Leafs make shock trade by sending Sandin to Capitals
The Toronto Maple Leafs aren’t done surprising people yet.
On Tuesday afternoon, it was reported that they’d sent promising defenceman Rasmus Sandin to the Washington Capitals, in exchange for Erik Gustafsson and a first-round pick that originally belonged to the Boston Bruins, as per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
Sandin TO WASH for Erik Gustafsson and a first-rounder (Boston's)
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) February 28, 2023
Sandin had left the Leafs’ practice earlier in the day in order to facilitate the trade.
Rasmus Sandin just departed practice … NOT with member of medical staff pic.twitter.com/6XG70iYQBH
— Mark Masters (@markhmasters) February 28, 2023
The Leafs later officially confirmed the trade in a release.
Sandin, the Leafs’ 29th overall pick in the 2018 NHL draft, had 10 goals and 38 assists in 140 games for the Maple Leafs in his career spread across the last four seasons.
This year, Sandin had four goals and 16 assists in 52 games for the Maple Leafs. Sandin was in the first year of a two-year deal worth $1.4 million each season. He sat ninth in Leafs’ ice time amongst skaters, averaging 17:59 per game this season.
On the other side of the trade, Toronto received Gustafsson, a 30-year-old left defenceman making $800,000 this season. He has seven goals and 31 assists in 61 games this season, , putting up 20:22 of ice time per game, fourth amongst Capitals defenders.
While the trade appears shocking at first due to Sandin’s pedigree and projected potential, it appears that the Leafs are fully going all-in on this year’s roster while also acquiring a first-round pick in the process.
Washington had originally acquired the pick last week in a three-team deal also involving Minnesota. Due to Boston’s place at the top of the NHL standings, the pick is currently projected to be 32nd overall in this year’s draft, the final pick in the opening round.
The NHL Trade Deadline is set for this Friday, March 3.
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