Maple Leafs Acquire Ilya Lyubushkin in Three-Team Trade as Deadline Nears

The Toronto Maple Leafs have strengthened their defensive lineup by acquiring Ilya Lyubushkin from the Anaheim Ducks in a multifaceted three-team trade ahead of the NHL trade deadline.

In this trade arrangement, the Ducks will retain half of Lyubushkin’s salary and receive a third-round draft pick, while the Carolina Hurricanes will hold 25% of his salary and gain a sixth-round pick. To finalize the trade, the Maple Leafs will garner the reserve rights to forward Kirill Slepets from the Hurricanes.

Lyubushkin, a right-handed defenceman, previously played 31 games with the Maple Leafs back in the 2021-22 season following a trade with the Arizona Coyotes. The 29-year-old then signed a two-year, $5.5 million contract with the Buffalo Sabres before being sent to the Anaheim Ducks earlier this season.

Known for his stay-at-home defensive style, Lyubushkin has accumulated five goals and 43 points over 334 career NHL games.

The Maple Leafs have been on the lookout for additional depth in the right-handed defensive position given Timothy Liljegren‘s injury and a recent head injury to veteran Mark Giordano. The acquisition of Lyubushkin aims to address this gap in the team’s roster.

Scoring leader Auston Matthews marked his 53rd goal of the season during Toronto‘s recent 4-2 victory over the struggling Arizona Coyotes. The Coyotes, now on a 14-game losing streak, had not lost in regulation at Scotiabank Arena/Air Canada Centre in over two decades prior to this defeat.