5 Deadline Trades That Impact Maple Leafs Stanley Cup Chances
The Toronto Maple Leafs upgraded their roster at the NHL Trade Deadline this season, but they’re not alone.
If you look around the NHL, there were multiple teams that made significant moves at the deadline. It felt like every contender in the league got a little better thanks to a few moves they made.
This year is completely different than any other. Not only are there limited fans, or zero, in every arena, but teams have been confined to playing only divisional opponents. Although the Leafs are the best team in the North Division and have the second most points in the league, does that make them the second best team in the league?
Who, knows.
Without a measuring stick game or having the ability to match-up against the other best teams in the league, it’s hard to say whether or not Toronto is a legit Stanley Cup contender. Obviously, they should be considered one because they’re the favorite to come out of their division, which will secure them a Final Four berth, but we don’t know how they’ll play against Tampa Bay, Washington, Vegas or Colorado, for example.
When you beat up on inferior opponents like the Ottawa Senators and Vancouver Canucks for 35 percent of your season, it’s really hard to get a true read on what this team can actually do.
Toronto’s team is better than it was last year and the year before. They seem more structured and balanced throughout the entire lineup, while their superstars Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner have made a next-step in their development.
Whenever Matthews steps on the ice, he’s a threat to score, while Marner’s creativeness is amazing to watch. Not only have the big-boy’s stepped up, but their defense and goaltending has been better than any season in recent history, which is always the biggest question-mark surrounding this team.
Clearly, there are still question-marks in net, but Jack Campbell has shown that he can be a No. 1 goalie if called upon during Game One of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Toronto may be one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup, but there are a few other teams that made big moves at the NHL Trade Deadline that they should be worried about.
Here are five NHL Trade Deadline moves that impact the Toronto Maple Leafs chances to win a championship in a positive or negative light.
No. 5: Taylor Hall Shipped to Boston
The Trade:
- Boston Bruins acquire: Taylor Hall and Curtis Lazar
- Buffalo Sabres acquire: Anders Bjork and 2021 second-round pick
The fact that a former Hart Trophy winner got traded for less of a return than Nick Foligno did is hard to comprehend, but at an $8M cap-hit, a no-movement clause, and only having scored two goals this year, it makes sense why.
Hall is such an interesting player. Currently on his fourth team in one year, he’s been bouncing around the league like a fourth-line grinder.
The Bruins already have one of the best first-lines in hockey, but Hall’s addition could make their second-line just as deadly. Paired beside David Krejci, if those two get going, they could be a nightmare for opponents in the playoffs.
Hall has played for some terrible teams, but the Bruins are clearly the most competent franchise he’s yet to be apart of. After stints in New Jersey, Edmonton, Arizona and Buffalo, Boston should hopefully provide some stability that he’s been missing.
The Bruins could still miss the playoffs, but Hall’s addition could take them from being on the verge of a playoff spot, to Stanley Cup contenders. They have a very tough division, having to play against either New York Islanders, Washington Capitals or Pittsburgh Penguins in the playoffs, but Hall could be a difference-maker down the stretch.
No. 4: Mantha Heads to D.C. in Blockbuster Trade
The Trade:
- Washington Capitals acquire: Anthony Mantha
- Detroit Red Wings Jakub Vrana, Richard Panik, 2021 first-round pick and 2022 second-round pick
This was clearly the most shocking move of the NHL Trade Deadline. Nobody expected Detroit to trade a young player who just signed a four-year extension. However, the Red Wings got a very good package in return, and Washington upgraded their team, so it’s a win-win for everyone.
The 26-year-old is essentially another Tom Wilson type of player for Washington. At 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, he’s a big body who isn’t afraid to stick up for his teammates, but he can also score. Over his five-year career, he’s a two-time 20 goal scorer and was on-pace for that feat again last year and this season if it wasn’t a shortened campaign.
Now that the Capitals have Mantha, they have an amazing top-six filled with skill and sand-paper. Currently paired beside Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie, Mantha already made an impact in his first game with Washington, scoring one goal and adding an assist.
Alexander Ovechkin doesn’t look to be slowing down, but his age suggests that he only has a few more prime seasons left in him. As a result, Washington did the right thing by going all-in with this trade and adding to their top-six.
Most of the core was around for the Stanley Cup victory in 2017-18, so they already have the pedigree to win. Now that they’ve added Mantha, they’ll be a scary team to see in the playoffs and one that has a legit chance at winning again.
