Kyle Dubas knows that anything less than a deep playoff run could lead to him sifting through the wanted ads. With that in mind, the Toronto Maple Leafs GM made a significant acquisition ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline Monday.
The Leafs have acquired defenseman Mark Giordano and center Colin Blackwell from the Seattle Kraken, sending two second-round draft picks the other way.
Toronto doesn’t have the salary-cap flexibility to absorb the former Norris Trophy-winning defenseman’s salary without moving on from a current roster player.
In a separate deal, the Leafs moved Travis Dermott to the Vancouver Canucks, in exchange for the Winnipeg Jets’ third-round selection in the upcoming draft.