The Toronto Maple Leafs made a trade Wednesday evening that will have more of an effect on the AHL affiliate Toronto Marlies, as they swapped center Andrew Crescenzi to the Los Angeles Kings for diminutive forward Brandon Kozun.
The 5’8”, 180 lb Kozun was a 6th round pick of the Kings in 2009 and posted two consecutive 100 point seasons for the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen and was a teammate of Leafs forward Nazem Kadri on Canada’s 2010 World Junior team before joining the AHL's Manchester Monarchs for the 2010-11 season.
The speedy forward has scored 20 goals or more in three straight seasons for the Monarchs and was second in team scoring in 2013-14 with 29 points(10 G, 19 A) in 43 games.
Crescenzi was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2010 after attending the Maple Leafs summer rookie camp and tournament while a member of the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers.
The 6’5”, 208 lb defensive forward fit into the Leafs plan of getting bigger and tougher under former GM Brian Burke and played most of the next two seasons for the Rangers before splitting time between the Marlies and ECHL’s San Francisco Bulls in 2012-13.
The Thornhill, ON native had one goal and one assist in 32 games for the Marlies and was primarily being utilized in a checking role.
This deal appears to address the Marlies need for added scoring punch and also provides a bit of insurance. Only defenseman TJ Brennan, forwards Carter Ashton(currently on the Leafs roster) and Spencer Abbott have more than 10 goals on the year for the AHL’s North Division leaders, who are averaging just under three goals per game.
Center Trevor Smith was signed as a free agent last summer to give the Marlies scoring help and leadership from an AHL veteran, but injuries up the middle pressed Smith into service with the big club, where he enjoyed a modicum of success (nine points in 25 games) before suffering a finger injury last month.
Smith is on injured reserve but is skating and may be able to return in the next couple weeks, which may force the Leafs to risk trying to get the 28-year-old Marlies captain through waivers.
Listen to the latest edition of Leaf Buzz with myself and CTV's Norman James:
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