The Columbus Blue Jackets have been the biggest winners of the trade deadline so far, at least among sellers, having successfully moved defenseman David Savard to the Tampa Bay Lightning for first and third-round picks Saturday. Now, as TSN’s Frank Seravalli was first to report, the team has traded captain Nick Foligno as well, for another pricey return. After noting that several teams were in the bidding for Foligno, offering up first-round picks to get a deal done, Seravalli revealed that the Toronto Maple Leafs are the lucky club that will land the veteran forward.
The terms of the Foligno deal are very similar to the Savard trade, with a third team being used as a broker to retain salary. The Blue Jackets retained 50% Foligno’s contract, an expiring deal with a $5.5MM AAV, and traded him to the San Jose Sharks, who retained 50% of the remainder before passing him along to the Maple Leafs, leaving Toronto with just a $1.375MM hit. In exchange, the Blue Jackets receive Toronto’s 2021 first-round pick and 2022 fourth-round pick. The Sharks also receive a Toronto fourth-round pick in 2021 and send depth forward Stefan Noesen to the Leafs.
While the biggest buyers tend to get the most attention at the deadline, as the 2018-19 Blue Jackets can attest, this year’s Columbus team already feels like story of the 2021 deadline. In a market that was expected to suffer from salary cap crunches, border logistics, and a plethora of potential sellers, the Blue Jackets have turned two good-not-great players into a pair of first-round picks and two additional mid-round picks by getting creative with three-team deals to solve financial struggles. Both Foligno and Savard have been long-time Blue Jackets who worked hard and found great success, but to receive a first-rounder for either one would have been a surprise in a normal season, nevertheless in this strange market. GM Jarmo Kekalainen deserves all of the accolades coming to him for these trades, especially if Foligno re-signs in Columbus this off-season as many expect.
With that said, Foligno’s acquisition is still a strong move by the Leafs even at a high cost. Toronto is all-in this season and Folingo provides experience, leadership, work ethic, positional versatility, a strong defensive game, and some scoring as well. The 33-year-old also knows that this could be his best shot at winning a Stanley Cup and is sure to give it all he has. Foligno is the type of veteran depth addition that can often propel a team to a deep playoff run, especially when surrounded by other elite talent, of which there is a plethora in Toronto. Foligno has seven goals and 16 points in 42 games this season, as well as over 100 hits, and has shown in the past that he is capable of even more scoring and more physicality than he has already shown this year.
In Noesen, the Leafs add yet another forward option who can safely be sent to the taxi squad or AHL after clearing waivers earlier this season. The 28-year-old rental has over 200 NHL games under his belt and plays a gritty, hard-nosed style. Noesen is easy to forget in this deal, but could slide into a fourth-line role with Toronto if injuries strike. He was not being utilized by the Sharks this season, who will gladly move on and eat $1.375MM of Foligno’s cap in exchange for a draft pick.
A 1st round pick?! Dubas come on mannnn
The article actually pluralzed that to “first-round picks”.
bhd360-are you new to hockey bud? The draft is going to be weak due to limited play, as well Leads are going to probably have a 25-30th pick in the first round. I’d take a character guy like Foligno rather than an unsure when your going for it
its not going to be weak. hard to evaluate talent? maybe, but it makes both the chance of screwing up and finding a diamond in the rough that would have otherwise risen higher. riskier overall, but not garbage.
And I’m sure this diamond in the rough would have helped the leafs win a cup this year. The whole league knew this 1st rounder was on the market – knew the leafs were looking. Seems like it wasn’t worth very much – (probably because teams know the draft is weaker than previous years.). Ask the Celtics how holding on to first rounders helped them win a championship.
The leafs won’t make it past second round..just like every year
Again the 1st rounder will almost be a 2nd rounder. And the draft will not be great.
I don’t think there is anything intimidating at all about a hockey team called the Maple Leafs, but maybe it does make some sense. What do leaves do? They grow, they look pretty for months, then die, fall to the ground and spend the rest of their time disappearing into the soil VIA decomposition. That’s kind of what the “Maple Leafs” do every time the playoffs roll around, huh? Maybe it is a good name after all.
Can he play net?
