The Toronto Maple Leafs had a fairly big day at the trade deadline. With the deadline approaching, general manager Brad Treliving pulled off two trades. One was the acquisition of Brandon Carlo from the Boston Bruins, and the other was trading both Conor Timmins and Connor Dewar to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a fifth-round pick in the 2025 draft.
Would a pursuit of Pacioretty be worth losing the services of a player like Conor Timmins? (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
Here are the full details of the trade between the Maple Leafs and Penguins:
Penguins GM Kyle Dubas, the former Maple Leafs GM, was the one who originally brought in Timmins from the then-Arizona Coyotes. So, it came as no surprise that he was the one interested in acquiring Timmins again. Both players were part of a cap dump that allowed the Maple Leafs to pull off the Carlo deal with the Bruins.
Toronto Dumps Salary to Improve Roster
Maple Leafs Grade: B+
The Maple Leafs had a lot of bodies on the roster and were very tight to the cap. In order to improve their roster further after the Scott Laughton trade with the Philadelphia Flyers, Treliving needed to get creative. He found a GM willing to take on both players, shedding $2.2 million off the cap. Typically, in cap dumps, the team shedding salary doesn’t get more than a draft pick in return, which is what the Maple Leafs received.
The fifth-round pick in the 2025 draft gives them a total of seven picks in the upcoming draft. Their highest pick is a second-rounder, and they have multiple selections in the fifth and sixth rounds, where they hope to find steals who can develop into serviceable NHL players. However, the main reason for this trade was to remove money and roster space from the books.
Penguins Add Cheap Depth
Penguins Grade: B+
Just because Dewar and Timmins were involved in a cap dump doesn’t mean they aren’t good players. They were both solid depth pieces for a team competing for the playoffs. Now, they will look to have a greater impact on a Penguins roster that needs all the help it can get. Pittsburgh is heading into a rebuild and hopes to return to contention as soon as possible. Timmins and Dewar will be serviceable depth pieces who can contribute in areas of need.
Dewar is an excellent penalty killer who will be missed by the Maple Leafs. If the Penguins can pair him with Noel Acciari, that PK unit could become one of the best in the NHL. Dewar is also known for his aggressive forechecking and finishing his checks. He plays with a physical edge and isn’t afraid to drop the gloves. At just 25 years old, the native of The Pas, Manitoba, will look to secure another contract with the Penguins as he is a pending RFA.
As for Timmins, he will be a solid bottom-pairing, puck-moving defenseman but may struggle with increased minutes. He contributes offensively, joins the rush, and isn’t afraid to shoot the puck. He can also be used as a second-unit power-play quarterback. However, he likely won’t get that opportunity with both Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang running the power play. Timmins, 26, is also a pending RFA and will look to earn another contract this summer.
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