The Toronto Maple Leafs trade deadline was, at least at first, weird and confusing. I didn’t like it at first, and was very disappointed that they didn’t go after Timo Meier or Erik Karlsson.
But you can’t argue with results, and since being acquired, both Jake McCabe and Ryan O’Reilly have performed at a superstar level for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
At the trade deadline the Leafs added two superstar players who, cumulatively, combine to be the best additions anyone made at the trade deadline. It might be an exaggeration to call it the best ever, but at least in the modern era, I cannot find an example of an already stacked team adding a top centre, and a top defenseman to their lineup at the same time.