Can the Maple Leafs get past round 1?

Kyle Dubas and the Toronto Maple Leafs are wheeling and dealing. Toronto acquired center Ryan O’Reilly and forward Noel Acciari from the St. Louis Blues in a three-way trade on Friday night. In return, the Blues received a 2023 first-round pick, a 2023 third-round pick, a 2024 second-round pick, forward Mikhail Abramov and forward Adam Gaudette.

The Blues retained 50% of O’Reilly’s $7.5 million salary cap hit, and the Wild got involved to retain 25% of his salary. In exchange for that, the Wild received Toronto’s fourth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.

Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas had to work some salary cap magic to make this trade happen, but he wound up with O’Reilly at 25% of his original salary. The question now is whether he was worth what the team surrendered.

The Chicago Blackhawks traded defenseman Jake McCabe and forward Sam Lafferty to the Toronto Maple Leafs

Luke Schenn became a Maple Leaf after acquiring Jake McCabe earlier this week, it slots Schenn into a perfect role as the team’s No. 6 defenseman or depth piece in the press box.

At 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, the right-handed defenseman gives the Leafs a different look in their bottom-six and makes them harder to play against. I thought the team would go more towards skill with someone who can push the puck up the ice, but going with Schenn will make them more physical, which is important.

Although giving up a third-rounder feels like a little much for a veteran rental defenseman, the team got one right back in the Pierre Engvall trade, so it’s all good.