The Toronto Maple Leafs are loading up. After their big move earlier this month, they’ve pulled off another significant trade, acquiring Jake McCabe and Sam Lafferty from the Chicago Blackhawks. In return, the Maple Leafs will send a top-ten protected 2025 first-round pick, a 2026 second-round pick, Joey Anderson, and prospect Pavel Gogolev.

Chicago is retaining 50% of McCabe’s contract, and sending two conditional fifth-round selections to Toronto. If the 2025 first-round selection is in the top ten, Chicago will get Toronto’s 2026 first-round pick instead. CapFriendly reports that the 2024 fifth-round pick that is going to Toronto will be the lowest pick in that round the Blackhawks own at the time of the draft.

The biggest part of this deal for Toronto is the salary retention, as McCabe is not a typical rental. With two more years on his contract, the Maple Leafs will get a discounted defenseman for several playoff runs. His deal carries a cap hit of $4MM, meaning McCabe will cost Toronto just $2MM per season through 2024-25, the same amount as Justin Holl, who is currently scheduled for unrestricted free agency this summer.