Leafs have perfect trade pitch to land Habs' Pacioretty!

Would you pull the trigger on this blockbuster deal?!

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 6 years ago
Leafs have perfect trade pitch to land Habs' Pacioretty!
Keystone Press

The song is getting old, but the reality that Montreal Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty will be traded before the Feb. 26 deadline appears to be more and more plausible. On Saturday, one of the many times NHL insiders discussed the possibility of the 29-year-old top-scorer getting dealt, Sportsnet's insiders Nick Kypreos and Elliotte Friedman mentioned once again Pacioretty as being on the block, and now, it just seems that the player himself knows a trade is coming soon... 

If that happens, it happens,” Pacioretty recently said on the possibility of being traded.

Now, one of the questions remains where to? According to a blog of SB Nation, the Toronto Maple Leafs should make a move to land Pacioretty. The blob mentions that the Leafs should use the facts that talented young stars like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander are still playing on their entry-level contracts to add Pacioretty to the roster. 

Kypreos and Friedman pointed out that Habs GM Marc Bergevin is seeking a younger top scorer in return for Pacioretty and the SB Nation blog, Pension Plan Puppets, have quite the suggestion. 

"Josh Leivo (1yr, $925,000), Connor Carrick (RFA), Travis Dermott (2yr/$863,333), Frederik Gauthier (RFA), one of Jeremy Bracco (2yr/$842,500) or Adam Brooks (2yr/$759,167), 2x 2018 2nd round picks (Toronto & San Jose - this gives them four 2nd round picks next draft). This gives their prospect cupboard two centres and a defender, an NHL defender, an NHLish winger, as well as two picks to trade or keep. Also flexible to one 2018 2nd and a 2019 2nd."

The blog also mentions that the Leafs can use the money from the long term injured reserve to cover Pacioretty's season long cap hit of $4,500,000 and for the rest of this year he has $2,730,968 as a cap hit.

And so, should the Leafs pull the trigger on such a blockbuster move? 


Source: SB Nation