Pens/Leafs Trade

[Brewin Flames]

Maple Leafs Trade Kasperi Kapanen to Penguins

The Maple Leafs have traded Kasperi Kapanen to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday for players and a first-round pick.

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   NHL Trade Talk
• August 25, 2020

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As per a few reports Tuesday, the Toronto Maple Leafs have traded forward Kasperi Kapanen in a multiple players and picks deal to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

 

The full details of the trade was listed by Rob Rossi and is as follows:

 

Details for Penguins:

• RW Kasperi Kapanen
• D Jesper Lindgren
• LW Pontus Aberg
•  

The Maples Leafs getting:

• 2020 Rd 1 pick (15 overall)
• LW Evan Rodrigues
• C Filip Hallander
• D David Warsofsky
•  

With both teams officially out of the playoffs this trade became possible and it clears up space for the Maple Leafs who were heavy at the forward position and were going to need room to make some deals and improve their defense. It also gives them a first round pick (Marleau deal with Carolina sent theirs away.)

The Leafs now have ~$7.791 million in salary cap space with RFAs Ilya Mikheyev, Travis Dermott, and Frederik Gauthier to sign. Rodrigues is an RFA, but there is speculation the Leafs will not to qualify him, making him a UFA.

 

The Maple Leafs Did Well Here

For the Leafs to pick up both a first-round pick and Filip Hallander in the deal is impressive. Hallander is 20 years old, a true power-forward, and the 2nd or 3rd best prospect in the Penguins system.

And as Dimitri Filipovic notes, the Leafs picked up four assets ((pick, prospect, useful player, cap space) in a trade where it was obvious the team was in dire need to move someone.

 

Finally, this deal really helps alleviate some pressure on Dubas to move one of the big four forwards. He still might, but he now has wiggle room to come up with some more creative options.

In a deep draft, that 15th overall pick going to Toronto could turn out to be key.

What the Penguins Are Getting

For the Penguins, they must believe that Kapanen’s skills have been somewhat hidden in Toronto behind the big four and that he’ll be a difference maker. Penguins GM Jim Rutherford: “Kasperi is a good, young player that brings speed to our lineup and plays the way we want to play. Having previously drafted him, we know him as a player and feel he can improve our top-6.”

At just 24 years old, the right-winger will have a chance to get back to the 20-goal mark playing along side either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin. He’ll need to take another step from last season however as he tallied 13 goals and 36 points in 69 games,

 

Kapanen is returning to the team that drafted him 22nd overall in 2014. He was traded to the Leafs as part of the deal that sent Phil Kessel to the Penguins.

[yave1964]

IMHO this is a clear win for the Leafs. 

 

   Look, i am not saying Kapanen cannot play but he is a middle six winger with two years at 3.6 million per on his deal which is a bit high for a player who is a 40 point a year guy. I know that Pens fans will say to expect a bump in his numbers playing with either Crosby or Malkin but cmon, he has had Matthews or Tavares setting the table and has been good and good only. A first round pick, (number 15) seems too high.

 

  The rest of the players, Rodriques, Aberg, Warfosky, essentially interchangable AHL fodder, nothing more or less. Some people are high on Hallander, i am not, 20 years old, still in Sweden, looks like a 4c at best IMHO. Even without that, a first and getting out from under the contract of a good but not great middle six winger is outstanding for the Leafs.

[notfondajane]

1 hour ago, yave1964 said:

IMHO this is a clear win for the Leafs. 

 

   Look, i am not saying Kapanen cannot play but he is a middle six winger with two years at 3.6 million per on his deal which is a bit high for a player who is a 40 point a year guy. I know that Pens fans will say to expect a bump in his numbers playing with either Crosby or Malkin but cmon, he has had Matthews or Tavares setting the table and has been good and good only. A first round pick, (number 15) seems too high.

 

  The rest of the players, Rodriques, Aberg, Warfosky, essentially interchangable AHL fodder, nothing more or less. Some people are high on Hallander, i am not, 20 years old, still in Sweden, looks like a 4c at best IMHO. Even without that, a first and getting out from under the contract of a good but not great middle six winger is outstanding for the Leafs.

I'm surprised Rutherford made this trade. He should have never given the first pick away. 

By letting Recchi, Gonchar and Martin go he told Pens fans they were retooling. 

If this team is to retool then keep the picks. 

Crosby, Malkin and Letang are not getting any younger. All 3 are in their early 30s. Time to get people to replace them now so they can learn the Penguins system of play.

[notfondajane]

I heard that Matt Murray maybe on the trading block. (I believe he has Marc Andre Fleury Syndrome.)I think he lost his focus. (Partly because of the success he had early.) Hopefully he can get get it back while in the Pens sweater.

[OccamsRazor]

4 hours ago, yave1964 said:

IMHO this is a clear win for the Leafs. 

 

   Look, i am not saying Kapanen cannot play but he is a middle six winger with two years at 3.6 million per on his deal which is a bit high for a player who is a 40 point a year guy. I know that Pens fans will say to expect a bump in his numbers playing with either Crosby or Malkin but cmon, he has had Matthews or Tavares setting the table and has been good and good only. A first round pick, (number 15) seems too high.

 

  The rest of the players, Rodriques, Aberg, Warfosky, essentially interchangable AHL fodder, nothing more or less. Some people are high on Hallander, i am not, 20 years old, still in Sweden, looks like a 4c at best IMHO. Even without that, a first and getting out from under the contract of a good but not great middle six winger is outstanding for the Leafs.

 

Well said I was going to say the same thing.

 

Saves me the time great post. Nailed it.

[Brewin Flames]

If i am a leafs fan, i'm having a pants explosion over this...

 

A salary dump, getting # 15 in a deep draft, and a 20 year old center who has the potential to be a top 2 C, not to bad of a deal.

[yave1964]

14 hours ago, Brewin Flames said:

If i am a leafs fan, i'm having a pants explosion over this...

 

A salary dump, getting # 15 in a deep draft, and a 20 year old center who has the potential to be a top 2 C, not to bad of a deal.

I agree with the first but the Swede kid is a decent prospect but 2C is likely quite a reach.

 

  One thing i will say playing devils advocate, the Leafs in recent years have lost Uncle Leo, Kadri and now Kapanen. Kapanen has holes in his game but he will hit and is a solid P/K guy, the Leafs once again got softer. The savings in salary will allow them to get in play on defense or possibly to make a run at keeping Barrie. I know that fans are high on Nick Robertson and he is a good prospect but is very raw. 

  So while i think the Leafs won the trade getting the 15th pick for a good player in Kapanen, they are softer, and even if they are able to use the money saved to resign Barrie, Robertson at best this coming year likely will not put up the numbers that Kapanen does, so for one year anyway the Leafs will be slightly worse than last.