Toronto Maple Leafs acquire Max Veronneau in a trade

The Toronto Maple Leafs are not done trading with just days left until the deadline, with the announcement that they have acquired forward Max Veronneau.

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas has acquired Max Veronneau from the rival Ottawa Senators, in exchange for Aaron Luchuk and a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2021 Draft.

The condition on the draft pick is linked to Veronneau’s ice time with the Leafs, with ten regular-season appearances this season or next sending the sixth-rounder to the Senators.

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If Veronneau fails to reach the ten-game mark, the Leafs will retain their pick and will only have sent Luchuk back to the Canadian capital, having originally been sent to Toronto as part of the Cody Ceci trade last summer.

The trade can largely be looked at as being a minor league deal, helping to boost the ailing Toronto Marlies while potentially giving the Leafs a long-term project to develop further.

Veronneau, an RFA after this season, has already tasted NHL hockey with the Senators, scoring two goals and registering four total points in 16 regular-season games, though this season has seen him predominantly play for the Belleville Senators in the AHL.

The 24-year-old Ottawa native originally went undrafted but had an impressive spell in college, scoring 52 goals and earning 144 total points in 130 regular-season games with the Princeton University Tigers, helping to guide them to an ECAC championship.

He showed flashes of talent upon signing with the Senators at the back end of last season, with all four of his NHL points coming during that 12-game spell, but this season has seen the other Ontario team take a different approach to their rebuild.

Veronneau has looked okay in the minors, with ten total points (5G, 5A) in 33 games, and will now be looked at to help support the Marlies, who have gone through a difficult transition since Sheldon Keefe was named head coach of the NHL team.

Luchuk, meanwhile, was no more than an ECHL player within the Toronto Maple Leafs organisation, earning 50 points in 45 games with the Newfoundland Growlers, going point-less during a three-game spell with the Marlies.

While this deal isn’t overly significant, on paper it may suggest the Leafs got more in return as Veronneau has at least shown flashes in the NHL, while Luchuk, albeit being younger, has mostly played in the ECHL.

What do you think Leafs fans? Are you pleased with this minor league move? What else do you want to see the team do moving forward? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!