Sparks is expected to go to Vegas to be their third string netminder after going 8-9-1 with a 3.15 GAA and .902 SV5 in 20 games with the Maple Leafs last season. It will likely take an injury to Marc-Andre Fleury and/or Malcolm Subban for Sparks to reach the NHL in 2020.

The Alberta rivals swap bad contracts. Going to Edmonton is James Neal, who has four years left with a $5.75M cap-hit. The Oilers are retaining 12.5 percent ($750K) of Lucic’s AAV which means they are taking on an additional $500K AAV in cap-space in this trade. Neal struggled mightily in his first season with the Flames, posting just 19 points (7G / 12A) in 63 games. With so few talented wingers in Edmonton, Neal should see consistent top-6 minutes—at least to start the year.

Lucic waived his no-movement clause to get dealt to Calgary and brings a contract that has four years left on it with a $6.0M cap-hit—however the Oilers retained 12.5 percent of that contract ($750K) to make his cap-hit with the Flames $5.25M AAV. . Lucic had a solid first year with the Oilers but has combined for just 54 points (16G / 38A) in 161 games over the past two seasons. Lucic will likely be tasked with playing a physical, bottom-6 role in Calgary—replacing what they lost with Garnet Hathaway going to Washington this summer.

Smith had a career-year in 2016, scoring 25 goals with 11 assists (36 points) but has just 14 goals and 33 assists (47 points) in the last two seasons combined. With RFA Brendan Perlini still in need of a contract, the Blackhawks clear $1.3M by swapping Anisimov for Smith. The 31-year-old probably doesn’t have the same offensive upside as Anisimov, but should settle in as a quality bottom-6 option for Chicago, who has completely re-tooled that part of their roster this offseason.

This trade was all about the Blackhawks clearing cap-space and Anisimov is a middle-6 upgrade over Smith. Anisimov is coming off of a 15-goal, 22-assist season in 2019 and had three straight 20-plus goal seasons but won’t have the same surrounding cast with the Senators.

Harpur is a huge defenseman (6-foot-6, 222 lbs) who plays a physical brand of hockey. Harpur averaged 1.7 hits and 1.4 blocked shots per game in 2018-19 but contributes very little offensively—1G, 4A in 51 games. Harpur could potentially be a third-pairing defenseman for Toronto in 2020 but they have a number of young defensemen in the pipelines who will be looking to push Harpur out.

Luchuk was an undrafted free agent who signed with Ottawa after his fifth year in the OHL, where he amassed 50 goals and 65 assists (115 points) in 68 games between the Windsor Spitfires and Barrie Colts. In his first professional seaosn, Luchuk split his time between the AHL and ECHL—picking up nine points (4G / 5A) in 27 games with Belleville (AHL). He will likely report to the Toronto Marlies to start 2020.

Ceci is a pending RFA but the Maple Leafs were able to move some big money and term by shipping Zaitsev to Ottawa. Ceci is a former first-round pick but has never reached the potential he flashed in the OHL. He is coming off of a 26-point (7G / 19A) season, which matches his career-high for points.

Brown has not missed a game in the last three seasons but his offensive production has dropped as he moved down the Maple Leafs depth chart. Brown was a prolific scorer in the OHL and moving to a team with a lot of young wingers will allow Brown to play an expended role and likely return to 20 goals for the first time since 2017.

Carcone moved from Utica (AHL) to the Marlies in the middle of last season and finished the year with 20 goals and 24 assists (44 points) in 62 AHL games. The 23-year-old will help bolster Belleville’s (AHL) lineup in 2020.

The Maple Leafs needed to clear some more cap space and Zaitsev was a prime candidate to be moved. The right-handed defenseman has five years left on his deal that carries a $4.5M cap-hit. Zaitsev had a solid first season in the NHL but struggled in each of the last two seasons. He showed during his days in the KHL that he has some offensive ability and maybe he will find that while playing in Ottawa’s top-4.

Deslauriers had two goals and three assists (five points) in 48 games with the Canadiens last season. Deslauriers is a rugged left winger who will likely play the entire 2020 season on the Ducks fourth-line. He has a career-high of just 15 points (in 2015).