ICYMI: Leafs finally pull off a trade, clear roster log jam

A surprising bit of activity from the Leafs today.

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 5 years ago
ICYMI: Leafs finally pull off a trade, clear roster log jam
Zuma Press

In case you missed it, the Toronto Maple Leafs made the final cuts to their roster today, first by demoting defenseman Connor Carrick and goaltenders Calvin Pickard and Curtis McElhinney to the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies. All three players require passing through waivers before they can be assigned to the AHL.

The MapleLeafs announced today that the hockey club has reduced its roster to 23 players (13 forwards, eight defencemen and two goaltenders).
The following players have been placed on waivers: Connor Carrick, Curtis McElhinney and Calvin Pickard.


Err….. scratch that. The Leafs pulled Carrick off the waiver wire and ended up shipping him to the Dallas Stars in exchange for a conditional 7th round draft pick.

The Dallas Stars have acquired defenseman Connor Carrick from the Maple Leafs in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.


Carrick, a 24 year old former top prospect, has had a tough time cracking the Leafs’ full time roster the past two seasons, so hopefully this move frees him up to play regular NHL minutes with the Stars in 2018-19.

Read below for the full press release courtesy of the Stars’ official website:

*FRISCO, Texas —* Dallas Stars General Manager*Jim Nill* announced today that the club has acquired defenseman *Connor Carrick* from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a conditional seventh-round selection in the 2019 NHL Draft. Should Carrick play in 50-or-more NHL games, it will become a sixth-round selection in 2019.
Carrick, 24, recorded 12 points (4-8=12) in 47 regular-season games played for Toronto in 2017-18. His three game-winning goals led all Maple Leafs defensemen and were tied for fifth-most overall on the team. He blocked 53 shots on the season and recorded 42 hits.
In four NHL seasons, he has appeared in 167 regular-season contests with Washington and Toronto, registering 30 points (9-21=30). He played in six postseason contests for Toronto in 2017, posting three shots and four penalty minutes.
The 5-foot-11, 195-pound native of Orland Park, Ill. was originally selected by Washington in the fifth round (137th overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft.

Lost in all the news surrounding Carrick, of course, is the fact that the Leafs will head into the 2018-19 season with goaltender Garret Sparks as starter Frederik Andersen's backup. Interesting choice, especially given how well veteran McElhinney has acquitted himself this preseason. Then again, Sparks was the AHL's top goalie in 2017-18 and does deserve a shot at a regular NHL job.