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In this edition of the hotstove, we share our thoughts on the big trade between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings.
Todd Cordell
We'll start this from Toronto's perspective because I love – love – the deal for them. Jake Muzzin is a fantastic two-way defender. He is one of the better play drivers in the NHL, he can produce offense (he put up 40+ points in three of his last four season), and he is excellent without the puck. His gaps are good, his defensive zone positioning is good, and he is physical when he needs to be. I think he is exactly the kind of defender Toronto needed and his contract (one more year at a very affordable $4 million) is a big plus.
From LA's perspective, I think this is a good trade. Not a homerun, though. Carl Grundstrom is a good prospect but I don't see a high ceiling. Though I have quite a bit of time for Sean Durzi, I don't think he's a high-end guy either. The two of them + a 1st round pick is a nice haul, don't get me wrong. I just think some teams rumored to be interested (Winnipeg, for example) were capable of offering a similar, if not better, package and I don't see the harm in waiting another couple weeks to see if that happens.
A for the Leafs, B for the Kings.
Sean Maloughney
This has to be viewed as a win for both sides. The LA Kings asking price for Muzzin was a first round pick and a prospect, and they worked out a deal that saw them acquire a forward and defensive prospect along with a first. The LA King now have 9 draft picks for this season, including two first round picks. With some smart GMing, the team should be able to use these assets to bolster their roster.
Meanwhile, Toronto made off with the best player in the trade and acquired the defenceman they so desperately needed. The only box that Muzzin does not check for the Leafs is that he is a left shot, not a right.
I completely disagree with the idea that the Leafs overpaid for Muzzin as the Leafs acquired a top pairing defender without subtracting anything from their NHL roster. Prospects and picks might turn into players, but Muzzin is a brilliant player today, plus he is signed for next season as well.
The Leafs are not making the same mistakes the Oilers did. They have recognized their window to win Cups, and are making the moves to keep that window open for as long as they possibly can.
James Tanner
This is a great trade for the Leafs. They trade nothing from their roster, give up nothing but B level prospects, and they add a player who is among the NHL's best defenseman.
To add a player who has been essentially the best possession defenseman in the NHL over the course of his career, for two years, for the price of a rental, without even giving up one of your top prospects is amazing.
In Muzzin's first five seasons, he led all NHL Defensemen in CF% in three of the years, and then finished third and fifth overall in the other two. In the last two seasons, he's been + 10% relative to his team.
And he regularly score 40 points.
This trade is an absolute homerun for the Leafs.
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