Expect Kyle Dubas to Make Big Trade with Toronto Maple Leafs

If you watched the Toronto Maple Leafs season ending press conference, it’s a safe assumption that change is coming.

And with that change, the Toronto Maple Leafs may look to a familiar foe to trade with.

Kyle Dubas transformed this organization into a winner before he left. Now that he’s a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins, it’s feasible that he’d be interested in bringing one of those players south. He loved Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares.

The only problem is that each of the four players has a no-trade clause, but from all accounts, they got along well with Dubas and would be open to joining him in Pittsburgh, particularly if it meant playing with Sidney Crosby.

Anticipate a Major Trade involving Kyle Dubas and the Toronto Maple Leafs
Phil Kessel was traded by the Leafs to the Penguins eight years ago in a spectacular trade that produced back-to-back Stanley Cups for Pittsburgh.

Sidney Crosby’s contract expires in one year, but it’s anticipated that he’ll sign an extension this summer to remain with the company. If Toronto and Pittsburgh struck a deal, Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang would probably all retire as Penguins, so don’t anticipate any of those players to be included in a trade package.

Goalie Tristan Jarry is the one player, though, that Toronto might be really interested in signing. Although Alex Nedeljkovic is still a UFA, the Leafs should make a move for him if he re-signs in Pittsburgh. Otherwise, Jarry would likely be available for trade. Jarry is an above-average goaltender with a career 2.70 GAA and.912 SV%; he would be a better choice than Ilya Samsonov resigned.

One of the NHL’s top goaltender tandems might be formed if he and Joseph Woll were paired together. Jarry’s deal, which pays him $5.375 million until 2028, is quite reasonable for a starting or 1A/1B goalie, thus Toronto ought to be highly interested in him.

I would think anything like this to make sense because Pittsburgh has its own salary-cap problems, so trading him straight up for Marner wouldn’t work or be fair value. Mitch Marner in return for Marcus Pettersson, Tristan Jarry, a first-round pick in 2025, and a first-round pick in 2026 (*if he resigns).

For a number-one goalie, a top-four defenseman, and two first-round selections, Toronto would be giving up Marner, which seems like fair compensation for a guy who might not sign here again in a year. Although there would be no offensive gain from this transaction, you would receive a starting goalkeeper and a large defenceman with good puck movement.