Maple Leafs acquire Nick Foligno in three-team trade with Blue Jackets, Sharks

The Toronto Maple Leafs have the Stanley Cup on their minds, as they acquired Nick Foligno in a three-team trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets and San Jose Sharks.

NHL teams looking to make a trade prior to the Stanley Cup Playoffs have until 3 p.m. ET on Monday, Apr. 12 to do so. The Toronto Maple Leafs, who currently hold first-place in the North Division, decided to add a big name veteran to their roster less than 24 hours before the deadline.

On Sunday, the Maple Leafs acquired forward Nick Foligno from the Columbus Blue Jackets in a three-team trade also including the San Jose Sharks. In return, the Blue Jackets will receive Toronto’s 2021 first-round pick and a 2022 fourth round selection. In addition to Foligno, the Maple Leafs are also acquiring Sharks forward Stefan Noesen in exchange for their 2021 fourth-round pick.

Maple Leafs add Nick Foligno in push for Stanley Cup

Foligno has spent the past nine seasons with the Blue Jackets after the team acquired him in a trade with Ottawa Senators in 2012. Through his nine seasons in Columbus, Foligno tallied 142 goals, 192 assists and a plus/minus of +16 through 599 games. Through 42 games this campaign, Foligno scored seven goals and recorded nine assists.

As for Noesen, he spent the past two seasons with the Sharks after playing for teams like the Anaheim Ducks, New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins in his nine-year career. Noesen played just five games with the Sharks this year without tallying a single point, but he did record six points (two goals, four assists) in 12 AHL games with the San Jose Barracuda, per the AHL’s official website.

The Maple Leafs already have two of the league’s top scorers in center Auston Matthews and winger Mitchell Marner (52 points each), but with the team holding a six-point lead over the Winnipeg Jets in the division, the felt the need to add a veteran name to their roster. They have that now in Foligno, who the team hopes will help them reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1967.