Successful trade that will transform the Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs are not where they want to be at the start of the season.
The results were not disastrous, but the team still did not live up to expectations.
The Leafs struggled early to beat lower-tier teams.

Finding a way to succeed can be difficult.
Especially when you spend $20 million over the summer and end up flushing most of it down the toilet like new Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving.
While the goaltending can be shaky and unreliable at times, the team’s biggest weakness is the blue line. They did not provide enough help to the tandem of Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Voll.
The Maple Leafs are the fifth-worst club in the NHL in scoring through their first 13 games.
They give up an average of 3.62 goals.
Franchises that know they need additional defensive help should focus on players who can help course-correct.
He needs to be a top talent on a team that could miss the playoffs.
Because the only teams that will make a difference are the ones that missed the postseason.

One team that fits that description is the Calgary Flames.
They went 4-7-1 in their first 12 games.
The player the Leafs need in Calgary is Mackenzie Vigar.
The 29-year-old has been a sensation for the Flames since acquiring him as part of a trade with the Florida Panthers for Matthew Tkachuk.
The 6-foot-4, 206-pound defenseman from Ottawa has two goals and three assists in 12 games.
Such a massive deal could change Toronto’s fortunes.
In addition to bolstering the team’s defensive capabilities, Vigar’s arrival will provide peace of mind in a high-pressure playoff scenario and address a critical need in the pursuit of the Stanley Cup.
Vegar’s possession stats reflect his personal success.
At even strength, he has a Corsi rating of 57.8, 3.3 points better than his team, according to Hockey Reference. Some were concerned about the small sample size, but he was much better last season.
Playing at even strength in 81 games, Vigar’s Corsi is 61.2, 6.0 better than his team’s.
Such a massive deal could change Toronto’s fortunes. In addition to bolstering the team’s defensive capabilities, Vigar’s arrival will provide peace of mind in a high-pressure playoff scenario and address a critical need in the pursuit of the Stanley Cup.
That’s why Vigar signed a massive eight-year contract extension with the Flames in October 2022.
According to Cap Friendly, his contract runs through the 2030-2031 season.
Its transaction value is $6.25 million.

Making this deal is a big risk for the Maple Leafs.
When Hugar’s contract expires, he will be 37 years old and worth $6.25 million. However, the NHL salary cap is almost certain to increase somewhat over the next eight years.
This means that the Weegar AAV will not cover at the same rate as it is now.

Now that the Flames have realized that entering rebuild mode is the best option, they may not want to commit to Vigar long-term.
The best value is that you can get the most income right now.
It would be surprising to see him move, but it could be a beneficial decision for the Flames.
The Toronto Maple Leafs need to sign a big-cap player to cash in on a deal. The best outcome for the Buds would be if the player they trade is John Klingberg.
The Flames might like him because his $4.15 million contract expires after this season.

Klingberg wouldn’t be the only return the Flames would accept in a trade.
But if the Leafs are willing to sign a very long and expensive contract to a player who probably won’t be good until the Flames rebuild, the cost probably isn’t much.
Reaching a deal could mean more to the Flames than the Leafs.
The Leafs may need to add something, but it’s usually not the type of asset they need to acquire these players.
This deal recognizes the difficulty of turning down promising prospects and draft picks, but demonstrates a delicate balance between immediate success and long-term stability. Investing in a defenseman of Vigar’s caliber would not only make the Toronto Maple Leafs a short-term contender, but also give them a solid asset that could generate consistent returns in the future if Vigar’s performance doesn’t decline.
With Vigar playing behind stars like Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, the Toronto Maple Leafs could become one of the most dangerous teams in the NHL, if not the most dangerous.