What can the Toronto Maple Leafs Get In a Trade for Andreas Johnsson?

The Leafs may potentially put Andreas Johnsson on the trading block

As the Toronto Maple Leafs try and shed salary to create cap room, one of the playersthat it is possible they will trade is Andreas Johnsson.

Despite the Leafs signing Johnsson as a restricted free agent last season and having him go through their system since taking him in the seventh round back in 2013, the Leafs may be forced to move on from him to fill other areas of need.

Johnsson, who is owed $3.4 million for the next three seasons, has done quite well at the NHL level, especially considering he was drafted in round seven where most guys selected don’t even make it out of the minors.

In the most recent season, Johnsson had a little bit of a down year scoring just eight goals for a total of 21 points in 43 games. His best season was in 2018-19 where in 73 games, he potted 20 pucks in the net along with 23 helpers for 43 points with a shot percentage of 15.4%.

Toronto Maple Leafs and Andreas Johnsson

Just to add to those stats, he was called up in the 2017-18 season to play nine games at the NHL level where he got three points (two goals, one assist).  While Johnsson is by no means a game-changing player, he can easily fit with any team on a bottom-six forward role. With this being his role across any team in the league, what can the Toronto Maple Leafs get by trading his services?

First off, let’s look at the Leafs  needs. It’s obvious and by no means any secret that the Leafs are in need of defense, specifically on the right-hand side. Johnsson is perhaps a player that can net the Leafs a below average defenseman that they can at least stick on the ice to fill out the depth chart.

It’s worth asking if selling low on a player who is only a year removed from first-line production is a good idea, especially for a depth defenseman.

One trade partner could be the St.Louis Blues in which the Leafs send Johnsson out to the middle of the United States for defenceman Robert Bortuzzo who plays on the right side. Bortuzzo is owed $1.375 million for the next two seasons, but is he really an upgrade over players like Justin Holl or even Cody Ceci?

Its probably a realistic trade at this point, but are the Leafs that desperate for “grit” that they’d make such a trade?  Johnsson himself is one of their grittier forwards.

Perhaps instead of netting a player for Johnsson, they could get picks in return for him with a pick being a third-rounder in one of 2020 or 2021 drafts. Johnsson can possibly net the Leafs a third-round pick, especially from a team that is need of a quality depth forward.

Again though, while that is a realistic trade, are the Leafs really that desperate for cap relief that they’d move an asset they spent years developing for futures?

One option the Toronto Maple Leafs could do is also package Johnsson around other assets to net a greater return. Here is a possible trade the Leafs could make:

This trade would workout well for both teams, depending on your opinion of Ristolainen, at least.  The Buffalo Sabres are looking to rebuild and would get a young piece in Johnsson along with a first round pick which would be key to the future of the team. The Sabres are also in need of forwards as they currently have just four under contract for next season.

The Toronto Maple Leafs meanwhile get a good right-handed defeseman in Rasmus Ristolainen who has accumulated 33 points in 69 games this season and has gotten 40+ points the past four consecutive years. Ristolainen would also get his wish which is to get out of Buffalo

In the end, whether the Leafs trade Johnsson will depend highly on the return and if that makes it worthwhile.  Giving away such a strong player is a recipe for disaster.