This offseason, the Toronto Maple Leafs prioritised defence and goaltending, and one trade proposition added another elite defenseman.
Users can design their own deals using the PuckGM tool on the website PuckPedia. A user put forth a trade that would see Jamie Oleksiak sent from the Seattle Kraken to the Maple Leafs.
- Jamie Oleksiak ($2.3 million retained)
Kraken acquire:
- Topi Niemela
- 2026 first-round pick
- 2026 third-round pick
The proposed deal would be a blockbuster as Toronto goes all-in this season by dealing two picks and a prospect.
Toronto would acquire Oleksiak who’s entering the fourth year of his five-year $23 million deal. Oleksiak is also from Toronto so he’s another local player who would be a fan favorite. The 6-foot-7 defenseman would help bolster the blue line and could be the Maple Leafs’ second-line left-shot pairing and push Oliver Ekman-Larsson to the third pairing where he would be better suited. Last season with the Kraken, Oleksiak recorded 2 goals and 13 assists for 15 points in 82 games.
The Maple Leafs would deal two draft picks prospect Niemela who could push for NHL minutes on the blue line this season. Niemela is 22 and was selected in the third round of the 2020 NHL draft. Last season in the AHL, Niemela recorded 8 goals and 31 assists for 39 points in 68 games
Toronto hired Stanley Cup-winning coach Craig Berube this offseason after firing Sheldon Keefe.
In his first week of training camp, Berube has brought the intensity up, which he is pleased with how everyone has responded.
“I believe there’s a lot of labour and competition out there, a lot of fights. Simply realising that you will frequently be uncomfortable during games and that you must persevere and perform in those situations,” Berube stated on September 18. Overall, I was rather pleased with the first day. Guys put forth a lot of effort.
Speaking about the training camp, experienced player Ryan Reaves of the Maple Leafs claimed it was the hardest drill he had ever participated in.
Reaves stated, “Today was in my top two and it probably wasn’t two.” Still, it was a pleasant day. I believe it immediately communicates to the team what our identity will be, and I believe the men found it enjoyable battle. And we got through it and we won the day two.”
The Maple Leafs will open its 2024-25 NHL season on the road on October 9 against the Montreal Canadiens.
The 2023–24 NHL season saw Seattle miss the playoffs, and the Kraken were among the most competitive teams in the offseason.
Chandler Stephenson, a forward who won the Stanley Cup, and Brandon Montour, a defender who won the Cup, were signed by Seattle to seven-year contracts. According to general manager Ron Francis, the significant splashes are thrilling for the team.
It’s an exciting day for the Kraken organization and our fans, right?” Francis said on July 1. “It just goes to show that players want to come to Seattle. They want to play for this organization. They want to play in front of our great fans.”
The Kraken will open its 2024-25 NHL season at home on October 8 against the St. Louis Blues.
