During the 2020 NHL off-season, the St. Louis Blues lost star defenseman and former captain Alex Pietrangelo to the Vegas Golden Knights in free agency. Losing Pietrangelo undoubtedly hurt the Blues’ defensive group, as he was their top star and No. 1 defenseman.
However, it turns out that Pietrangelo’s Blues tenure almost ended differently a few years before.
In a recent episode of The Sheet, NHL insider Jeff Marek revealed that the Blues almost traded Pietrangelo to the Toronto Maple Leafs for star forward William Nylander.
© Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
“It wasn’t that long ago that it was pretty close, that he [Nylander] was going to St. Louis, and Alex Pietrangelo was going the other way to the Toronto Maple Leafs,” Marek said.
In 2018, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman also reported the Blues and Maple Leafs discussed a Pietrangelo and Nylander trade, but Toronto decided against it.
This would have been a massive trade for both clubs. The Blues would have landed a star forward who they would have built their offense around. The Maple Leafs, on the other hand, would have secured a proper No. 1 defenseman for their right side.
© Anne-Marie Sorvin-Imagn Images
However, in the end, it is fair to say that the Maple Leafs must be happy with their decision to keep Nylander in Toronto. The 28-year-old winger has emerged as a superstar in Toronto and is a significant part of their core. However, the Blues also won the Stanley Cup in 2019, so hanging on to Pietrangelo undoubtedly benefitted them, too.
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