Jakob Chychrun
What may be the biggest missed opportunity for the Maple Leafs is a trade that most NHL GMs wish they had swung. That was to receive defenseman Jakob Chychrun. Leafs fans have been talking about him for a very long time. The winner of the Chychrun sweepstakes was the Ottawa Senators.
Sens general manager, Pierre Dorion, fleeced the Arizona Coyotes for the 24-year-old. All it took to swing the deal was three draft picks. The Coyotes received a first and two second-round draft picks.
Chychrun was limited to just 36 games this season. The Coyotes sat him out eight games waiting to find the right trade partner. Chychrun also had a delayed start to this campaign as he nursed a wrist injury. Once he made his debut in late November, it appeared he was back to full health, collecting 28 points on seven goals and 21 assists prior to being traded.
Chychrun would have been a far greater addition to the Leafs’ blue line than McCabe, Gustafsson, or Schenn. Not only would he represent a dynamic jolt to the defense core but he’d be in Toronto as more than just a rental. Considering what the Maple Leafs paid for all their moves, they could have easily saved on going after other defensemen and outbid the Senators for Chychrun. There’s no doubt that Dubas feels this way and he’s surely not the sole GM in the league with these thoughts.