Confirmed with Link: Erik Gustafsson and a 1st Rounder (Bostons) for Rasmus Sandin.

[CapitalsCupReality]

The "61 games" part. By my manual count it was 26 games between JC getting injure and the trade. He had a lot of points in those games, no doubt, but it's not accurate to say that he was the PPQB for 61.

Not that confusing really.

 

[Thornbury]

Per the Hockey News today.

Gustafsson's usage, in particular, can often leave him feeling like something of a passenger on some nights, with no defined role on this team outside of running point on the second power-play unit. This isn't a useless hockey player, either.

Gustafsson has a 60-point season under his belt as a defenseman. He scored a hat trick against the Maple Leafs this very season. And while he's certainly not responsible enough in his own end to contribute as a shutdown guy or penalty killer, the Swede's 38 points in 61 games as Washington's top power-play quarterback logging upwards of 20 minutes per night seems wasted now that he's a bottom-pair hanger-on who barely logs 14.

Why trade a 22-year-old homegrown prospect for Gustafsson when the prospect basically served the exact same purpose? It's hard to imagine there wasn't more at play here from the front office than simply stockpiling veteran depth. But with the 11-7 arrangement, Gustafsson is either treading water or watching from above.

Gee, I thought the Leafs also got a first round pick in the deal. Guess I was mistaken.

 

[Langway]

Rasmus Sandin reflects on shock of Maple Leafs trade, Capitals' belief in him

Over the course of a 20-minute phone interview with The Athletic, Sandin spoke of his time and Toronto and his Capitals expectations.

theathletic.com