Written by Pierre Leblanc, Chris Johnston, Joshua Cloke, Eric Stevens
The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin from the Anaheim Ducks in a three-team trade with the Carolina Hurricanes, both teams announced Thursday.
Trade: The Anaheim Ducks acquired defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin and the rights to unsigned draft pick Kirill Threepets in a three-team trade with the Carolina Hurricanes.
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 1, 2024
The Ducks will acquire a 2025 third-round pick and retain 50 percent of Lyubushkin’s salary. The Hurricanes will receive a sixth-round pick and 25% of Lyubushkin’s salary for remaining as a third-party broker. Toronto will also receive the reserved rights to Kirill Srepets as part of the three-team trade.
The Leafs are holding Lyubushkin at double the cap value of $687,500, which is below the league’s minimum salary. This leaves plenty of room for further moves before the March 8 trade deadline.
The 29-year-old ranked 18th. The AthleticLatest trading board.
On paper, this addition would be fine, if slightly underwhelming, for Toronto.
Yes, Lyubushkin fits what the Leafs need: a rugged, defensive defenseman who makes teams harder to play against. But Toronto needs that type of player in a top-four role, and it feels like that’s what’s coming here, rather than a bottom-pair defender.
Can Lyubushkin do what is asked of him, along with Morgan Rielly, who was playing when he was acquired in 2022? The results at that time were not overwhelming, and since then Lyubushkin has played only in bad teams.
This move could push another defenseman higher up in the lineup to join Rielly. Will Keefe go back to the combination of Morgan Rielly and TJ Brodie in the playoffs, even though Brodie has been playing very well on the left side recently?
Add that up, and the Leafs have a lot of bottom-four defenders, and they just acquired another one.
Hopefully, Lyubushkin can seamlessly fit into the lineup and perform at a level that makes him happy with the city and the organization. And with recent injuries to Timothy Liljegren and Mark Giordano, a fresh body should help Toronto down the stretch.
The cost is fine and with 75% of his salary retained, it feels like another move could be coming for Brad Treliving and the Leafs. That’s understandable, since adding Lyubushkin won’t solve all of Toronto’s current problems.
This is a small asset management upgrade by Anaheim general manager Pat Verbeek. He originally acquired Lyubushkin from the Buffalo Sabers late last summer for a 2025 fourth-round draft pick — a trade that was a selection they acquired from John Klingberg’s Minnesota Wild.
The Ducks already have three third-round picks this year, so a return should be no problem and they will be given a second round pick in 2025.
Mainly, Anaheim got what they wanted in the trade for Lyubushkin in the first place. They had to deal with one of the worst defenses in franchise history, but the 29-year-old Russian played some tough games and contributed in that regard as a meat-and-potatoes blueliner who was an avid shot blocker. The Ducks are still near the bottom of the league, but Lyubushkin didn’t do the damage Klingberg did in his only disappointing season with the club.
Lyubushkin’s biggest impact may have been on the ice and in the locker room. Because he was a willing mentor of fellow Moscow native Pavel Minchukov. Minchukov is a talented 20-year-old rookie on his way to becoming one of the mainstays of their defense. . So it might have made some sense for the Ducks to keep Lyubushkin. It made more sense to acquire the asset of an impending unrestricted free agent who could have left after the season.
Anaheim could easily absorb 50 percent, or $1.375 million, since all three salary retention slots are open and there is plenty of space available in 2023-2024. As the March 8 trade deadline approaches, attention shifts to forwards Adam Henrique and Frank Vatrano. The two have been in a lot of trade talk as offensive players who could help Stanley Cup contenders looking for more scoring power up front.
Lyubushkin has 4 points (0 goals, 4 assists) in 55 games this season.
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(Photo: Wendell Cruz/USA Today)
