in limited time on the Leafs’ second power-play unit this season, Moore did not look out of place at all at the NHL level.

At the crux of it all, it’s the multi-faceted nature of Moore’s game that makes his extension so appealing.

Having locked down someone so adept at doing so many different things not only gifts Dubas a shred of cap flexibility in the immediate sense, it opens a window through which to shed the $2.1 million owed to Connor Brown for serving what is more or less the same purpose in the years to come.

Obviously, jettisoning Brown is just one example, and the extra $1.35 million in savings gained from swapping him for Moore is no one’s idea of a king’s ransom. But when the money is as tight as it projects to be for the Leafs next season, every penny counts. And 1,350,000 is a lot of pennies.

Securing Moore’s services, if nothing else, gives Leafs’ management one less RFA to think about in the coming months as Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner prepare to cash their gargantuan raises.

Once they do, you can thank Moore, or Moore’s contract, for playing a part in making it happen.

Thanks for reading!

Stats courtesy of theAHL.com