With so much talk right now about the blueline in Toronto and wishing the team had an extra body on the back end this season with some real upside, it makes last year's Rasmus Sandin trade with Washington hit a little harder.
Obviously it's not all bad, with the Leafs using Boston's 1st round pick to draft 18-year-old London Knights standout Easton Cowan, who appears to be a legitimate NHL prospect, but there is no denying that this blueline is a lot less worrisome right now with Sandin still around, especially in light of the injury issues the Leafs have faced this season.
We should not dwell in the past and, by the looks of things, Sandin himself is very much focused on the future. Today, the former 1st round pick signed a pretty substantial contract with the Capitals worth a total of $23M, which carries a $4.6M AAV.
After being drafted by Toronto with 29th overall pick in 2018, the ex-Leaf has found a nice situation for himself in Washington since being dealt by the Leafs last season, playing a key role for the Caps within their top 4. So far this season, the Swedish blueliner has tallied 3 goals and 20 points in 52 games. He had a very productive stretch with the Capitals last season after the trade, producing 15 points in 19 games.
As the Capitals inch closer to rebuild territory, it's quite clear that the franchise values the young defender and wants him to be a part of the longer-term solution in Washington. A 5-year deal is evidence of that.
