The trade between the New York Rangers and the LA Kings involving Artemi Panarin may seem like a matter totally foreign to the Toronto Maple Leafs. After all, both teams play in different divisions. The Kings, for their part, are in the Western Conference. This team is one the Maple Leafs only see twice a year.
So, why would this trade matter to Toronto Maple Leafs fans?
The answer to that question is twofold. The first part of the answer focuses on the trade itself. The deal will have a ripple effect in the Eastern Conference. With Panarin out of the way, the Rangers should continue dealing other players on their roster. That situation could create opportunities for the Maple Leafs, among other clubs, both looking to buy and sell.
As such, the Maple Leafs could find themselves with an opportunity to buy solid assets at a relatively low price.
How so?
The ridiculously underwhelming return for Panarin has surely primed the market. When any team has a sky-high asking price for a player, buyers can point to the Panarin trade as a comp to drive the price down.
That situation leads to the second aspect, and the most important, for Maple Leafs fans. Now that Panarin is off the board, other deals could go through. But given the lowball deal the Kings got for Panarin, the Maple Leafs shouldn’t expect to cash in on their potential targets.
One name that’s popped up in recent chatter is Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Let’s assume that the Maple Leafs are willing to move Ekman-Larsson. After seeing what the Rangers got for Panarin, would it be realistic for the Maple Leafs to demand a high price for Ekman-Larsson?
That’s doubtful. If anything, buyers will look to drive the price down as much as possible. That scenario would leave sellers with a tough choice. Do you take whatever you can get, or stick to your guns?
That’s a catch-22. If sellers take whatever they can get, they’ll come under fire. The underwhelming returns will make selling GMs look foolish. On the other hand, if sellers dig their heels in the ground, at the expense of not making a deal, they will also come under fire for not getting trades through.
There is one thing to consider in the Panarin trade. He held a full no-movement clause. As such, he twisted the Rangers’ arms to make a deal with the LA Kings. However, the Rangers opted to cave instead of standing their ground.
That’s a cautionary tale for Brad Treliving. Now would be a good time to put on his big boy pants. If he’s selling, he’ll need to dig in deep because buyers will be looking to fleece him left and right.
But if he buys, he might just get a great deal by playing a little hardball.