The Toronto Maple Leafs roster has changed significantly since 2020, as has the roster for many other teams, including the Edmonton Oilers. However, a strange thing about the Oilers since 2020 is that they have added 12 former Leafs players.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have apparently been running a recycling program for the Oilers in recent years. It is at the point where any former Leafs player who becomes available will garner interest from the Oilers, regardless of who their general manager is.
On Friday, January 17th, Oilers GM Stan Bowman signed free agent defenseman John Klingberg. Klingberg appeared in 14 games for the Leafs last season, but injuries were an issue. He becomes the latest former Leafs player to sign with the Oilers.
The list of former Leafs who have played for the Oilers since 2020 includes forwards Zach Hyman, Connor Brown, Kasperi Kapanen, Tyler Ennis, Seth Griffith, and Sam Carrick defensemen Tyson Barrie, Cody Ceci, Travis Dermott, and John Klingberg goaltenders Jack Campbell, and Calvin Pickard.
Why Do the Oilers Keep Recycling Old Toronto Maple Leafs Players?
Of all the players listed above, Zach Hyman is really the only player the Leafs allowed to slip away, though based on his play, age, injury history and play off performances up to the time the Leafs let him walk, it was sensible to allow him to leave.
Hyman has 15 goals and 11 assists for 26 points in 41 games this season, which isn't bad, but his insane scoring from last year was one of the most unlikely things to ever happen in NHL history. With hindsight, the Leafs should have signed him, obviously, but it is also ridiculous to criticize things that were reasonable at the time just because they ended up working out differently that everyone on earth expected. (All stats from hockey-reference.com)
Hyman had 77 points last season and 83 points the season before, which were a big contributor to the Oilers success. Now, there's no guarantee that Hyman would have found that level of success had he stayed in Toronto, but it does make one think of the possibilities. A top six of Auston Matthews, Marner, Hyman, William Nylander, John Tavares, and Matthew Knies would be fun to watch.
As for the Oilers, it remains a huge mystery why they are in love with taking the Leafs cast offs. You can't blame them for Hyman, and taking a flyer on Klingberg is probably smart, but everyone knew the Jack Campbell contract was going to be a disaster the day it was signed, and their love for Cody Ceci defies common sense.