The Leafs Most Tempting Asset

I missed a trade yesterday for the Leafs...

From Tampa:

Olaf Kolzig
Jamie Heward
Andy Rogers
4th round pick this year

From Toronto:

Richard Petiot

So Toronto picked up a goalie who's out for the rest of the season, a 38 year-old has-been, a 23 year-old minor-leaguer, and a 4th round pick for a minor league defenceman.

Distilled down - 4th round pick for a minor leaguer.

Why? Cap space. Toronto's got tons of it with their young, relatively low-cost rebuilding team. Tampa has a few superstars they want to keep around. So the call goes, "Hey Brian, we need to get Olie off our books, and maybe Jamie too... what can you give us that makes this a trade, and what can we give you that you'd actually want?" "Here's a nobody, and we'll take a draft pick and another nobody." "Done."

The new NHL, where room under the cap can be a major tradeable asset. Expect a similar type of trade with the Raptors around the NBA deadline.