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Toronto Maple Leafs: The Top 5 Moves of the Kyle Dubas Era

By Stephen Nixon

Jun 22, 2018; Dallas, TX, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas announces the number twenty-nine overall pick in the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 22, 2018; Dallas, TX, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas announces the number twenty-nine overall pick in the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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Toronto Maple Leafs
TORONTO, ON – NOVEMBER 30: Kasperi Kapanen #24 of the Toronto Maple Leafs . (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

#4. Trading away Kapanen and Johnsson

Kasperi Kapanen trade: 

  • Toronto Maple Leafs acquire: David Warsofsky, Filip Hallander, Evan Rodrigues and 2020 First Round pick (Rodion Amirov)
  • Pittsburgh Penguins acquire: Kasperi Kapanen, Jesper Lindgren and Pontus Aberg

Andreas Johnsson Trade

  • Toronto Maple Leafs acquire: Joey Anderson
  • New Jersey Devils acquire: Andreas Johnsson

The Toronto Maple Leafs were not only able to clear $6.6M in cap-space for two third-liners, but the package they received in exchange for both players is insane. Joey Anderson ($750K) should be able to jump into the NHL line-up by the 2021-22 season and be a third or fourth-liner, while Filip Hallander and Rodion Amirov are on their way to the NHL slightly later than that.

Both Hallander and Amirov will be on an Entry Level Contract and should be able to provide similar production to Kapanen or Johnsson. Even if it’s less, for the amount of money they’ll be making, it’s a huge upgrade.

I loved Kapanen and Johnsson, but this move was a great example of how the Toronto Maple Leafs evaluate talent. They were able to trade $6.6M worth of contracts and get just as much value in return for little money towards the cap. From there, that cap-space opened up room for the signings they made this off-season and set the team up better than they previously were.

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