The 2012 NHL draft came and went and the Leafs made all their selections, and the chatter of trades at the draft turned out to be just that.
Leafs GM Brian Burke did make one significant move before leaving Pittsburgh after the draft was complete, and that was the acquisition of James van Riemsdyk.
When I initially heard of the trade, I wasn't sure what to make of it. I liked Luke Schenn a lot and still do. The kid has high upside and he will be crushing Leafs players for years to come.
The Leafs did address a key need, which was size and skill. Let's get something straight—James van Riemsdyk does not play a mean game. He does finish his checks and does not shy away from the front of the net, but he is no Steve Ott or Luke Schenn when it comes to standing up for teammates.
So after I thought about it some more, an idea came to me and then I started to get excited about the trade.
With JVR being added for Schenn, what if the Leafs were to package Clarke MacArthur, Nikolai Kulemin, Nazem Kadri and a young D-man (Cody Franson, anyone?) for a power forward who could play center as well?
I thou ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Shahriar Balouchi
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