Toronto Maple Leafs: Connor Carrick traded to the Dallas Stars

The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced that defenceman Connor Carrick has been traded to the Dallas Stars for a conditional draft pick.

The trade comes after the Toronto Maple Leafs’ official social media accounts announced earlier today that Connor Carrick had been placed on waivers, along with goaltenders Calvin Pickard and Curtis McElhinney.

But a tweet from Sportsnet reporter Chris Johnston sent hockey twitter spiralling, with the respected NHL insider saying that he had heard Carrick hadn’t been placed on waivers after all.

Then came the official announcement that Carrick had been dealt to the Dallas Stars for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2019 draft.

The pick will be upgraded to a sixth-round pick in 2019 if Carrick plays at least 50 NHL games during the 2018/19 season with the Stars.

Carrick was seen as the odd man out during the battle for the Leafs’ bottom pairing role, with Igor Ozhiganov, Justin Holl and Martin Marincin all making the team’s opening day roster.

The 5-foot-11, 194lbs right-handed blueliner had not impressed much during the team’s pre-season games, effectively losing a role that he was expected to cement this year.

For the Toronto Maple LeafsLeafs, they manage to pick up an asset for a player that appears to have been on the verge of being waived – allowing the other 30 NHL teams a chance to claim him for nothing.

Instead, this relationship ends with Carrick having a chance to compete for a spot on another NHL team and the Leafs potentially receiving a sixth-round pick as a result.

Carrick, who played 130 games over three seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, will be reunited with former teammate Roman Polak – who joined the Stars as a free agent earlier this summer.

What do you think of the trade Leafs Nation? Are you sad to see Carrick go? Or are you pleased the team managed to get an asset for him? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!