A lot of people assumed that Kevin Shattenkirk would be a big target for the Toronto Maple Leafs by this year’s NHL Trade Deadline Day. In the end, he was traded to the Washington Capitals.
However, it wouldn’t have been a good idea to trade for Shattenkirk because the Leafs would’ve had to give up a lot to get him. Not to mention the possibility that the All-Star defenseman could end up being just a rental player.
It was too risky of a trade that wouldn’t have resembled the proper move for a team doing a rebuild the right way.