The Toronto Maple Leafs have just made a significant trade, acquiring defenseman Jake McCabe and forward Sam Lafferty from the Chicago Blackhawks. This move comes hot on the heels of their recent acquisition of Ryan O'Reilly and Noel Acciari from the St. Louis Blues, suggesting that the Leafs are determined to make a strong playoff push this season.
As part of the deal, McCabe will join the Leafs for two years, with Chicago retaining 50% of his contract, resulting in a payment of only $2M each season. McCabe's physical presence and size will be a welcome addition to the Leafs' defense, allowing them to clear the net and disrupt the cycle more effectively. Lafferty, on the other hand, is a pending unrestricted free agent who will likely play as a utility forward in the bottom-six and add some much-needed offense to the third and fourth line.
In exchange for McCabe and Lafferty, the Leafs have only had to give up a conditional first-round draft pick, a second-round pick, and two low-level prospects in Joey Anderson and Pavel Gogolev. This latest trade is yet another huge win for the Leafs, as they continue to assemble their strongest team in modern history.
