To get here, the Leafs moved on from Sam Lafferty, trading him to Vancouver for a fifth-round pick, as they elected to keep Fraser Minten up with the team after a strong training camp.
It’s an interesting move with a lot of layers to it considering that Lafferty is basically a 25-point forward and Minten is a 19-year-old receiving an extended look.
The Leafs are a cap-space-strapped team – like many in the league – and so every decision has knock-on effects.
Keeping Minten, for now, allows them to keep an extra body around the big club in case of injury.