The Toronto Maple Leafs have yet to address their forward group this offseason, but one trade pitch has them acquiring two forwards from the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The website PuckPedia has a new tool called PuckGM that lets users create their own trades, and one user proposed a deal that would see the Maple Leafs acquire two forwards and a draft pick from the Penguins.
Maple Leafs receive:
- Lars Eller
- Matt Nieto
- 2027 third-round pick
Penguins receive:
- Nick Robertson
- Pontus Holmberg
In this proposed deal, the Maple Leafs would get a draft pick along with two forwards, while the Penguins would acquire Nick Robertson and Pontus Holmberg. Robertson, an RFA, has informed the Maple Leafs that he has no plans to re-sign with the team. Last season, Robertson recorded 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points in 56 games with Toronto.
Holmberg, on the other hand, played in 54 games, recording 7 goals and 10 assists for 17 points with the Maple Leafs last season. Both Robertson and Holmberg would likely project as middle-six forwards for the Penguins.
As for the Maple Leafs, they would receive Lars Eller, who won the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2018. The centerman has one year left on his two-year $4.9 million deal and would likely serve as the Maple Leafs’ third-line center. Last season, Eller recorded 15 goals and 16 assists for 31 points in 82 games.
Matt Nieto, meanwhile, would be a fourth-line left winger or a healthy scratch in Toronto but would add some veteran presence to the lineup. Nieto has played in 673 NHL games and recorded 1 goal and 3 assists for 4 points in 22 games last season.
Robertson Has Asked for Trade from Maple Leafs
The main player in the proposed deal is 22-year-old Nick Robertson, who was drafted 53rd overall by the Maple Leafs in 2020. Despite showing flashes of potential, Robertson hasn’t been given a consistent chance to be an everyday player, leading him to request a trade as he has no plans to re-sign with the Maple Leafs.
Leave a Reply