John Chayka made his first trade as general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, sending goaltender Joseph Woll and defenseman Simon Benoit to the Philadelphia Flyers. In return, the Leafs acquired Swedish defenseman Emil Andrae, Swedish goaltender Samuel Ersson, and a third-round pick in next week's NHL draft.
Trade Details
The deal, announced Tuesday, addresses Toronto's goaltending surplus. With four netminders—Woll, Anthony Stolarz, Dennis Hildeby, and Artur Akhtyamov—vying for roster spots, moving Woll was necessary. Hildeby is no longer waiver-exempt, making a three-goalie rotation impractical. Woll, a homegrown talent, struggled with injuries and missed time last season due to personal issues.
What the Leafs Received
Andrae, 24, played a career-high 61 games for Philadelphia last season, recording 13 points. The 5-foot-9 left-shooting defenseman, a second-round pick in 2020, has 20 points (3 goals, 17 assists) in 107 career NHL games. Ersson, 26, posted a 14-11-5 record in 33 appearances for the Flyers last season. In 143 career games, he holds a 65-50-17 record with an .884 save percentage. He was a fifth-round pick in 2018.
Impact on the Leafs
Toronto loses physicality in Benoit, who had a down season after earning a roster spot two years ago. The Leafs may also trade veteran Morgan Rielly this summer if he desires a change. The third-round pick gives Toronto eight selections in the upcoming draft, including the first overall pick, replenishing stock depleted by previous GMs Brad Treliving and Kyle Dubas.
Chayka's trade bears the fingerprints of his Swedish lieutenant, Mats Sundin, as both incoming players are Swedish. The move clears cap space and solidifies the goaltending depth chart behind Stolarz and Hildeby.
