The news of the Connor Hellebuyck trade has certainly shaken up the NHL. And for all of the hubbub it’s caused, there’s one thing clear: Maple Leafs fans should be glad that John Chayka didn’t go nuts and try to land the former Winnipeg goalie.
There was a point during the summer and even earlier this season when fans and pundits urged the Leafs to land Hellebuyck.
But now that we’ve seen the return, it’s great to see that Chayka wasn’t willing to meet New Jersey’s package.
The Devils surrendered six total pieces, two of which would have been doable for the Maple Leafs. The second and seventh-round picks are essentially inconsequential in this entire discussion.
What I’m concerned about is the main piece in the deal. The Devils surrendered Dawson Mercer in the trade. Now, to be fair, Mercer seems like a failed prospect at this point. But he was the best young forward the Devils had. Perhaps Winnipeg might have pushed for someone else, but guys like Jesper Bratt had no-trade clauses. So, that wasn’t going to happen.
Mercer’s inclusion in this deal makes me think that the Devils could have pushed for someone like Easton Cowan. At this point, could you imagine seeing Cowan shipped off to New Jersey?
The other piece I’m interested in is Alexander Command. The 18-year-old was the Devils’ first-round pick in 2026. He’s still a blank canvas, and there’s no real telling what he’ll amount to. But he is a top prospect for the Devils. And so, what prospect would the Leafs have surrendered? Would it have been Ben Danford? Tinus Luc Koblar? Would that have made any difference? Perhaps the Maple Leafs would have had to part with both just to move the needle.
Then, there’s another crucial element to consider.
Maple Leafs would have needed to include a goalie in the deal
One of the conditions in the deal was the inclusion of a goalie. The Devils fulfilled that condition with Nico Daws. It’s funny because Daws had actually put up 16 saves in a 4-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night. By Friday morning, he was off to Winnipeg. The 25-year-old is another sort of failed prospect for the Devils. The organization hoped he could become number-one guy material. That clearly didn’t happen.
And, again, what goalie could the Maple Leafs have surrendered? The Jets wouldn’t have wanted Anthony Stolarz. In fact, there’s a chance Winnipeg is on his no-trade list to begin with. So, the likeliest candidate would have been Artur Akhtyamov. The Russian goalie is the only real goaltending prospect in Toronto’s system. As such, imagine giving that up in this potential deal?
Lastly, there’s Nick Bjugstad. He was likely a cap dump to help make the math work. The Leafs could have offered plenty of depth forwards to make the deal work. That particular point wouldn’t have been a major stumbling block.
But you have to think that if John Chayka had really wanted to make something like this happen, which would have been foolish to begin with, the price would have been so high that it would have done more harm than good.
That’s why everyone in Leafs Nation should be glad that Chayka didn’t lose his marbles and try to make Connor Hellebuyck a Maple Leaf.
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