NHL insider David Pagnotta revealed the proposed trade package the Toronto Maple Leafs made for Columbus Blue Jackets defender Zach Werenski.
The Blue Jackets were in serious trade talks with several other NHL clubs the last few days before they decided to hold onto their Norris Trophy-winning defenseman, who ultimately committed to the team in the short term.
We already know the Dallas Stars offered Thomas Harley for Werenski, a trade the Blue Jackets accepted before Werenski used his no-movement clause to block it from happening.
We also know that the Maple Leafs were in the mix to trade for the stud defenseman after the trade with Dallas fell through. Now, we know what Toronto offered.
David Pagnotta Reveals Toronto’s Trade Package for Zach Werenski
According to Pagnotta on “Leafs Morning Take,” the Maple Leafs offered the Blue Jackets a package consisting of rugged winger Matthew Knies, defense prospect Ben Danford, and other pieces to Columbus for Werenski, as Maple Leafs GM John Chayka was doing everything he could to bring the Norris Trophy winner to Toronto.
“I believe Knies and Danford would have been a part of some type of package,” Pagnotta said.
According to Pagnotta, Darren Dreger’s report about the Maple Leafs trying to get Werenski without Knies being in the package was accurate, but the Blue Jackets scoffed at this idea of trading away their star defenseman if Knies was not a part of the trade package coming back to Columbus.
“I did hear that, ‘Yeah, can we try to make this happen without Knies?’ And the answer was no,” Pagnotta said.
Maple Leafs Defense Now
Without Werenski coming north of the border to Leaf-land, here’s how the Maple Leafs’ defense for next season looks right now:
- Jake McCabe-Darren Raddysh
- Morgan Rielly-Chris Tanev
- Troy Stetcher-Oliver Ekman-Larsson
- Emil Andrae
It’s a solid defense from one through seven, but probably not as good as the Maple Leafs want it to be as they look to seriously contender for the Stanley Cup next season.
Had the Maple Leafs picked up Werenski, it would have given the team arguably the best defenseman that it’s had since the days of Borje Salming. But the club was not able to get the deal done, and Werenski will remain in Columbus for at least the time being.
Pagnotta also noted during the interview that the Maple Leafs continue to have conversations with other clubs about Rielly, so it’s not a lock that he’s on the team’s roster next year.
The Maple Leafs are essentially capped out now after their flurry of free-agent signings and trades on July 1, but if they could move Rielly and his $7.75 million salary, it would open up more flexibility for the team to make other moves and upgrade their roster.
We’ll see what happens with the Rielly saga, but for now, the Maple Leafs do have seven capable NHL defensemen on their roster as they look to become a more defensively sound team under new Maple Leafs head coach Jim Hiller next season.
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