After months of speculation, the Toronto Maple Leafs have finally pulled the trigger on a deal that sends forward Alexei Ponikarovsky to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for prospect Luca Caputi and defenseman Martin Skoula.
This trade makes sense on all levels. The Penguins acquire forward Alexei Ponikarovksy who gives the team such much needed depth up front. The Leafs manage to get back an asset from the Penguins who might be NHL-ready. Skoula was only added to the deal by the Penguins to fit the trade in under the salary cap. Both Skoula and Ponikarovsky are UFA's this summer.
For fantasy hockey owners, this could be a boon for Alexei Ponikarovsky, as he just might end up playing the wing with Sidney Crosby. The Penguins have been searching for a winger for Crosby all season long. There also remains a chance that Ponikarovsky could play with Evgeni Malkin. Malkin has struggles somewhat this season and the injection of talent could help get him going.
For the Leafs, Caputi fits the requirement of "youth and beligerance". The former 50-goal OHL scorer is having a solid year in the AHL, scoring 23 goals and 47 points in 54 games. He projects as a power forward with some pop although there are questions as to how his offensive game will develop in the NHL.
Expect Caputi to get some playing time with the Leafs immediately. For fantasy owners in keeper leagues, the hope was that he would become one of Crosby's wingers. Instead, he will get the chance to develop into a top-6 power forward in Toronto right away.
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