When trade deadline day started, Toronto Maple Leafs fans were starting to get a bit frustrated by the lack of moves as they watched others make a splash. But Toronto did eventually make a couple of moves, addressing a couple of needs. David Alter reviews a hectic day.
First, they acquired Toronto-native Scott Laughton. The Leafs traded a conditional first-round pick and popular forward prospect Nikita Grebenkin to the Philadelphia Flyers to land Laughton. Toronto also received a fourth-round pick from Philly in the upcoming draft. Laughton made his debut against the Colorado Avalanche last week, playing up the middle alongside Max Domi and Bobby McMann. He immediately filled the club’s desire to shore up their center depth. Domi was previously playing in the 3C spot, but it was clear that that wasn’t going to cut it in the playoffs, particularly when Domi saw more success last season on the wing.
Laughton was tired yet ecstatic when he addressed the media before Toronto’s 7-4 loss to the Avalanche. He also talked about how cool it was for his father, Craig, to be able to drive down from nearby Oakville, Ontario, to see his games.
I will miss Grebenkin. The player made an immediate impression on the Leafs during training camp when he got into a fight with an Ottawa Senators forward Adam Gaudette. And then, of course, was the legendary media scrum where he coined the phrase ‘Forcheck, Backcheck, Paycheck,’ that won over a ton of fans.
‘I told him a lot more backcheck and there will be a bigger paycheck,’ Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving said when he broke the news to him of the trade.
Another important part of Toronto’s future was dealt away to deal with the present. The Leafs traded center prospect Fraser Minten and a conditional first-round draft pick to the Boston Bruins for defenseman Brandon Carlo. The hope with Carlo is that the big right-handed defender can be the perfect fit to skate alongside Morgan Rielly, who no doubt has seen different partners with each season. The two have known each other from their intense playoff battles in 2018, 2019, and most recently, last year.
Both additions fill Toronto’s needs in the short term, but losing Minten is tough. The forward proved to have all the tools necessary to be a depth center in the NHL for years to come, and he will fit right into Boston’s established culture of success. But everything is about the short term.
What Could Have Been
Toronto needs to find some success in the postseason after years of failure. They tried to swing big by trying to land Mikko Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche, but that involved asking Mitch Marner to waive his no-move clause. Getting Rantanen and signing him would have been great insurance for the Leafs, who have no leverage at all on Mitch Marner’s contract situation. But that now puts immense pressure on the Leafs to re-sign the forward, especially if he performs well in the playoffs. He’s reiterated that he wants to be a Leaf. Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving said they want him to be here, and they are focused on the future. So why isn’t he signed? That distraction may prove to have more of an impact than any other acquisition the Leafs made. They have not been playing well as of late. They had a team meeting recently in Salt Lake City where players had spoken up about their recent struggles. The way they play down the stretch will show what this team is really made of.