Just as the 2021 NHL Trade Deadline ended the Toronto Maple Leafs made a small deal. They sent 26 year old forward Alexander Barabanov to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for 27 year old centre Antti Suomela.
Barabanov came to the Maple Leafs as a free agent out of the KHL, who won multiple World Championship medals and Gagarin Cups and was considered to be a great pick up for which ever team was able to sign him.
Unfortunately, he never made an impact for the Maple Leafs or Marlies, and spent most of this season on the taxi squad rather than on the ice and his biggest highlight was almost scoring a goal.