Toronto Maple Leafs: Possible Trade packages for Frederik Andersen

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Frederik Andersen is rumoured to have been made available for trade by the Maple Leafs

With another first round playoff exit for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Kyle Dubas is doing what he can to avoid that from happening for a fifth straight season in 2021. He’s already made one trade where he dealt Kasperi Kapanen to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a prospect, two minor league players and a first-round pick which is 15th overall.

He’s apparently not done there just yet. He has supposedly made four players available on the trade block which includes forwards Alexander Kerfoot, Andreas Johnsson, Pierre Engvall and goaltender Frederik Andersen.

I would prefer for the team to keep Kerfoot and Engvall. Kerfoot was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche as part of the Nazem Kadri-Tyson Barrie swap and is the perfect center to have on your third line. In regards to Engvall, he’s cheap (owed $1.25 million for the next two seasons) and is very familiar with head coach Sheldon Keefe.

Andersen is owed $5 million for the 2020-21 season until he becomes a free agent. Perhaps this is the reason why the front office prefers to trade him so they get something in return for him instead of him walking for nothing.

In the case that he does get traded, here are packages that the Leafs could get in return for trading their starting goaltender.

TORONTO,ON – DECEMBER 19: Frederik Andersen #31 of the Toronto Maple Leafs.. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes and Leafs are perfect trade partners. The Canes have lots of defensive depth while the Leafs have tremendous forward depth. The two teams have been linked in trade rumours before although a trade has never really materialized.

While both Hurricanes goalies in Petr Mrazek and James Reimer remain under contract for the 2020-21 season, Andersen would result in an upgrade over both of them. If the Hurricanes were able to get a better goalie in Andersen, perhaps they would be able to compete with the top tier teams like the Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins and others.

Johnsson would also be going the other way to provide depth for the Canes up front. He would fit nicely in a bottom six role in Carolina where he could play alongside Nino Niederreiter or Martin Necas.

The Leafs would get a nice package in return that includes three defencemen, a position they are in need of, as well as a first-round pick that was originally theirs. The pick, 13th overall, was traded away to get rid of Patrick Marleau’s salary last offseason. By getting back their pick, the Leafs would have both the 13th and 15th overall pick in the upcoming draft.

Fleury would be able to help out the Leafs now on the blue line. A restricted free agent in need of a new contract, he registered 14 points in 45 games this season and shouldn’t cost the team too much against the cap.

The Leafs would also net two defensive prospects that could contribute to the team at a later date. Keane, a right-handed shooting defenseman who is 21 years old, tallied nine goals and 28 assists in 58 games in the AHL and was a third-round draft pick by the New York Rangers in 2018.

Sellgren is currently playing in Sweden where he got 21 points in 47 games and is only 22 years old. He was a sixth-round pick of the Hurricanes in 2018. (stats hockeydb.com).

Chicago Blackhawks

Heading into next season, the Blackhawks don’t have a goalie under contract. Corey Crawford is a free agent and despite spending his whole career in Chicago, it may be time for the team to move on from the 35-year-old.

Backup goalie Malcolm Subban is a restricted free agent and while the Blackhawks may give him a contract, it would be to serve as the second goaltender as he isn’t good enough to be a starter.

This is where the Blackhawks come calling Kyle Dubas to inquire about Andersen. Andersen would be a great fit in Chicago as they’re team structure is in a similar situation as the Leafs. They are weak defensively which would mean that Andersen would be heavily relied on in Chicago which is something that he did well with in Toronto.

If the Toronto Maple Leafs were to send Andersen to the Windy City, they would be netting future assets for him. The Blackhawks weren’t willing to trade their first-round pick for Kapanen but perhaps they would be for a good goaltender. They possess the 17th overall which would give the Leafs two first-round picks that are one pick apart from each other.

Along with that pick, they would get a defensive prospect in Kalynuk. He just finished his tenure at Wisconsin University where he served as the captain of the team in his last year. At the college level, he played in 110 games where he got 78 points.

TORONTO, ON – JANUARY 06: Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers passes the puck back to the slot against Frederik Andersen #31 of the Toronto Maple Leafs.. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

Heading into next season, Mikko Koskinen is the only goalie that the Oilers will have under contract. They could benefit from adding Andersen to their goaltending tandem. If they were to acquire Andersen, they would have a number one goalie and a solid backup which would give the former more rest, something that could help the team down the stretch.

More rest for Andersen on the Oilers could equal playoff success as Edmonton will be looking for answers after having been upset by the Blackhawks in the qualifying round.

Heading to the biggest market in hockey would be Larsson who is a player the Toronto Maple Leafs have been lightly linked to. He had a horrible season, tallied just six points in 49 games but would add a little grit to the Leafs and gives them a much needed presence on the right side of the blue line.

The Leafs would also save a little bit of money as Larsson will earn $4.16 million next season, more than $850,000 less than Andersen is set to make. While the Leafs may prefer the Oilers pick in the upcoming draft which is the 14th overall pick, Edmonton may not be willing to part ways with it as if they were to, they wouldn’t be able to draft anyone until the 5th round.

Instead, the Leafs get their first-round pick next year which could be a top 15 pick depending on how the Oilers perform.

TORONTO, ONTARIO – AUGUST 07: Frederik Andersen #31 of the Toronto Maple Leafs . (Photo by Andre Ringuette/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images) /

Conclusion

The ultimate preference would be to keep Andersen as he is valuable as well as integral to the performance and success of the team. Although if Dubas is serious about shedding salary or doesn’t see a scenario where they can extend him beyond the upcoming season, then a trade may have to happen.

Dubas will likely explore the market among all teams for Andersen although the Hurricanes, Blackhawks and Oilers seem like the most likely destinations as the three teams mentioned are in need of a goalie.

As you can see in the trade packages, none of the deals have the Leafs getting a goalie in return which would open up a hole in the net for the team. They could hand the starting goaltender duties to Jack Campbell although if they’re aren’t confident in him, they’ll have to find other ways to get a goalie.

One way they could do this is trade for one. The Pittsburgh Penguins are willing to trade a goalie in which they could inquire about Matt Murray. Murray has struggled a bit over the past two years but perhaps a change of scenery and less competition for the starting goaltender job would do good for him. The New York Rangers also have a goalie to trade in Alexander Georgiev who the Leafs were linked to before they acquired Campbell from the Los Angeles Kings.

They could also explore the free agent market for a goalie if they make Andersen pack his bags. Braden Holtby, Jacob Markstrom and Robin Lehner are three among many goalies looking for work.

Next. Leafs Trade Rumour Alert. dark

The Leafs also has some goalies waiting in the system for a shot in the NHL. Joseph Woll and Kasimir Kaskisuo are who the Leafs have in the net in the minors and could give either of them a look.

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