Great depth add by leafs this is the year to go for it. Especially if they are not facing the Bruins in the first 2 rds…
1st round pick and more for a forward with 0.38 PPG and abysmal advanced stats. In what word do you trade that BEFORE Hall is moved?
Or Iafallo
Leafs have enough guys who can score points, they do not have enough guys like Foligno who play the game with a bit of grittiness. A first and a fourth round pick is a fair price.
Brendan Lemieux and Deslauriers play with plenty of grit. Nothing more than 4th rounder for them. Just because it’s a need doesn’t mean trade a 1st round pick.
And Foligno has much more uses. He can play on the PP or PK, play on basically any line on the Leafs and can contribute much more offensively than those two you mention. Part of the cost associated with acquiring Foligno lies in the fact that so much salary was retained. Without the salary retention, the deal can’t happen. Go back a week and everyone was saying “The Leafs can’t add anybody unless they send someone off the current roster.” The Leafs have since acquired 3 players without losing anyone.
Steep price to pay for a rental, and still doesn’t address the most glaring issues in my opinion,
I was hoping Martin Jones going to the Maple leafs as well … lol
He’s been better this year but yeah the bars not high
I wonder what Buffalo’s price is for Hall.
A good stereo for the locker room
I’m a Blue Jackets fan and full season ticket holder. We actually have idiots down here who want Jarmo fired. I’m not making this up. This season didn’t work out, but the pieces are there to solve our problems. The one thing you don’t want is a full on rebuild. I recently heard Steve Yzerman say it takes 7 years to do a complete rebuild and do it right. The Tortorella and Kekelainen combination in Columbus has changed the culture and raised expectations. If our idiot fans think they’re unhappy now, getting rid of those two constitutes an all out rebuild. If that happens, they’ll really know what misery is.
Imagine them acting the same way AFTER winning two recent Cups and being competitive each year since and you’ll understand my issue with about 78% of Pens fans.
Unfortunately, winning spoils a fanbase. There used to be a Steeler fan who had a website titled “Fire Bill Cowher”
Oh man and if you don’t do it right you’re an oilers fan…boys it’s brutal…
Steelers sidetrack…
Probably the same fans I heard for years and years straight complaining on sports talk radio here about an assistant coach with one of the pro teams who seemed to be pretty good and had a track record of success but they made him into their lightning rod and whipping boy and blamed him for everything until he finally “retired” and they cheered and cheered.
Bruce Arians, maybe you’ve heard of him?
A few coach of the year awards and a Super Bowl later…
Dubas got snubbed lol
If they got a 1st for Foligno then Hall definitely gets Buffalo more than that. Two numbers #1’s and a prospect?
Let’s go!!!!!! Gave up a first, but it’s worth it.
At the end of Monday, the returns that the Devils and Blue Jackets got for their UFAs is going to look a lot better than what Adams in Buffalo gets for his.
It’s been a tough year mentally and emotionally so I just want to point out that I called this.
All this for another early exit. Dubas must be feeling the heat
Taylor Hall or another skill player doesn’t help this team.
Playoffs are won in the trenches.
This move might finally convince me that Dubas now understands how to win. Might.
If they get a top four D man with some jam, I’ll change that might to will.
Though if Andersen is questionable to return effectively, they should ask on Merzlikins or Korpisalo since they have Jarmo’s number.
Actually, Leafs should go after Reimer.
A first round pick for a 3rd line winger is the most Leafs move ever.
This is a good deal for the leafs. The pick with be between 26-31 in a perceived weak draft. When you have a contender this is the price you have to pay to get over the top. Leafs fans aren’t used to having an elite team so don’t know this is how it’s done to make a run. The pick is a lottery ticket.
Exactly
Right? I’m so confused by fans sometimes. So many were complaining the team wasn’t tough enough and that they always draft small skilled forwards. Now that they add a player who is tough, can play up and down the lineup, and can play in all situations, they’re still complaining.
agreed cjmask. As a leafs fan I do wonder, is this behavour for fan bases in general or is toronto a ‘special’ case again? lol
let’s talk about how Dubas started his tenure by thinking that all he needed was small skilled players, and each year he’s added more defensive minded gritty, leadership players (Spezza, Thornton, Bogosian, foligno)
learn from your mistakes