Toronto Maple Leafs Should Regret Trading Rasmus Sandin Already

The Toronto Maple Leafs had a very successful NHL Trade Deadline but they should regret trading Rasmus Sandin.

Who knows what went behind the scenes, but there were no reports that Rasmus Sandin was unhappy during his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Drafted 29th overall in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, the 23 year old was given a great opportunity to play and when he’s been healthy, he’s been good.

He may have fallen to the No. 6 or No. 7 spot on the Leafs’ blue-line prior to the deadline, but that’s just credit to the guys ahead of him. Toronto had built up a solid defensive core, so the youngster was healthy-scratched a few times as a result.

A little adversity never hurt anyone, but instead of keeping the asset, the team traded him for a first-round pick and Erik Gustafsson. The trade itself was fair and acquiring a first-round pick for a player who was recently a healthy-scratch is always a great move, but the team would have been better keeping the asset than moving it.

As previously mentioned, Sandin was a late first-round pick but what are the chances that the Leafs newly acquired first-round pick (which is Boston’s, so it will probably be between No. 25-32) will be just as good as Sandin?

Toronto hit the lottery with that pick and Washington is reaping the benefits of the Leafs crowded defensive group.

Toronto Maple Leafs Should Regret Trading Sandin Already

In six games, Sandin has one goal and nine points. I know that point production won’t stay consistent for an 82-game season but prior to being traded, Sandin was the Leafs second best offensive defenseman, only behind Morgan Rielly.

It’s kind of ironic that they traded Sandin because one of the biggest issues with this roster is the lack of scoring from the blue-line, as well as the salary-cap. At $1.4M until the summer of 2024, Sandin had great cap-control and wasn’t a necessary move to stay under the cap.

Instead, the team could have moved someone like Justin Holl ($2M), who’s an older asset and someone who’s a free agent this summer. There is way more potential in Sandin than what Holl can bring you this year, especially since Holl may find himself in the press box to start the playoffs.

I know that the Toronto Maple Leafs brought in Gustafsson who’s been productive with seven goals and 38 points this year, but where does he even fit on the roster? Similar to Holl, he’s probably not going to play much in the playoffs and is just a depth piece.

If the team kept Sandin, even if he sits, his $1.4M contract next year and the fact that he’s only 23 years old makes him a valuable piece to keep. The first-round pick is nice but I’d rather take my chances on continuing to develop Sandin than to hope that first-round pick turns into a better player than him.

I know it’s early but it’s starting to feel like the Washington Capitals fleeced the Leafs in this trade and that Toronto really screwed up. Timothy Liljegren and Sandin should have been long-standing members on this team’s blue-line, but instead it was broken up before it really started.