It’s been just over a month now since Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas traded Kasperi Kapanen (and pieces) for a 2020 first-round draft pick in the upcoming draft on October 6-7. As the tweet below notes, the trade was like this:
There were a number of secondary benefits to the Maple Leafs from this trade. First, the organization was able to clear cap space from moving Kapanen’s $3+ salary-cap hit. Second, young center Filip Hallander came to the team. Hallander was someone Dubas had been looking at earlier. However, what hasn’t been noted much was the addition of Evan Rodrigues as part of the trade.
Related: Maple Leafs Kyle Dubas Must Waiver to Pursue Alex Pietrangelo
Rodrigues’ Stock Has Fallen; but He Might Be a Good Depth Player
Last season, getting Rodrigues as a secondary piece in a trade would have been celebrated. But, after a strong 2018-19 season, he followed up with a poor 2019-20 season. As a result, it isn’t a surprise that perceptions might have changed. However, prior to last season, he had scored at least 25 points in two seasons in a row. He also held down a regular line-up spot as the third-line center with the Buffalo Sabres.
But hockey lives can change with the coach, and for some reason, when new Sabres head coach Ralph Krueger took over, he didn’t value Rodrigues. The young center regularly set up shop in the press-box. In frustration, Rodrigues asked to be traded and landed with the Penguins.
Because the Penguins weren’t that invested in him, playing time became even tougher to find with a good team like the Penguins. Rodrigues didn’t play a minute in Pittsburgh’s qualifying series loss to Carey Price – oh, and the remainder of the Montreal Canadiens.
Did Dubas Do His Homework on Rodrigues?
The question is which Rodrigues came to the Maple Leafs in the Penguins trade? Often Dubas drafts on a player’s body of work instead of his draft-year. For example, he found Timothy Liljegren that way – Liljegren had mono and was ill so his stock fell before the Maple Leafs picked him up during Round One (17th overall) of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.
I have to believe Dubas did his Rodrigues’ homework and believes Rodrigues is more the player he was in Buffalo before Krueger became the bench boss than after. Whatever, it seems that the Maple Leafs organization is anxious to find out just what they have.
Talks Are Happening Between Rodrigues and the Maple Leafs
Two days ago, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported that Rodrigues and the Maple Leafs are talking contract.
Apparently, these talks are productive. The trick for the Maple Leafs is convincing Rodrigues to sign for less than his RFA qualifying offer which is $2 million. If that doesn’t happen, it might be that the team would likely let Rodrigues walk without qualifying him. That’s simply the nature of the team’s salary-cap situation. Unless they can sign him on a cheaper, short-term deal, he’ll likely become a UFA.
Next: Blues Working on Sign-and-Trade for Pietrangelo?
If Rodrigues Signs?
Should Rodrigues choose to sign with the team, he would give the Maple Leafs a strong (and cheap) bottom-two center. It might also allow the team to move Alex Kerfoot and another $3+ million salary-cap hit.
Although little has been written about Rodrigues, he might show great value as a depth player. He’s only 27-year-old, and he can play multi-positions (he has played 11 of 12 forward positions). His best season was 2018-19, and he set career-highs by playing 74 games, scoring nine goals, and adding 20 assists (29 points). (from ‘Penguins A to Z: Evan Rodrigues found what he wanted in Pittsburgh,’ Trib Live, 06/03/2020).
Rodrigues likely won’t be the offensive player Kapanen was, but he might be a defensive upgrade. I hope he stays with the team. It will be good to see how he performs.
If not, I wish him luck wherever he might land.
