The Toronto Maple Leafs sent forward Taylor Beck along with four prospects over to the New York Islanders on Thursday in exchange for forward Michael Grabner. The four prospects going to New York along with Beck are defencemen Matt Finn and Tom Nilsson, forward Carter Verhaeghe, and goaltender Christopher Gibson.
Taylor Beck is the only player going to the Islanders with any NHL experience, and even he as only played 85 career games. Although the four other prospects have no NHL experience, they have each had a chance to play for the Toronto Marlies, the Leafs’ AHL affiliate.
The Islanders get Beck, who is coming off a career high 62-game and 16-point season. Beck will add good offensive depth for the Islanders, and will likely start out on the 4th line come opening night. The prospects are also a good addition for the team’s future as Finn and Gibson are each second round draft picks, Verhaeghe a third round pick, and Nilsson a fourth-rounder.
As for the 27 year-old Grabner, he will be entering his seventh NHL season this October, although he has dealt with injury issues throughout his career. He was drafted by former Maple Leaf GM Dave Nonis in 2006, who was the GM of the Vancouver Canucks at the time, but only played 20 games with the Canucks before becoming a New York Islander. Grabner has proven in the past that he has the ability to be a goalscorer, as he racked up 34 goals in 76 games in the 2010-11 NHL season, his first season with the Islanders. Throughout his time in the NHL, Grabner has also been recognized as one of the league’s fastest skaters.
Grabner is another addition that the Leafs have made offensively during the off-season, along with forwards Shawn Matthias, P.A. Parenteau, and Mark Arcobello. Grabner, a former first round pick could take Phil Kessel’s spot at right wing for now, as he has had experience playing on the right side despite being a left-handed shot. Obviously the Leafs won’t expect Grabner to put up the same numbers that Kessel put up throughout his career as a Maple Leaf, but he will still be an exciting player to watch and should be a good fit for the re-building Toronto Maple Leafs.
