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Toronto Maple Leafs Hypothetical Trade Options With the Jets

By Marco Rovere

Apr 27, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) defends his net against the Vegas Golden Knights during the second period of game five of the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 27, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) defends his net against the Vegas Golden Knights during the second period of game five of the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /
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Toronto Maple Leafs
Mar 25, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

Toronto Maple Leafs Hypothetical Trade Options With The Winnipeg Jets

Toronto Maple Leafs acquire: Connor Hellebuyck

Winnipeg Jets acquire: William Nylander

Here’s a simple solution to a situation thats going to be tough to solve for both teams come 2024-25, so why not trade my upcoming free agent for yours?

The Toronto Maple Leafs have desperately lacked a #1 goaltender for decades and this trade could instantly give them one of the league’s best at the position while landing the Jets a young 80-point player.

The salaries for the 2023-24 season are practically identical, making the idea of a 1 for 1 trade a realistic one, however the Leafs may have reservations about trading a sure-thing like Nylander for the risky proposition of a goalie, no matter how good.

In Hellebuyck, the Toronto Maple Leafs would be acquiring a goalie who has been in trade rumors, a former Vezina trophy winner in 2019, who also is a three-time finalist for the award. In this hypothetical, the Leafs are praying Hellebuyck’s next contract comes closer to John Gibson than Sergei Bobrovsky in terms of AAV, hoping to pay less than $10 million per season for one of the best netminders.

William Nylander would be a major loss for the Toronto Maple Leafs, no doubt, but in the world of hockey, tough decisions have to be made. With his contract set to expire in 2024, Nylander could command over $9 million AAV, and if the past is any indication of what to expect in the future, the Leafs have struggled mightily to get over the hump with $40 million AAV in four forwards. Nylander would instantly provide the Jets with another dangerous threat offensively, looking good on a hypothetical line with Kyle Connor and/or Mark Schiefele.

In this scenario, the Leafs would have to explore alternative options with their current netminders, finding a way to get off Matt Murray’s brutal contract and moving Ilya Samsonov, who is an RFA, for a solid price. This would then welcome the idea of Joseph Woll getting an extended look with the NHL club, playing the role of the team’s top back-up with Hellebuyck becoming the reliable #1 who the Blue and White will hope to ride during a long playoff run.

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