Analysis: Maple Leafs acquire defenseman Chad Krys in exchange for Kurtis Gabriel

Chad Krys, Toronto Marlies, Toronto Maple LeafsThe Maple Leafs announced a minor-league trade this afternoon, acquiring 23-year-old left-shot defenseman Chad Krys from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for 28-year-old forward Kurtis Gabriel.

Here are the main factors at play with this move:

Signed to a one-year NHL contract this past offseason, Kurtis Gabriel is by all accounts a great human being who deserves to be closer to a real opportunity — which he should be in a rebuilding organization such as Chicago — to receive a few stints in the NHL, as he did in his previous stops in Minnesota, New Jersey, and San Jose. With Curtis Douglas and Rich Clune on the Marlies roster, a third tough guy…