The Toronto Maple Leafs have put an emphasis on its defensive play this season and a trade pitch has them acquiring a veteran defenseman.
The website PuckPedia‘s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the Maple Leafs acquiring Olli Maata from the Detroit Red Wings.
Maple Leafs acquire:
- Olli Maata ($1.5 million retained)
Red Wings acquire:
- David Kampf
- 2025 fifth-round pick
The proposed deal would see Toronto add Maata for a veteran forward and a draft pick in a deal that makes sense for both sides.
Maata is in the final year of his two-year $6 million deal and could be a third-pairing left-shot defenseman for the Maple Leafs. The veteran defenseman is a two-time Stanley Cup champion and can add some veteran experience to the Maple Leafs lineup. In his career, he’s skated in 691 games recording 40 goals and 137 assists for 177 points.
In return, the Red Wings would acquire Kampf who could be Detroit’s fourth-line center and be a shutdown defender. Kampf is in the second year of his four-year $9.6 million deal. This season, the veteran forward has skated in 8 games this season recording 1 assist.
Maple Leafs Sign Defenseman to Extension
Toronto signed veteran defenseman Jake McCabe to a five-year $23.5-million extension on October 28.
McCabe entered the season on the final year of his deal. He spoke to the media before training camp that he wanted to remain with the Maple Leafs.
“Yeah, we’ve talked a couple times,” McCabe said. “I love it here, and think they enjoy my game too… “I love it here. Like I said, we’ve been chatting. We’ll see where things go.”
However, on October 23, NHL insider David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period claimed the sides were not close on an extension.
“They had some talks in camp that started in July, (but) nothing yet,” Pagnotta said. “Nothing has materialized. Nothing has gained any traction, to this point, with respect to Jake McCabe on an extension in Toronto. Look, everything can change with one phone call. But, that would have to be one hell of a phone call right now to get the ball rolling on a deal.”
McCabe was traded to the Maple Leafs on February 27, 2023, from the Chicago Blackhawks.
Red Wings Coach Frustrated With Start
Detroit is off to a 4-4-1 start and lost 3-2 in OT at home to the Edmonton Oilers on October 27.
The Red Wings were expected to compete for a playoff spot, and coach Derek Lalonde says the team has been inconsistent to begin the year.
“We’re pretty good with judging ourselves on performance,” Lalonde said. “There are a couple losses in there where our actual performance isn’t awful — not good enough and we want to keep growing it, but I think we’re pretty good.
“It’s the beginning of the year, everything gets a bit magnified,” Lalonde added. “And just happen to have a two-game losing streak on the front end, against a really good team, it can be magnified. But, I think our guys do a pretty good job on digging in on the things we need to work on. We did that in Nashville and we’re going to look to do it again tomorrow.”
Detroit will return to the ice at home on October 30 against the Winnipeg Jets.
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Trade Pitch Has Maple Leafs Acquiring $6 Million Defenseman in Intriguing Deal