Maple Leafs’ weekend trade explosion
Written by on January 31st, 2010 in Latest News.
Maple Leafs buy Phaneuf in 7-player swap
All-star defenceman Dion Phaneuf was the centrepiece of Sunday trade between the Maple Leafs and Flames that also saw forward Fredrik Sjostrom and defensive prospect Keith Aulie head to Toronto for forwards Niklas Hagman, Matt Stajan and Jamal Mayers along with defenceman Ian White.
New Flames hope to help ignite offence
Former Maple Leafs Niklas Hagman, Matt Stajan and Jamal Mayers as well as defenceman Ian White are looking forward to joining the Calgary Flames as a group with a chance to spark a sputtering offence and compete in the playoffs.
Leafs get Giguere for Blake, Toskala
Toronto general manager Brian Burke found someone to assume Jason Blake’s stout contract: his former employee in Anaheim, Bob Murray, now his Ducks counterpart. The forward heads to Anaheim for equally inconsistent goalie Vesa Toskala for veteran netminder Jean-Sebastien Giguere.
WHARNSBY: Pushing the salary cap
Although Brian Burke’s moves to buy defenceman Dion Phaneuf from Calgary and goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere from Anaheim continued to place the Maple Leafs right up against the NHL’s salary cap, subtracting forward Jason Blake’s $4-million US salary from the books is a huge relief.
FRIEDMAN: 2 GMs desperate for a shakeup
It was Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke’s best chance to napalm his roster, finding another GM equally as desperate for a huge shakeup. Thanks to a nine-game losing streak (although it finished Saturday night), Darryl Sutter became that guy. The two men had no choice. Both teams were drowning in disappointment.
MORRISON: Phaneuf still has upside
Maple Leafs newcomer Dion Phaneuf may not be having a excellent season and his offensive output may be in decline, but at age 24 there is still a potentially huge upside. Phaneuf has the potential to make the Toronto power play better, and he is a physical presence added to a team that wasn’t team tough.
MAREK: Leafs have better nucleus today
While the Maple Leafs have been knocked, and perhaps rightfully so, for emptying the prospect shelves, they now have a future nucleus that includes Dion Phaneuf, Phil Kessel, Luke Schenn (who many feel is too excellent to be this average for this long), Nazim Kadri, Jonas Gustafsson and Keith Aulie.
