The Toronto Maple Leafs stocked up for their playoff push Sunday by acquiring forwards Nick Foligno and Stefan Noesen in a three-team trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets and the San Jose Sharks, the teams announced.
The Blue Jackets will retain 50 percent of Foligno’s contract, which expires after this season, and the Sharks will retain half of what remains of Foligno’s contract, or another 25 percent.
Columbus received Toronto’s first-round draft pick in 2021 and fourth-round pick in 2022, and San Jose received Toronto’s fourth-rounder in 2021.
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Foligno is a veteran left wing who spent eight-plus seasons with Columbus after beginning his NHL career with the Ottawa Senators. In 950 career games Foligno has amassed 203 goals and 279 assists, but has just seven goals and nine helpers in 42 appearances this year.
“Nick Foligno has been everything you’d want in a captain, in a representative of your team and ambassador for your community. His contributions to the Blue Jackets franchise and the impact he and his family have had off the ice is immeasurable,” Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said in a statement. “We are grateful for everything he, Janelle, and their family have done for and with us over the past nine years. Given where we are right now, this move made sense for us as an organization and for Nick.”
Foligno will bolster the Maple Leafs’ top six forwards, a contingent that already includes stars like NHL leading goal-scorer Auston Matthews, center John Tavares and wingers Mitchell Marner and William Nylander.
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Noesen, who has yet to score a point in five appearances for San Jose this year, is more of a depth add for Toronto, which leads the all-Canadian North Division at 59 points (28-10-3).
Columbus (seventh place in the Central Division) and San Jose (sixth in the West) were not in the playoff hunt and decided to sell before the NHL trade deadline, which arrives Monday at 3 p.m. ET.
–Field Level Media