"In a very rare trade between the two rivals, the New York Rangers and New York Islanders made a swap Monday night. The Rangers sent pending unrestricted free agent defenseman Carson Soucy to Long Island for a 2026 third-round draft pick. It's a quintessential deadline buy move -- a depth defenseman for a upper-mid-round draft pick -- but it shows exactly what the market is like for the Leafs."
"Add the fact that Benoit is four years younger than the newest Islander and that he's under contract at a very cheap number for another season, and that is a dude who is worth much more than what the Rangers got for their rental blueliner. We might not be talking anything more than maybe including another mid-round pick in a deal -- so it becomes a third- and a fourth-round pick for Benoit, but it is certainly making the most out of the situation."
The Maple Leafs could pivot to being sellers at the trade deadline and extract value from peripheral players. A recent Rangers-Islanders trade sending Carson Soucy for a 2026 third-round pick illustrates demand for depth defensemen. Simon Benoit fits that profile: under contract at $1.35 million through next season, younger than Soucy, and offering physicality and difficult matchups despite limited offense. Toronto could likely obtain a third- and fourth-round pick for Benoit, maximizing return while re-tooling. Benoit's on-ice impact has dipped this season, leaving his future with the Leafs uncertain if the team chooses to sell.
Read at Editor In Leaf
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