Toronto Maple Leafs Wouldn’t Take Duncan Keith For Free

The Toronto Maple Leafs may have their problems, but at least they aren’t the Edmonton Oilers.

The Toronto Maple Leafs off-season has gotten off to a quiet but effective start.

With the signing of Travis Dermott, the Leafs have signaled that they will likely expose Justin Holl and Alex Kerfoot in the expansion draft, which is the objectively correct move to make.

And other than Matthews getting second for the heart, a few logical rumours, a crazy rumour, and their assistant coach leaving to join the Kraken (hopefully joined by anyone whose ever made a lame pun on the GM’s name) it’s been quiet.

Not so in Edmonton where the team is not firing it’s dinosaur management and instead seems intent on pursuing one of the worst players in the NHL, and giving up assets to do so.

The Toronto Maple Leafs Wouldn’t Take Duncan Keith For Free

Duncan Keith used to be a great player.  In fact, he used to be one of the best players in the entire NHL. He has three Stanley Cups, one Conn Smythe Trophy (unanimous) a Norris Trophy and a Gold Medal on Team Canada.

He is also 38 years old and in extreme decline.  The fact that the Oilers might give up actual assets for him is the reason I wrote this earlier this year.

Duncan Keith wouldn’t be worth picking up on waivers because even for free, he would be blocking a potentially higher ceiling player who at least would have some odds of breaking out and giving you some value.

There is no value in signing players like this. The Leafs last year signed Joe Thornton, Wayne Simmonds and Jason Spezza (on the second of three one-year deals).  These players, like Keith, are former stars in decline.

Unlike Keith, they are still somewhat useful NHL players. If you need Keith’s experience on your team, find an already retired version of him and bring him in as an assistant coach for no cap hit and no assets.

If you think he is going to make your team better, retire from the NHL and let a competent person take over as GM.  The Leafs may have made a frustrating exit from the NHL Playoffs, but they still have one of the league’s best GM’s running their team.

Dubas is smart, imaginative, players love him and he’s won almost every trade he’s made. The current Toronto Maple Leafs have one of the NHL’s best farm systems and not a single bad contract on their team.   The Leafs wouldn’t even consider bringing in Duncan Keith at this point, not even for free.

The Oilers should be so lucky.  What are they thinking? Do they want to waste Connor McDavid’s prime? What is going on?