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Toronto Maple Leafs: Blockbuster Trade Should Make Fans Thankful

By Stephen Nixon

BUFFALO, NY - JUNE 24: Winnepegs Jets second overall pick Patrik Laine, Toronto Maple Leafs first overall pick Auston Matthews and Columbus Blue Jackets third overall pick Pierre-Luc Dubois celebrate during round one of the 2016 NHL Draft on June 24, 2016 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NY - JUNE 24: Winnepegs Jets second overall pick Patrik Laine, Toronto Maple Leafs first overall pick Auston Matthews and Columbus Blue Jackets third overall pick Pierre-Luc Dubois celebrate during round one of the 2016 NHL Draft on June 24, 2016 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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The Toronto Maple Leafs divisional opponent Winnipeg Jets made a move today trading Patrik Laine to Columbus for Pierre-Luc Dubois.

If you’re not too familiar with Laine and Dubois, they actually have a close connection to the Toronto Maple Leafs. With the first overall pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, the Leafs selected Auston Matthews, followed by Laine and Dubois.

If it wasn’t for winning the NHL Lottery that year, the entire Leafs franchise could have been altered. Laine or Dubois could have actually been happy in their situation in Toronto, instead of demanding trades out of Winnipeg and Columbus.

In the first few seasons of Dubois and Laine’s careers, here are their stats and how their team finished in the standings:

  • Patrik Laine:
    • 2016-17: Missed Playoffs
    • 2017-18: Lost Conference Finals
    • 2018-19: Lost First Round
    • 2019-20: Lost Qualifying Series
    • Career Stats: 306 GP, 140 Goals, 250 Points (via: hockeyreference.com)
  • Pierre-Luc Dubois: 
    • 2017-18: Lost First Round
    • 2018-19: Lost Second Round
    • 2019-20: Lost First Round
    • Career Stats: 239 GP, 66 Goals, 159 Points (via: hockeyreference.com)

Both players have played on a team that has advanced past the first round of the playoffs. Laine’s even been part of a Conference Finals run and was three wins away from being in the Stanley Cup Finals. These two young stars have been pretty lucky over the first few years of their career, being on playoff teams, instead of a rebuilder.

It’s crazy to think that both players hated their situation so much that they demanded a trade at such a young age.

Toronto Maple Leafs Fans Should Be Thankful

Over the past 10 years, the Leafs have done a great job at drafting and developing talent. Players like Nazem Kadri, Morgan Rielly, Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander have all came up through the organization and have been world-class teammates.

Sure, Marner and Nylander both took their time in signing their Restricted Free Agent deal, but they always wanted to stay in Toronto. Neither player demanded a trade because the contract talks took a little longer than we all hoped.

When Kadri was traded, he was devastated. He never wanted to leave Toronto, but the team had to make the move for cap-reasons. Since I can remember, it’s incredibly rare that a player actually wants to leave Toronto, despite the team’s record.

The only players that have demanded out have been mid-tier players who weren’t getting any ice-time or an opportunity to actually play in the NHL. Two names that come to mind are Josh Leivo and Jeremy Bracco. No organization is going to lose sleep over those players wanting out.

https://twitter.com/NHL/status/1353016624505376769?s=20

All I’m trying to say is that if you’re a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs, you should be thankful that players want to play here. Both Dubois and Laine have had more team success and are worse than Matthews, Marner and Nylander, so you think if any of those five players would want to leave, it would someone on the Leafs.

Toronto disappoints year-over-year, but players continue to believe that they can change that narrative and bring a Stanley Cup to this city. Obviously, the world-class facilities and city of Toronto helps keep them here, but it’s everyone of you reading this article that makes these players want to stay here long-term.

Next. Be Careful What You Wish For, Steve !. dark

The passion in the city is real and when this team actually wins, it’ll be more special than any other Stanley Cup won by any other franchise. So, the next time you criticize Nylander, Marner or Matthews, bite your tongue because you’re lucky these players want to win here, instead of going through the motions and demanding a trade.

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