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Toronto Maple Leafs: Keeping Liljegren, Dermott Loses, Rielly Wins in Muzzin Trade

By James Tanner

BOSTON, MA - DECEMBER 8: Travis Dermott #23 of the Toronto Maple Leafs reacts during the third period of the game between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs at TD Garden on December 8, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - DECEMBER 8: Travis Dermott #23 of the Toronto Maple Leafs reacts during the third period of the game between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs at TD Garden on December 8, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired Jake Muzzin from the LA Kings for, essentially, nothing.

The day Peter Chiarelli traded Taylor Hall to the Devils, I immediately declared it the worst trade of all time.  It’s not that I know what I’m talking about, it’s that it was incredibly obvious to anyone alive.  Today’s trade is the opposite: The Toronto Maple Leafs have made one of the greatest trades of all-time.

They added a #1 defenseman, on a crazily team-friendly contract, with term, who fills the exact needs of the team, while trading nothing from their current roster.

It’s a hockey trade for a rental price.

Grand $$$$$$$$ Slam

Even if all three assets the Leafs gave up go on to be superstars, and even if the Leafs fail to win a Cup, this is a great move.  Remember, even the best roster in the NHL (which the Leafs now definitely have) is going to fail to win the Stanley Cup 80% of the time.

What happens after you trade a  player away is irrelevant.  Sure, you might look like a genius if all three assets happen to bust out, but in reality, it has zero effect on your team.

This is the right move right now. It gives the Leafs the best chance to win they’ll ever have. Frankly, it’s amazing.

Jake Muzzin ranks with Dougie Hamilton, Alex  Pieterangelo and Colton Paryako as the kind of superstar dream addition I argued it made sense for the Leafs to make.  I just assumed it would cost them Timothy Liljegren to do it.  (I also assumed they’d want a right handed player).  Since I’ve been right about almost everything else, I’m happy to be wrong on this.

I would not have believed before yesterday you could get Jake Muzzin  for anything less than a top prospect, a pick and another prospect.  The fact that the Leafs were able to get him so cheap is insane.

As for Travis Dermott, he’s the big loser here.  Not only does his path to the top four and more ice-time get harder, but now he’s going to be paired with Ron “It’s not impossible I was on the Titanic” Hainsey.

The easy-narrative (so you know it’s gonna be stupid) is that the veteran will help the kid.  Except, Travis Dermott is probably the best third pairing defenseman in the NHL, and he’s currently putting up some of the better defensive stats in the league.  Of course, he’s doing it against fairly easy competition, but that isn’t going to change with Hainsey joining him.

In the last three years, 100% of the seven players Hainsey has played with put up worse stats when paired with Hainsey vs when they are not paired with Hainsey.

Morgan Rielly goes from a 49% player to a 55% player whenever he gets away from his own personal boat anchor. I am excited to see what he can do with the league’s best possession driving defenseman by his side.

Next. 2019 Top 10 Prospects (Now 8). dark

This trade is a massive grand slam.  Just like signing John Tavares and just like locking up William Nylander to what will prove to be a team-friendly contract on par with Muzzin or Kadris.

We can now officially anoint Kyle Dubas what we thought he was all along: the best General Manager in the NHL.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are now the best team in the NHL.

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