Leafs and Avs pull off a trade

In case you missed it earlier today, the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche pulled off a one for one trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Heading to Denver is undersized Swiss forward Denis Malgin, with 27 year old winger Dryden Hunt heading to Toronto in exchange. The deal is a true "one for one" trade with no picks, prospects or salary retained.

The Avs get Malgin, who has fit in at times with the Leafs but ultimately hasn't found his footing as an NHL player despite having several opportunities. He's just 5'9", 180 pounds and doesn't manage the physical aspects of the game well. Still, he's a smart forward with a nose for the net and he could wind up getting some offensive zone looks with an undermanned Avs team that relies on skill up front.

As for Hunt, he's certainly a more versatile depth player and could give the Leafs some grit on their 3rd or 4th lines. He's put up just one goal in 25 games with the Avs so far this season and just 14 goals and 42 points in 193 career games split between the Avs, the New York Rangers, the Arizona Coyotes and the Florida Panthers.

Ironically, Malgin and Hunt were both teammates on the Panthers for three seasons from 2017 until 2020.