The Toronto Maple Leafs’ first trade of the offseason on Tuesday has likely set the tone for what could be coming down the pipeline. The club moving on from Joseph Woll was more rooted in pragmatism than in a real need.
The emergence of Dennis Hildeby and Artur Akhtyamov has all of a sudden given the Maple Leafs significant goaltending depth. It’s worth pointing out that it’s cost-effective depth.
That’s why Woll’s $3.6 million cap hit was a little too much to handle. The same will go for Anthony Stolarz and his $3.75 million cap hit.
That said, one of the things that seemed a bit unusual is the Maple Leafs getting another, Samuel Ersson, in the trade with the Philadelphia Flyers. The move shouldn’t be surprising. Ersson needed a fresh start much the same way that Woll did.
But the Leafs’ depth chart could also mean that Ersson might not be in Toronto’s system for too long. As insider Elliotte Friedman pointed out, GM John Chayka could be looking to flip Ersson this season.
“It’s going to be interesting to see what they do with Ersson. Do they keep him? Do they flip him?”
Friedman’s comments, as uttered during a June 16 appearance on NHL Tonight, highlight the position Toronto is in at this point. The Maple Leafs have the luxury of keeping or flipping Ersson, based on the team’s needs.
Ersson Likely a Useful Trade Chip for Maple Leafs
There’s no question that Ersson will become a useful trade chip for the Maple Leafs this offseason. With various teams starving for goaltending (i.e., Edmonton Oilers), Chayka could dangle him in front of such clubs and look to cash in on their desperation.
Granted, the Maple Leafs wouldn’t really get much for Ersson in a straight-up deal. The best the organization could hope for is a late-round pick. But the 26-year-old netminder could be part of something larger, becoming one of those add-ons that make a deal work.
Perhaps there might be a team out there that’s so starved for depth that they might be willing to pay a little something extra. Again, that might be wishful thinking. But if there’s one thing GMs know, it’s that they can never have too many trade chips.
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Toronto Could Just Keep Ersson
At the end of the day, the Maple Leafs could just keep Ersson. The organization will need depth, especially if they end up trading Stolarz. Rolling with Hilden and Akhtyamov as a tandem, as bone-chilling as that may sound, could be the path forward.
So, having someone like Ersson waiting in the wings, likely in the AHL, would not be the worst thing in the world. If anything, the Leafs could give Ersson a decent shot to make the team next fall.
Having Ersson compete with Hildeby and Akhtyamov is a heck of a lot better than picking up Cayden Primeau on waivers like Brad Treliving did this season. Chayka has been taking proactive steps to address potential pitfalls.
Assuming Stolarz hits the shelf at some point, and it’s almost guaranteed he will, the Maple Leafs will need depth. And teams can never have too much goaltending depth.
Maple Leafs Unlikely to Keep Ersson, Could Flip Him