Leafs and Black Hawks Make A Trade

 

Well, I planned on doing a trade deadline write-up about the Leafs, but I don’t think that will be necessary because the Leafs have decided to do all their work in the days leading up to March 3^rd.  Last week Toronto brought in Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari and then Kyle followed it up Monday afternoon by making a trade with Chicago.  Toronto trades Joey Anderson and Pavel Gogolev along with a conditional 1^st round pick in 2025 and a 2^nd round pick in 2026, in return Toronto gets Forward Sam Lafferty and Defender Jake McCabe with 50% salary retained. This trade addresses two issues the Leafs had in their lineup.

 

Sam Lafferty:

So far this season Lafferty has ten goals, and eleven assists for twenty-one points, Sam has just under 100 hits so he will bring some more grit and toughness to the Leafs forward group, and with Acciari already in the lineup throwing his weight around adding Lafferty will make this Leaf team. Lafferty can play both Center and, on the wing, but I think you will see Lafferty appear on the team’s third or fourth lines because Sheldon Keefe has said O’Reilly will be the Leafs third-line center. This would give Toronto what some are referring to as a three-headed monster at center hopefully bettering the center depth of their playoff opponent the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Jake McCabe:

McCabe has been on the Leafs radar since his days with the Buffalo Sabres and the Leafs recently played two games against McCabe and Chicago, so they have a real sense of what Jake can bring to their blueline. McCabe so far this season has twenty points but has 115 blocks with 122 hits so he will hopefully make things difficult for his opponents when he is called upon. I know fans reading this will be concerned because McCabe has an injury history, well I have news for you a lot of guys currently playing have dealt with an injury or are currently playing through something right now. I believe McCabe will slide into the Leafs top four and bring some much-needed toughness that the team and the fans have been wanting.

 

What does Chicago get with Joey Anderson and Pavel Gogolev?  Well, I will start by saying I haven’t watched any games of Gogolev because he has played this season with the Newfoundland Growlers of the ECHL but in 33 appearances the 23-year-old Russian forward has 21 goals and 27 assists for 48 points. So Gogolev has the potential to turn into a player in the future for Chicago.

With Joey Anderson, he was a forward who again has plenty of upside to his game and in 44 games split between the Marlies and Leafs Joey managed 27 points in the AHL and just 3 points in 14 games with the Maple Leafs. As I said Joey has the potential to be an every day forward now with the Hawks and although the playoffs aren’t in the plans this season, Anderson will likely get everyday minutes allowing him plenty of opportunity to develop his game.

 

Just like last week when I said I was very happy with the O’Reilly Acciari trade I am equally as happy about this McCabe deal because the Leafs have Lafferty under contract for the remainder of this season and all of next season at 1.150 million dollars, and then you have McCabe on your blueline for the next 2 seasons at 2 million this is another positive trade by Dubas that not only helps the team now obviously but it also gives them cap breathing room in the future.

I have seen some people worrying about trading away their 1^st rounder in 25 and a 2^nd in 26, my response to that is who cares. Kyle Dubas with his job potentially on the line this season is in the middle of an arms race with the Tampa Bay Lightning and the President Trophy-winning Boston Bruins. Knowing his Leafs are on a collision course for a round-one rematch with the Lightning with the 2 big trades Kyle has left the Toronto Maple Leafs in a much better position now than they were before. Also, fans need to remember that Sheldon Keefe has talked about the defence having trouble clearing the zone with the puck all season. Bringing in McCabe helps this because he now ranks first on the team in hits and tied for first with Mark Giordano in blocked shots, not to mention his 29 Takeaways.

According to James Myrtle, the Leafs are 1 million dollars over the cap so there will likely be another trade coming or players being taken out to fit under the cap because Matt Murray is eligible to return on March 1^st when the Leafs travel to Edmonton. The next few days are going to be interesting in Leaf land.

That’s all for this one thanks as always for reading, oh and selfishly I hope Wayne Simmonds gives the number 24 to Jake McCabe.