NHL Rumors: A Mock Trade Between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames

Seravalli on a mock Noah Hanifin trade between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames. Who swipes left?

Dec 10, 2022; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin (55) battles with Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares (91) for position during the third period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Daily Faceoff: Tyler Yaremchuk and Frank Seravalli on Daily Faceoff Live on a mock trade between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames.

** NHLRumors.com transcription

Yaremchuk: “Frank, deadline matchmaker time. We got one, two, three, four, five, six different deals to work through but let’s start with No. 1 on your trade target board,  Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin. Where are you sending Hanifin?

Seravalli: “I’m sending him to the Toronto Maple Leafs. And look I realize this is not a perfect transaction and someone might read this and say you are batshit crazy and they might be right. But I think the only way the Leafs get aggressive is if they can fill multiple holes. And we all know how much of an issue their bottom-six has been.

I think they’ve, there’s a possibility here to grab Hanifin and one other forward piece. Like an Andrew Pangiapane, who’s by the way from Toronto. Get him at 50% retained. He’s got one more year left on his deal, knock him down to 2.9 million bucks a year. He’s already in double-digit goals. He’s been a 35-goal scorer. Probably much more likely to be a consistent 20-goal scorer and he slots into your middle-six.

Then you take some problems off of Brad Treliving’s hands, like a Ryan Reeves. Someone that also has term on his deal, two years. But you, if you’re Calgary you need not just people to play in your lineup next year and the year after but you need someone that could protect your younger guys and look after them. Reeves would be that, plus you take a couple of flyers. if we can throw the graphic up there. Again on Topi Niemela, and as well Nick Robertson. Two guys that are NHL-ready players and you get first, third and fifth round picks.

Who swipes left?”

Yaremchuk: “I mean for the Leafs, like that’s a big package. Couple of big prospects to give up, obviously, the first-round pick but I would have no problem paying that price because one, it makes you so much better this year, and I believe the East is wide open.So why not take a shot if you’re Toronto?

And also to get Mangiapane at 50% retained with some term Frank, like that is incredibly valuable. I think if you’re a Leafs fan scoffing at this, you need to recognize like that extra year of a guy like Mangiapane would really help you at that price point.

Seravalli: “Yeah, and I think the idea would be here that you re-sign Hanafin. And people are saying, ‘Well, how could you do that?’

I mean, you’ve only got a couple of defensemen that are committed to your team next season. It’s, it’s not perfect in the sense that Hanifin, first off doesn’t, he’s not really exceptional at running a power play. And second, he’s also a left-shot guy when Rielly is a left-shot guy. But where else are you going to find top-four defensemen to add to your team, not just now but also in the summer? It’s not going to happen.

So you know, if you can load up on the left side of your D, even though it’s not perfect, you can maybe find a couple of bargain right-shot guys that can, that can play there as well.

 

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