No. 3: Lou Lamoriello Makes a Splash With Former Team
The Trade:
- New York Islanders acquire: Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac
- New Jersey Devils acquire: A.J. Greer, Mason Jobst, 2021 first-round pick and 2022 fourth-round pick
Barry Trotz may be the greatest coach in the NHL. After winning the Stanley Cup with Washington a few years ago, he’s taken his defensive-first system to Long Island and has turned New York into a Stanley cup favorite for the second year in a row.
Instead of making a flashy-move and acquiring Taylor Hall, the Islanders made a better trade for their roster, by acquiring Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac. Lamoriello decided to go back to his roots and trade for two New Jersey Devils players, who should fit great in New York.
After Anders Lee sustained a season-ending injury, the Islanders had $7M in cap-space that they could use to replace him. They used it very wisely, as Palmieri will be able to replace Lee’s scoring, while Zajac can replace some of his leadership.
Palmieri was rumored to the Maple Leafs and would have been a great fit there, but he’s even better in New York. Although he’s a 30-goal scorer, he’s very sound defensively and plays a structured game. He’ll be someone that Barry Trotz can relay on nightly to provide offense, but not cost them in his own zone.
The Islanders are a sneaky team to win the Stanley Cup this year, and as a Leafs fan, they scare the heck out of me in the playoffs. This trade could put them over the edge as the favorite in the East Division, as they look to get back to the Final Four for the second year in a row.
No. 2: The Rich Get Richer, As Tampa Bay Acquires Savard
The Trade:
- Tampa Bay Lightning acquire: David Savard and Brian Lashoff
- Columbus Blue Jackets acquire: 2021 first-round pick (Tampa Bay’s) and a 2022 third-round pick
- Detroit Red Wings acquire: 2021 fourth-round pick (Tampa Bay’s)
The Tampa Bay Lightning are the scariest team in the NHL. Not only did they cheat the Long Term Injured Reserve (LTIR) clause in the salary-cap, by getting the opportunity to add Nikita Kucherov in the playoffs for free, but now they have David Savard.
When you look at Tampa’s roster, they have the best goalie (Andrei Vasilevskiy), best defenseman (Victor Hedman) and two of the best offensive players in the world (Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov).
Instead of sitting back and being content about the team they have, especially after they won the Stanley Cup last season, they decided they would go out and get the best defenseman available at the NHL Trade Deadline.
Well played, Tampa Bay.
Savard is a great defensive-defenseman, who blocks a ton of shots and can lay the body. In a playoff series, he’s not the player you want to go up against near the net or in the corners. Now that he’s paired beside Hedman, it’s going to be almost impossible to score a goal when those two are on the ice, and you know in the playoffs, that they’ll be playing 25-30 minutes per night.
Savard is a perfect addition to Tampa Bay and it barely cost them anything, thanks to the Red Wings retaining some of his salary as well. Draft picks are fine when you’re a rebuilder, but when you have a chance to win back-to-back Stanley Cup’s, they’re worth trading every day of the week.
No. 1: Leafs Find Much Needed Top-Six Left-Winger
The Trade:
- Toronto Maple Leafs acquire: Nick Foligno and Stefan Noesen
- Columbus Blue Jackets acquire: 2021 first-round pick (Toronto’s) and 2022 fourth-round pick (Toronto)
- San Jose Sharks acquire: 2021 fourth-round pick (Toronto)
You think we’d go the entire slideshow without mentioning the Toronto Maple Leafs? Come on, now.
Ever since they figured out that Joe Thornton couldn’t keep up with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, the Leafs knew they needed to upgrade the top-six left-wing position. After it looked like a meaningless trade that would most likely end in Alex Galchenyuk playing for the Toronto Marlies, he’s proven his haters wrong, becoming a legit top-six forward on this team.
Although he hasn’t scored much, he’s been impactful and looks like the Galchenyuk of old. Instead of being content with his play, Kyle Dubas went out and got a veteran player in Nick Foligno, who makes the Leafs top-six even scarier.
Foligno isn’t as skillful as Taylor Hall, or even Kyle Palmieri, but he’s a better defensive player, more versatile, and more reliable. He’s a leader, who can play many different roles. Whether it’s power-play, top-six left wing, bottom-six centre or penalty-kill, anything you ask Foligno to do, he will do.
His worth-ethic resembles Zach Hyman, so you know what you’re getting from him every shift.
Toronto needed to solidify their top-six and that’s exactly what they did with this move. By having Foligno in the lineup, they can do a ton of different things, and as a result of this move, their depth got a lot better.
Leafs Best Move Was NOT Getting Taylor Hall. dark. Next
In order to compete and win a Stanley Cup, you need a ton of depth and players who will do anything to win. Foligno is exactly the players the Maple Leafs needed and will make a huge impact on whether or not the Leafs win the Stanley Cup this year.