Why would the Pens trade Maatta in win-now mode?
Because Maatta's injuries/illnesses [read: cancer and mumps do not make you 'injury-prone'] have put his progression on the back track. He peaks as a low-end top-2 guy, and we know because we saw flashes of such brilliance his rookie year. What's he done wrong? Amid everything, his legs haven't been back to where they were. He's a moveable part because the win-now mentality demands that, if he's in the top-4, he has to be consistent. He can't be counted upon, at least when it's needed, because he hasn't had his game back 100% yet.
Yes, he played well in the SCFs. Totally solid defense, and it's obvious why teams want him. But more often than not, he's had trouble keeping up with the speed of the Penguins in the regular season, and perhaps it's a concern that you don't want to have out of a 3-4D in the playoffs.
Pens are decidedly thin at LW and D--namely PMD.
So, what I'd ask is that the Leafs take Marc Andre Fleury (20% retained) @ 4.6m/y and Olli Maatta for James Van Riemsdyk and Stuart Percy OR Connor Carrick. For Gardiner/Reilly, I'd include Derrick Pouliot and add maybe as much as 10% more salary retention on Fleury. Pouliot is another guy whose development is in flux because the Penguins have had six better defensemen as a product of win-now mode, and he's been stuck (albeit doing very well) in the AHL. He's made errors at the NHL level, and Pittsburgh hasn't had the patience to let him find his way. If need be, I'd talk swapping lower picks to even out whatever playing field needed it.
I know Freddy Andersen is doing well in Toronto, but I think MAF is more trustworthy in the long haul. His play has been very good when he's in the net consistently.
It looks like this:
MAF @ 20% retained
Maatta
for
JVR + Percy OR Carrick
or
MAF at 30% retained
Maatta
Pouliot
for
JVR + Gardiner OR Reilly
What I see is that Toronto gets two higher-end very young defensemen who will have the opportunity to come into form in a young organization and a veteran goaltender with a bit of term left and two cup rings to his name to back the corps, while the Penguins get their impact LW and defense that could likely help now or defensive prospects that could be a better fit for the system.