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3 Trades the Toronto Maple Leafs Could Make Right Now

By Stephen Nixon

TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 22: Justin Holl #3 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the San Jose Sharks during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on October 22, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Sharks defeated the Maple Leafs 5-3. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 22: Justin Holl #3 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the San Jose Sharks during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on October 22, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Sharks defeated the Maple Leafs 5-3. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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Toronto Maple Leafs
TORONTO, ON – JANUARY 18: Justin Holl #3 of the Toronto Maple Leafs  (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

No. 2: Justin Holl

Justin Holl is such a great story for any minor hockey league player growing up right now. Not only is he a great human-being and someone you wish more hockey players would be like, but his perseverance is uncanny.

The former second-round draft pick was highly-touted out of junior hockey and was supposed to step into the NHL quickly. However, that never happened.

Holl played in the ECHL for one season and then the AHL for four seasons before finally getting called up the NHL. However, once he finally made the NHL full-time, he was a healthy scratch for over 70 games and had to watch his teammates from the press-box almost every night.

Most people would give up on their dreams at that point, but Holl didn’t. He continued to work hard and eventually became a top-four defenseman with the Toronto Maple Leafs and secured a nice three-year deal worth $2M AAV, as a result.

As much as I would love to see Holl stay with the organization, there are two young bucks fighting his job and it may make sense to trade Holl, because of his contract. If that’s the case, below is probably something you could get for him:

Hypothetical Trade:

  • Toronto Maple Leafs receive: Louis Domingue, 2022 First-Round Pick
  • Pittsburgh Penguins receive: Justin Holl

Since Petr Mrazek is injured, the Leafs may want some reinsurance in net, so Domingue can provide that. Also, the Penguins previously gave the Leafs a first-round pick for Kasperi Kapanen, so who knows? Maybe they’ll be dumb enough to give up a first-round pick for Holl too?

The Penguins need defensive-help and they’ve been a good trade partner with the Leafs before, so they could be a good team to do business with again.

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