The Pittsburgh Penguins have traded centre Jared McCann to the Toronto Maple Leafs ahead of the Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft roster freeze. Heading back to Pittsburgh is prospect Filip Hallander and a seventh-round pick.
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Jared McCann Traded to Toronto
Breaking Down The Trade
The 25-year-old McCann has played 353 games and for two teams across his six-year NHL career. He was originally drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in 2014. McCann was sent to Pittsburgh in a 2019 trade. In Steel Town the forward had 39 goals and 84 points in 141 games. He primarily played on the third line for the Penguins and was a big part of their second power play and penalty kill.
By acquiring McCann the Maple Leafs have their third-line centre behind stars, Auston Matthews and John Tavares. He will fill the centre role that will likely be vacant following the expansion draft where Seattle is rumoured to select Alex Kerfoot from the Leafs.
The move for Pittsburgh was solely an act of getting ahead of the expansion draft and ensuring they got a return for a lost asset. The Penguins were likely to lose a really good player in McCann and wanted to ensure they could at least get some value back for the lost asset.
What It Means for Both Teams
Toronto
The Maple Leafs can head into the expansion draft with a little bit more flexibility. They no longer have to worry about protecting Kerfoot as they just picked up a better winger in his place. McCann is even at a cheaper price, as he is only $2.94 million against the cap this season. In even more added benefit, McCann will still also be an RFA after it expires. His addition to the team deepens a top-heavy forward core and allows General Manager Kyle Dubas to strengthen the wing and his goaltending. One thing to note is that McCann is a former Soo Greyhound; the Greyhounds are Dubas’ former stomping grounds as general manager,
For Pittsburgh, this deal spells a grasp at asset management. They are only getting a seventh-rounder and a prospect for an extremely serviceable forward. Hallander was originally their prospect before they traded him to Toronto last season in the Kasperi Kapanen deal, so they must still be very high on him. No matter how it is chalked up, the Penguins are losing this trade decidedly; unless Hallander can develop into an NHL calibre player.
The Seattle Kraken expansion draft has not even begun and already teams have been torn apart. This deal is only one of many today. Teams are trying to get ahead of losing very good players off of their rosters for nothing. These moves are solely general managers accepting pennies on the dollar instead of receiving nothing.
WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 02: Jared McCann #19 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates with the puck during the third period of the game against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on February 2, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
