Leafs ship Engvall, Sandin while picking up Gustafsson, Schenn in series of trades
Posted February 28, 2023 4:36 pm.
Last Updated February 28, 2023 5:24 pm.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have traded defenceman Rasmus Sandin to the Washington Capitals for defenceman Erik Gustafsson and a 2023 first-round pick (originally owned by the Boston Bruins), Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports.
Sandin has four goals and 20 points in 52 games this season for the Leafs. The 22-year-old signed a two-year, $2.8 million contract extension back in September 2022.
Gustafsson has seven goals and 38 points in 61 games for the Capitals this season while averaging 20:22 of ice time. The 30-year-old joined Washington on a one-year, $800,000 deal this past off-season.
With the trade, the Leafs gain $600,000 in cap space but still need to make another move in order to activate goaltender Matt Murray from long-term injured reserve.
Sandin has four goals and 20 points in 52 games this season for the Leafs. The 22-year-old signed a two-year, $2.8 million contract extension back in September 2022.
Gustafsson has seven goals and 38 points in 61 games for the Capitals this season while averaging 20:22 of ice time. The 30-year-old joined Washington on a one-year, $800,000 deal this past off-season.
With the trade, the Leafs gain $600,000 in cap space but still need to make another move in order to activate goaltender Matt Murray from long-term injured reserve.
Luke Schenn returns to Leafs in trade from Canucks for draft pick
The Leafs also acquired stalwart defenceman Luke Schenn on Tuesday from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a 2023 third-round pick.
Schenn, 34, had been rumoured to be on the block because his skillset — he’s a rugged, veteran, stay-at-home defenceman who has won two Stanley Cups — is in high demand for teams making a push into the playoffs. Plus, he’s a relative bargain: A pending UFA, Schenn’s cap hit is $850,000 this season.
In 55 games with the Canucks this season, Schenn has three goals and 18 assists for 21 points. In 918 career games with the Canucks, Lightning, Flyers, Leafs, Kings, Coyotes and Ducks, Schenn has 41 goals and 149 assists for 190 points. His career average time on ice is 17:39.
Schenn, whose wife, Jeska Peczek, is pregnant with an expected delivery date of March 3, was sent back to Vancouver on Feb 21 for trade-related reasons.
The Saskatoon native who now calls Kelowna, B.C., home was the Maple Leafs’ first-round pick, fifth overall, in 2008.
The Canucks have struggled this season and are 12th in the Western Conference with a 24-31-5 record.
The move is the fifth trade the Maple Leafs have made in the lead up to Friday’s trade deadline. In all, the team has added Ryan O’Reilly, Noel Accari, Jake McCabe, Sam Lafferty, Erik Gustaffson as well as a first-round pick and third-round pick.
Leafs trade Pierre Engvall to Islanders for third-round pick
The Leafs also traded forward Pierre Engvall to the New York Islanders.
In exchange, Toronto received a third-round pick in 2024.
In 58 games this season Engvall has 12 goals and 21 points. In 226 career games with Toronto, the 26-year-old recorded 42 goals and 83 points.
The Leafs selected Engvall in the seventh round of the 2014 NHL Draft.
General manager Kyle Dubas has been busy Tuesday trading away Engvall, and Rasmus Sandin while acquiring Erik Gustafsson and Luke Schenn in separate deals.
