Owners who want/need the extra revenue playoff games provide care about the playoffs and so do GMs who want/need contract renewals.
And the ones who care the most; the players. What kind of signal does it send to the Leafs team if they trade JvR for a late 1st?
"Yeah, good job getting to the playoffs guys, but we don't really believe in you and would rather have a late 1st that might help us 3-5 years down the road than being bumped early 'cause let's face it; You guys aren't going anywhere in the playoffs against the divisional teams who are much better than you".
For the average hf-er it's horrible being a playoff-team a year you have players like JvR, Bozak and Komarov go UFA, because picks>playoffs. I mean, just imagine that late 1st and a couple of 2nds! They could even be NHL players like those who were traded for said picks!
Keep 'em all three. No team in the East is unbeatable for the Leafs, despite dat D.