Toronto Maple Leafs Top 10 Moments in 2016

Jun 24, 2016; Buffalo, NY, USA; Auston Matthews poses for a photo with team officials after being selected as the number one overall draft pick by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the 2016 NHL Draft at the First Niagra Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports /

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Dec 19, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Dion Phaneuf (3) skates with the puck against the Los Angeles Kings at Air Canada Centre. The Maple Leafs beat the Kings 5-0. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /

7) The Dion Phaneuf Trade

Moving Phaneuf’s five-year contract that carried a $7 million cap hit per season was deemed an “impossible task” and something Toronto was just going to have to live with. Well, don’t tell general manager Lou Lamoriello that.

Sweet Lou accomplished the unbelievable task of trading Phaneuf on February 9, and, even more unbelievable, he retained zero salary. On top of that, the Leafs received Tobias Lindberg, who’s proven to be a decent player for the Marlies, and a second-round pick.

How Lamoriello managed to pull this trade off is still a mystery, but I’m sure we’ll look back on this trade in a few years and praise him for his ability to not only get this deal done, but rid the Leafs of an albatross contract.

Special thanks to Bryan Murray and Pierre Dorion as well for taking Phaneuf off Toronto’s hands.

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