Before we get into the players, let’s make no mistakes here – this is a salary dump. Johnsson is slated to make $3.4M per season for the next three seasons, and it was proving to be too costly for the Leafs.
One for one, this trade is a loss for the Leafs. There’s really nothing else to say about the acquisition itself. Anderson is a 22-year-old third-round pick with 13 points in 52 NHL games. He has been decent in the AHL (34 points in 44 games there last season), played in the USDP, and was the USA’s captain at the World Juniors a few years ago.