The Toronto Maple Leafs have been struggling offensively to start the season, and there’s a proposed trade circulating that suggests they acquire a top forward. Using PuckPedia’s PuckGM tool, a fan proposed a trade between the Maple Leafs and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Maple Leafs would receive:
– Bryan Rust (with $625k salary retained)
– Drew O’Connor
Penguins would receive:
– Nick Robertson
– David Kampf
– William Villeneuve
This deal could work for both sides, as Toronto would gain two impactful players to boost their lineup, helping them compete immediately. Meanwhile, the Penguins would receive younger players, which fits as Pittsburgh may no longer be in serious Stanley Cup contention.
Bryan Rust, in the third year of a six-year, $30.75 million contract, was instrumental in the Penguins’ Stanley Cup victories in 2016 and 2017. He could slot into Toronto’s top six and provide much-needed scoring. Last season, Rust put up 56 points in 62 games. O’Connor, on a two-year, $1.85 million contract, could strengthen Toronto’s bottom-six forward group, helping improve a lineup that has struggled with depth scoring.
The Penguins’ biggest return in this deal would be Robertson, a player drafted by Kyle Dubas, Pittsburgh’s current GM, who previously worked with Toronto. Robertson requested a trade this past offseason but ultimately re-signed with the Leafs. Kampf, a reliable defensive forward, is in the second year of a four-year, $9.6 million deal and could fill a bottom-six role in Pittsburgh. Villeneuve, a defenseman drafted in 2020, is currently in the AHL and could eventually become an NHL depth defenseman.
Maple Leafs’ Power Play Struggles:
Toronto’s offense, especially its power play, has been underperforming this season. Through eight games, their power play conversion rate is only 11.1%, placing them 27th in the league. Coach Craig Berube expressed frustration following a 5-1 home loss on October 24, saying the team needs to play more directly. Captain Auston Matthews echoed the sentiment, taking responsibility and admitting that the team’s overall performance hasn’t been good enough.
The Leafs will face the Boston Bruins on October 26.
Penguins’ Slow Start:
Pittsburgh has had a sluggish start, with a 3-4-1 record and three straight losses. GM Kyle Dubas is monitoring the team closely during this challenging stretch to determine if changes are needed. Dubas emphasized evaluating how the team is playing, responding to adversity, and getting contributions from different parts of the lineup. Pittsburgh’s next game is against the Edmonton Oilers on October 25.
