Twitter is abuzz following the Toronto Maple Leafs' big splash nearly a month out from the Feb. 25 trade deadline.
After the club landed defenseman Jake Muzzin from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for forward Carl Grundstrom, recent draft pick Sean Durzi, and the team's first-round pick in this year's draft, the NHL community took to the social media platform, chiming in with relatively kind words towards the Maple Leafs. However, some questioned the haul Toronto gave up to acquire Muzzin.
Edmonton finding out you don’t need to trade elite players to get defensemen: pic.twitter.com/fM2XyL3X6m
— Adam Wylde (@AdamWylde) January 29, 2019
Do you mean to tell me the Leafs acquired a top 4D without trading Nylander or Marner...I thought that wasn’t allowed 🤔🤣
— Rachel Doerrie (@racheldoerrie) January 29, 2019
Given the return on Jake Muzzin, you might have to trade away a kidney as part of a package deal to get Artemi Panarin.
— Seth Rorabaugh (@SethRorabaugh) January 29, 2019
Quick reaction - Kings were able to move early because the price was right. All along, we'd been saying a Muzzin trade was expected to get a first rounder and a solid second asset (RD 2 pick or prospect).... They got both and the first. Very nicely done. https://t.co/9dl73WryLf
— The Mayor John Hoven (@mayorNHL) January 29, 2019
L.A.-bound Grundstrom and Durzi were both among Tor’s top six prospects on early Future Watch rankings for the Maple Leafs.
— Brian Costello (@bcostellothn) January 29, 2019
*Gulps*
— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) January 29, 2019
*Opens midseason Leafs prospects ranking*
*Deletes two entries in the top-5*
All seriousness: This is a good trade. The Leafs get the piece they desperately needed and they get to keep Sandin and Liljegren. It’s the right move. I’m not a big Grundstrom fan. Durzi is fantastic. Just don’t expect the prospect pool to be anything but thin moving forward.
— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) January 29, 2019
Boy. One move and now you look at the Leafs D and go “Damn. That’s a pretty good 6.”
— Justin Bourne (@jtbourne) January 29, 2019
Don’t underestimate the importance of getting Muzzin a whole extra month before the deadline to adjust to new surroundings. That’s a big factor here. So little practice time in March. Told that things picked up “last few weeks” between Leafs and Kings on Muzzin
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) January 29, 2019
I really can’t believe that’s all it took for the Leafs to significantly upgrade their defense mid-season. Dubas is a boss.
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) January 29, 2019
Also worth noting, the Leafs add $4-mill to their 2019-20 cap in a year they have to hand out big raises to Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. This will make keeping Jake Gardiner VERY difficult.
— David Alter (@dalter) January 29, 2019
If the #Leafs do not acquire another 1st RD pick between now & the draft, it will mark the first time the club finds itself without a selection in the opening round since 2010 when their pick went to Boston in the deal that brought Phil Kessel to Toronto.https://t.co/8pTsnpwJek
— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) January 29, 2019
Always interested to see which GMs get ahead of the deadline trading game to bolster roster (Kyle Dubas, Leafs and Jim Nill, Stars), make room for others (Jim Rutherford, Penguins) or start what could be a rebuild (Rob Blake, Kings). Acting early sets the market and can pay off.
— Dan Rosen (@drosennhl) January 29, 2019
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