Kyle Dubas continues to be the busiest GM in the NHL. He’s making deals left, right, and center, moving pieces around in what can only be grand a last attempt to build the ideal roster heading into the playoffs. He made a number of trades well ahead of the deadline, but he’s now moving Rasmus Sanding and Pierre Engvall, while also adding Luke Schenn and Eric Gustafsson to his roster.
Out the window went any notion that he wasn’t willing to move roster players. He’d said so after other deals where he moved first-rounders and multiple draft picks to acquire names like Ryan O’Reilly, Noel Acciari, Jake McCabe, and Sam Lafferty. But, as Matt Murray was coming off of LTIR, it became necessary to start pulling from the active roster to finalize everything he needed to get done.
Reports are that he’s traded Pierre Engvall to the New York Islanders for a 2024 third-round pick. Dubas then acquired Luke Schenn from the Canucks in exchange for a 2023 third-round draft pick.
Engvall was headed for unrestricted free agency at the end of the season. He was unlikely to stick around based on the needs to sign the rest of the roster and find room for bigger, higher-priority forwards like Michael Bunting. Engvall has a ton of skill, and could be an underrated, pretty solid middle-six guy for the Islanders.
Schenn will come in and add experience to their blue line, likely slotting in where Sandin was. He is a physical bottom-pairing stay-at-home defenceman. He’ll add a lot of crunch to the Leafs as he likes to lay in hits. It can wind up in penalties, so he’ll have to walk a fine line there. In 55 games with the Canucks this season, Schenn has three goals, 18 assists, 21 points, and averaged just over 17 minutes per game.
Schenn had been the subject of trade speculation for some time, recently being pulled from the lineup by the Canucks in anticipation of a trade so that he could be at home with his wife for the birth of their child.
Reports are that head coach Sheldon Keefe hasn’t spoken to Schenn yet but says GM Kyle Dubas has … and Luke is very excited to be coming back to Toronto.
Next: Maple Leafs Trade Sandin to Capitals for Gustafsson & 1st-Rounder
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