First reported by Frank Seravalli, the Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired Nick Foligno from the Columbus Blue Jackets, along with Stefan Noesen from the San Jose Sharks, for their first round pick in 2021, along with fourth round picks in 2021 and 2022 (all from Toronto).

Columbus is retaining 50% of Foligno’s salary, while San Jose is retaining an additional 25% of the original salary, meaning the Leafs only have to take on $1.375 of Foligno’s original $5.5 million cap hit.

Foligno, 33, was a first round pick by Ottawa in 2006 and come from Buffalo. Here is his RAPM (Regularized Adjusted Plus Minus from Evolving Hockey)  chart from the past three years. He’s good defensively and doesn’t bring much offense. This is the Leafs leaning into what they failed at doing to beat Foligno’s Blue Jackets last year. They are aiming to be better, and more importantly deeper, defensively and hoping the already stellar offense pulls them through.

Dom L. says he still carries value, especially in an area where the Leafs lack reliable players at (no offense, Pierre).

As does Micah.

Noesen, 28, makes $925,000 this season and is also a former first round pick from Ottawa. He’s bumped around from Anaheim, to New Jersey, to Pittsburgh, to San Jose, and now to Toronto. Noesen has spent the majority of the season in the AHL on the San Jose Barracuda (five games on Marleau’s wing on the fourth line on the Sharks), so this looks like a Toronto Marlies addition. Noesen has cleared waivers and his contract is fully buriable.

This is only the second trade Foligno and Noesen, who were both traded away from Ottawa. Noesen was part of the package (along with Nick Ritchie) to the Anaheim Ducks for Bobby Ryan, while Foligno was traded one-for-one to the Blue Jackets for Marc Methot.

It appears Foligno is a pure rental, as it looks like he’s heading back to CBJ next season.

Upon arriving in Toronto, Foligno and Noesen will have to undergo seven days of quarantine before they’re allowed to join the team and play (assuming all tests are negative). Foligno’s first game could potentially be Wednesday, April 21st in Winnipeg.