New trade pitch sees Maple Leafs acquiring $25M star from Avalanche divisional rival
Photo credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie / USA TODAY Sports
A shocking new trade scenario has emerged, suggesting the Toronto Maple Leafs could acquire star Russian forward Ivan Barbashev from Colorado Avalanche divisional rival Vegas Golden Knights.
After losing Mitch Marner this offseason, the Toronto Maple Leafs are looking to bolster their lineup with additional offensive firepower.
Maple Leafs eyeing blockbuster trade for Ivan Barbashev.
Cole Shelton from Heavy.com recently proposed a trade scenario in which the Maple Leafs acquire Barbashev from the Golden Knights in a compelling deal.
"The proposed deal would be an intriguing one as Toronto would acquire a top-six winger in Barbashev to take over the second-line left winger role. Vegas, meanwhile, gets a middle-six forward who can score as well as an offensive defenseman who can help fill the void of Alex Pietrangelo." -Shelton
The Maple Leafs would acquire Barbashev in exchange for forward Bobby McMann and defenseman Morgan Rielly.
"Toronto has done a good job making its roster tougher to play against. But one area of need is adding more offense to replace Marner." -Shelton
Barbashev would address two key needs for the Maple Leafs, providing scoring while also being a pesky, hard-to-play-against presence, particularly in the playoffs. His name has surfaced in trade rumours this summer, according to insider Nick Kypreos.
«Ivan Barbashev is considered one of their most movable pieces, a 23-goal, 51-point scorer this season who's making $5 million against the salary cap for another three years. The 29-year-old would be an interesting target for teams that are looking to bolster their offence, such as Ottawa or Carolina. Barbashev does have an eight-team no-trade list.» -Kypreos
Barbashev would slot perfectly as the top-six winger the Maple Leafs need and would likely become a fan favourite for coach Craig Berube, having previously played under him with the St. Louis Blues and helping the team capture the Stanley Cup in 2019, before winning it again with Vegas in 2023.
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AOUT 29 | 40 ANSWERS New trade pitch sees Maple Leafs acquiring $25M star from Avalanche divisional rival Do you think the Golden Knights finish ahead of the Avalanche next NHL season? | ||
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