Connect with us

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Kapanen Trade: What and Who the Maple Leafs Really Got In Return

When the Toronto Maple Leafs traded Kasperi Kapanen, three players came back to them. Who are those players?

Almost two weeks ago, on August 25, Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas pulled off a big trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins. With that trade the Maple Leafs cleared salary-cap space, acquired a first-round 2020 draft pick, and brought in two forwards (Evan Rodrigues and Filip Hallander) and one defenseman (David Warsofsky).

Going the other way were winger Kasperi Kapanen, defence prospect Jesper Lindgren, and winger Pontus Aberg. The trade gave the Maple Leafs needed salary-cap space because they’re now able to take Kapanen’s cap hit of $3.2 million off the books for the next two years.

Related: NHL Scribe Details Clever Way to Fit Pietrangelo’s Deal In for Maple Leafs

Was the Trade Good for the Maple Leafs?

Others believe it was a good trade for the Maple Leafs, and Dubas agreed:

“We’re happy with it. That said, Kappy is an extremely good NHL player. I don’t think it should be lost that he’s going off our roster and will be a great fit in Pittsburgh. So our hope is that this works out for us and for Pittsburgh, and for Kasperi as well who gave us a great five years as a member of our organization.”

Although those are kind words from the Toronto general manager, the Maple Leafs did get back the first-round pick that the team felt it had to give up (a 13th overall pick) to dump Patrick Marleau’s contract to the Carolina Hurricanes last summer – once again to clear salary-cap space. The team also got back the three players I noted in the title and first paragraph of this post.

In this post, I want to give a bit of a background about the three players who came to the team when Kapanen was sent to the Penguins.

Who’s Filip Hallander?

As part of the trade, the Maple Leafs picked up 20-year-old Filip Hallander. He’s a young forward with a huge potential upside. Chosen 58th-overall pick in the 2018 Draft by the Penguins, then the Penguins director of amateur scouting Patrik Allvin noted that the young prospect was a “solid, two-way player. He has those character traits like Patric Hornqvist. He goes to the hard areas and produces.”

Elite Prospects called Hallander a “two-way forward and a capable skater” who “works hard” and “forechecks and backchecks impressively.” They also noted that Hallander shot and passed the puck well and that he was “smart in all three zones” and was “a good team player.” (EP 2018)” Hallander scored five goals and added nine assists in 27 games for Lulea HF (SHL) this year.

By picking up Hallander, Dubas found a young skilled player on an entry-level contract who also helps the team address the needs of a flat salary cap. Interestingly, Hallander comes at a time when another young prospect – Nick Robertson – is emerging on the scene. Robertson’s emergence probably means there’s little chance Hallander would play for the Maple Leafs during the 2020-21 season; however, he’s the kind of player who has a chance of becoming part of the team’s long-term future.

Still, the 20-year-old center could have an outside chance to make the Maple Leafs roster if he could put together a strong camp. He might be that good.

Who’s Evan Rodrigues?

Not very much has been written about Evan Rodrigues; and, in truth, most hockey people don’t believe the Maple Leafs will qualify him as an RFA. However, even if that doesn’t happen, it doesn’t mean Rodrigues won’t be on the Maple Leafs roster next season. Because the Maple Leafs probably couldn’t afford his $2 million cap, if he does become an unrestricted free agent that might allow Dubas to sign him for less than $2 million.

There are two questions: First, could Rodrigues find another team that would sign him for $2 million? That doesn’t’ seem likely. Second, would Rodrigues be willing to bet on himself and sign a shorter-term, lower-value contract on the chance he might improve the next contract he signs if he plays well? That would seem more likely.

In fact, Rodrigues might prove valuable as a depth player who could actually be a defensive upgrade over Kapanen. The 27-year-old Toronto native is a multi-position forward and a capable bottom-six player. During the 2018-19 season when he was with the Buffalo Sabres, he set career-highs playing 74 games and scoring nine goals and 20 assists (29 points). He also played 11 of 12 forward positions.

But during the 2019-20 season, he simply couldn’t find traction with new Sabres’ coach Ralph Krueger and Rodrigues was a healthy scratch for 17 games. In frustration, Rodrigues asked to be traded and landed with the Penguins, where he played only seven games before the 2019-20 season was suspended. Obviously, the Penguins weren’t invested enough to keep him.

What happens with Rodrigues for next season is up in the air. Much depends upon what he and Dubas work out together as far as a contract goes.

Related: Ex-Maple Leafs Goalie Michael Hutchinson Unlikely Avalanche Hero

Who’s David Warsofsky?

Since the 2013-14 season, David Warsofsky has played 55 NHL games with four different NHL teams. However, he hasn’t played in the NHL in two seasons. He was reacquired by the Penguins after the 2018-19 season but was put on waivers in September 2019 and moved to the minors. He never returned to the NHL.

In 51 games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the now-30-year-old defenseman scored 10 goals and 23 assists. However, his plus-minus was a not-so-good minus-33 rating. Given the current unknown nature of the Maple Leafs defense, now that Cody Ceci and Tyson Barrie seem destined to become UFAs, there might be a place for Warsofsky on the roster next season. However, he’s at best a sixth or seventh defenseman.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. winston adair

    September 6, 2020 at 3:35 pm

    None of them will amount to a pee hole in the snow

Leave a Reply

More News

Discover more from NHL Trade Talk

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading