With the 2023 NHL Draft less than 24 hours away, the league is heating up with important trades coming out at a strong clip all day. The next major transaction sees Tyler Toffoli traded from the Calgary Flames to the New Jersey Devils for Igor Sharangovich and a 2023 third-round pick.
Although the Flames paid a heavy price for Toffoli at the 2022 trade deadline, his departure from the franchise should come as no surprise since it has been said that he will not sign again once his contract expires during the 2024 season. This made him an easy trade target for Incoming general manager Craig Conroy, who would likely be eager to put their stamp on the franchise. So, let’s take a look at this trade in depth and give scores to both sides of this trade.
Flames save a bad case with a toffolie trade
When you look at this deal for the Flames, you can’t help but think of the sunk cost fallacy. Sure, they traded with high probability and a first-round pick in Deal with the Montreal Canadiens The last deadline, but they were in a completely different position than they are now. If Toffoli isn’t going to re-sign with Calgary, it makes sense to extract some kind of value from him lest they lose him for nothing in a year’s time.
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In terms of their return, let’s look at Sharangovich, who is a solid bottom striker who still has plenty of potential to develop into a bigger role with the Flames. While he slumped in 2022-23, during the 2021-22 regular season he scored 24 goals and 46 points in 76 games, showing that the 25-goal, 50-point scorer could move to the Calgary Central Six without too many problems. Also, as a restricted free agent this offseason, he could be signed to a multi-year contract that will make him part of their core for the long term.
As for the third-round pick, while that’s a bit disappointing, it’s still a solid draft pick that’s one of the deepest picks in recent memory. So while the player they pick with that pick won’t have any impact on the franchise for a few years, there’s a good chance they can still find a roster player if they trust their scouts to make the right decision and get a few lucky ones.
Overall, the move may not be a crushing success for the Flames, but it’s far from a complete loss either. They made something To get out of a potentially devastating situation With a proactive move that can help the franchise now and in the future.
Rating: C+
The Devils put down a perfect veteran presence in Tofouli
For the Devils, toffoli could be that perfect piece to fill their menu. With the franchise emerging from a long rebuild to not only make the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs but also enter the second round with a core of young talent, it was clear that now was the time to win in New Jersey.
Even if a one-year lease, Toffoli is the exact player the Devils need to help guide their roster of emerging stars, as he has 10 years of experience in the NHL where he’s done everything including winning the Stanley Cup. Despite this, his best season was his last, as he scored 34 goals and 73 points in 82 games played.
While he’s likely to fall a step short of his career highs with New Jersey, even if he only scores 25 goals and 60 points, that would be a big win for the franchise, especially in his home country. The amount reached 4.25 million dollars.
Also, as a team with a plethora of deep prospects and a youthful core of talented players, Sharangovich being traded for a third-round pick isn’t much of a loss. They have their own Second and fourth round picks In the 2023 draft, for example, they’ll have plenty of picks to take on draft day.
Overall, this is a great deal by the Devils, who gave up a value but got back a well-deserved player. Plus, if things really go wrong, it will be easy to sell it on the 2024 trading deadline when they can recover some of their lost assets. However, I don’t think New Jersey will sell out at the deadline after smart moves like this.
Grade: a