In a probably franchise-altering commerce which will outline his legacy, Kyle Dubas swung for the fences and the Toronto Maple Leafs are materially higher on Saturday morning with this 12 months’s playoffs carrying terminal implications for a number of events concerned.
Dubas acquired Ryan O’Reilly and Noel Acciari from the St. Louis Blues in change for 2023 first- and third-round picks, a 2024 second-round decide, together with Mikhail Abramov and Adam Gaudette. Minnesota will obtain a 2025 fourth-round decide, whereas additionally sending ahead prospect Josh Pillar to Toronto.
Throughout his press convention popping out of the All-Star break, Dubas slyly indicated the Maple Leafs wouldn’t mortgage their future to chase a championship, hinting that Toronto would keep away from going after one of many greatest names in the marketplace.
”With regard to leases, I can not see that taking place,” Dubas stated. “However close to different choices, I do not assume you say no off the hop to something. However these are crucial items to us.”
It’s important to admire the duplicity to a point. Dubas doesn’t owe the media unrelenting honesty always and he swung a large commerce that would cement his future with the Maple Leafs. He did extraordinarily properly to get the Blues to retain 50 p.c of O’Reilly’s wage, whereas the Wild took on 25 p.c of his $7.5 million cap hit. It was a intelligent piece of enterprise that permits Toronto so as to add merely $3.125 million in cap area and it satisfies all ends of the viewing spectrum, whereas rendering this Maple Leafs staff as essentially the most potent and versatile unit of the Auston Matthews-Mitch Marner period.
“I’d’ve dealt the picks as an alternative of the prospects, primarily as a result of we all know our prospects,” Dubas stated Saturday.
The gamers, in the meantime, ought to get a lift from this large acquisition as they head into the ultimate stretch of the season.
“It sends a robust message and will get the group energized,” Maple Leafs captain John Tavares stated Saturday morning.
Toronto now boasts large lineup flexibility amongst its ahead corps — this very trait was certainly one of Tampa Bay’s defining qualities throughout its back-to-back Cup wins — and can push O’Reilly down as a third-line centre, or he might be used as a top-six wing. O’Reilly’s counting stats — 12 objectives and 19 factors — aren’t going to blow anybody away, however he nonetheless carries a repute as one of many NHL’s preeminent defensive forwards, whereas successful 51 p.c of his faceoffs. St. Louis managed simply over 50 p.c of the anticipated objectives at 5-on-5 when O’Reilly was on the ice, however he’s both going to play in opposition to inferior opponents as a centre, or turbo-charge certainly one of Toronto’s two nominal scoring traces as a winger.
“The centre depth is vital. You take a look at the depth at centre ice in our division, the muse of depth is within the centre of the ice. To have these choices… We are able to attempt various things and have a bit of additional time right here now,” head coach Sheldon Keefe stated.
O’Reilly and Acciari enhance the depth of a hyper-competitive race for a spot within the lineup among the many ahead corps and considerations about Toronto’s backside six not producing sufficient offence are at the least briefly alleviated. Toronto isn’t getting the 2019 playoff MVP model of O’Reilly, but it surely doesn’t want that model of him.
Acciari is an underlooked element of this commerce, however he slots in properly for the Maple Leafs’ backside six. He’s posted 10 objectives and 18 factors in 54 video games, he blocks photographs, he ranks eighth within the league with 166 hits at 5-on-5, and he can play both centre or wing. It instantly bumps Wayne Simmonds and Pontus Holmberg out of the lineup, and it’s possible he’ll minimize into Zach Aston-Reese’s minutes. That is undoubtedly a extra well-rounded group with a better ceiling with O’Reilly and Acciari aboard.
O’Reilly’s playoff pedigree is self-evident, however there are affordable considerations: his 2.78 anticipated objectives in opposition to per 60 is about league-average amongst gamers with 400 minutes performed or better at 5-on-5. He’s simply coming off a serious foot harm. Should you’re among the many critics who wished the Maple Leafs to get more durable or one other two-way ahead within the playoffs, that finish of the discount is happy. Toronto will get one other former captain within the room, so there’s actually no absence of accountability or management. There aren’t any extra excuses for this group.
Dubas might not have been mendacity about buying leases, both. O’Reilly’s contract is slated to run out on the finish of the 12 months, however who says the Maple Leafs can’t retain him? He’s 32 years previous and whereas he’s a stellar two-way drive, he’s admittedly dealing with some age-related decline. Not solely that, however would O’Reilly be amenable to a hometown low cost in the identical vein as Mark Giordano? That is a dialogue for an additional day, however there was a want from O’Reilly and his household to come back dwelling, based on TSN’s Carlo Colaiacovo.
This Maple Leafs staff now has 9 gamers from southern Ontario and is filled with graduates from the Better Toronto Hockey League, with goals of successful the primary Cup this metropolis has seen since 1967.
It should be a treacherous highway forward for the Leafs, nonetheless, with the Tampa Bay Lightning virtually actually the primary impediment of their approach. Tampa Bay turned the category of the Jap Convention not solely due to its resounding star energy and lineup flexibility, but in addition as a result of normal supervisor Julien BriseBois inherently realizes that not all first-round picks are created equal. He went all-in forward of their first Stanley Cup victory in 2020, buying and selling first-round picks for depth forwards Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow. In 2021, he parted along with his first-round decide in a three-way deal that introduced David Savard to Tampa. And he pulled the set off once more final season, sending a first- and third-round decide and a pair of prospects to Chicago for Brandon Hagel. It labored out in addition to potential the primary two instances, and whereas Hagel did not present speedy returns final season, the 24-year-old is on tempo for 30-plus objectives and 70 factors with a $1.5 million cap hit via subsequent season.
It’s good to debate prospects and the wage cap and the machinations of the league, however they’re by no means as vital because the speedy future. If Dubas has emulated BriseBois’ ideas, it could be the ultimate step in getting the Maple Leafs over the hump, which feels crucial with the GM taking part in out the ultimate 12 months of his contract.
And now the arms race has begun. New York made its transfer for Vladimir Tarasenko, Toronto has pushed its chips in for O’Reilly and Acciari, whereas New Jersey, Boston and Carolina may swing for Timo Meier and Erik Karlsson forward of the NHL commerce deadline. It’s going to be a star-studded battle to the loss of life within the East, however the Leafs have the weapons to emerge victorious. There aren’t any excuses left for Dubas, however he’s executed the whole lot he may to show this staff right into a perennial contender.
“It’s not about me and my standing. It is about what’s greatest for the staff, and that is what we’ll proceed to take a look at,” Dubas stated earlier this month.
Toronto has gone all-in with O’Reilly aboard, it now boasts the deepest centre group within the league and there aren’t any apparent flaws to glare at. There are some factions of the fan base who’ll want their belief restored and which will solely include a first-round victory. The one factor that would restrain anybody from embracing this staff is the speedy playoff historical past.
These could also be well-known final phrases, however burn the historical past books — it is a Maple Leafs staff that may win all of it. The long run for Dubas, and the group at massive, is driving on it.