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Toronto Maple Leafs Hypothetical Trade: Lemieux for Johnsson

By Stephen Nixon

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 20: Alexander Kerfoot #15 of the Toronto Maple Leafs is checked by Brendan Lemieux #48 of the New York Rangers during the second period at Madison Square Garden on December 20, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 20: Alexander Kerfoot #15 of the Toronto Maple Leafs is checked by Brendan Lemieux #48 of the New York Rangers during the second period at Madison Square Garden on December 20, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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The Toronto Maple Leafs identity needs to change and a trade with the New York Rangers could solve that.

In order for the Toronto Maple Leafs to win a hockey game, they have to do it with skill and nothing else. The team isn’t formed in a way where they can beat you up and win the greasy way right now, but that needs to change.

We’re not looking to return to a line-up where Colton Orr and Frazer McLaren played serious minutes, but the team needs grit. They need a few players in the line-up that aren’t afraid to hit and cause a disturbance for their opponents.

In previous seasons, Nazem Kadri was the type of player that could do a little bit of both. He could score 30 goals in a season, but also deliver a huge hit to spark Toronto. It was a beautiful combination until he flew too close to the sun and got suspended in two straight playoff series.

The Leafs obviously need defense, but they also need their bottom-six forwards to provide something more than skill.

In their first move of the off-season, the Leafs already addressed this by trading Kasperi Kapanen to Pittsburgh. They didn’t get a tough guy in return but they realized that a mediocre offensive player making over $3 million on their third-line wasn’t doing them any good.

Speaking of which, there’s another third-line winger that’s bound to get traded because he’s in a similar boat as Kapanen.

Leafs Trade Johnsson to the Big Apple

The trade:

  • Toronto Maple Leafs acquire: Brendan Lemieux (RFA),
  • New York Rangers acquire: Andreas Johnsson ($3.4M), Pierre Engvall ($1.2M), 2020 4th Round Pick

The Rangers have a ton of cap-space right now and can afford to take on Johnsson and Engvall’s contracts, while the Leafs need to clear them immediately.

Lemieux is a good player but he hasn’t been able to contribute much offensively with the Rangers over the past two years. With the soon-to-be drafting of Alexis Lafrenière, New York may want to have a little bit more skill in their line-up with Johnsson.

The Toronto Maple Leafs could afford to trade Johnsson for a different element and he would instantly become a fan-favourite in Toronto.

Just look at this quote describing his game prior to getting drafted:

"Perfectly fits the cliche as a player you hate to play against but love to have on your team. Like his father Claude, Brendan will drive the opposing team crazy as he is the perfect agitator. Lemieux also has the ability to burn you offensively as he is a top 5 scorer on Barrie. He showed the ability to both agitate and score in the CHL Top Prospects Game.”"

How do you not do everything you can to get this guy to Toronto?

dark. Next. Toronto Maple Leafs Hypothetical Trade: Superstar Swap

Lemieux is the typical lunch-pail type of player that fans would fall in love with and the Leafs should try to trade for him immediately.

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