The Anaheim Ducks are trading defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic, “Official trade call hasn’t happened yet but the deal will see Ilya Lyubushkin (50 percent retained by Anaheim) going to Carolina (which retains another 25 percent) then Lyubushkin to Toronto.” He added, “Ducks get a 3rd RD pick, ‘Canes get a 6th RD pick for retaining as third-party broker.”
The Maple Leafs needed to improve their blue line and after missing out on Chris Tanev, it appears Lyubushkin was their Plan B. To only give up a 3rd-round pick and a 6th-round pick is a nice piece of business for the Maple Leafs and it brings his cost down to around $687K, which is a great value for the team. That leaves plenty of room for further moves before the March 8 trade deadline.
The Ducks acquired Lyubushkin, 29, from the Buffalo Sabres during the off-season in exchange for a 2025 draft pick. The 6-foot-2 right-shot defenseman has recorded four assists, accumulated 51 penalty minutes, and holds a minus-13 rating in 55 games with the Ducks this season. Lyubushkin has put up good defensive results earlier in his career and decent puck mover. That said, he’s not strong off the rush and takes a lot of penalties.
This marks Lyubushkin’s second stint with the Leafs, having played 31 games for them during the 2021-22 season, where he contributed two goals and four assists. Currently in the second season of a two-year, $5.5 million deal with an AAV of $2.75 million, Lyubushkin is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of the season.
Originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Arizona Coyotes, Lyubushkin has amassed five goals and 43 points in 334 career games, spread across the Coyotes, Maple Leafs, Sabres, and Ducks.
More to come…
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