When the Vegas Golden Knights come to Toronto Friday night, many eyes will be on former Maple Leaf Mitch Marner. From the perspective of where the Leafs currently stand, the focus should be on what’s around him instead — and how the Golden Knights acquired it.
Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, Tomas Hertl, Noah Hanifin, Rasmus Andersson. All top-of-the-lineup impact players; all acquired with something equivalent to a first-round pick as the centerpiece, with more added depending on how impactful the player was.
Eichel went for the equivalent of a roster player, two firsts and a second. Stone went for the equivalent of a first and two seconds. Hertl went for the equivalent of two firsts (with two thirds coming back). Hanifin went for a first and a conditional third. Andersson went for a first, a conditional second and a depth defenseman.
Contrast that directly with how the Leafs approached last year’s deadline, and the difference is stark.
. . .
Different years and different markets, yes, but the concept still holds: The Leafs paid premium prices for depth players that didn’t really fill a need, and Vegas has used similar premium assets to acquire actual difference-makers.
If there isn’t a good trade to make, don’t make one. That’s a great philosophy many of the league’s top teams live by. In desperation, the Leafs opted for an extremely costly and short-sighted path that didn’t move the needle much, and it’s one they’re now paying the price for in opportunity lost.