Toronto trade 2 to Nashville

[JohnCoddx]

The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired defenceman Cody Franson and centre Matthew Lombardi from the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenceman Brett Lebda and forward Robert Slaney.

The deal also includes a fourth-round pick – Nashville will acquire Toronto's 2013 fourth-rounder if Lombardi plays 60 or more regular-season games over the course of the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons, while Toronto will acquire Nashville's 2013 fourth-rounder if Lombardi does not play 60 games during the next two campaigns.

Source TSN

Lebda never worked with the Leafs. Slaney hasn't done much and plays in the ECHL. They took on Lombardi's salary with a chance he'll never play for them for Franson, who's another big body (6'5") who played good minutes for Nashville. I think it's a good trade for both. Nashville gets the financial freedom from the Lombardi (3.5 million) to help resign Weber and Lebda who may work for them like he did in Detroit.

Now they've got for D; Schenn, Phaneuf, Aulie, Franson, Liles, Gunnarson and Komi. If Reimer continues his devlopment, this team could make some noise next season.

[Cobiemonster]

Predators got duped in this trade. Cody Franson will be a stud one day. And Lombardi when healthy is a very solid player, lots of speed and talent.

This was a cap move for the Preds because they were afraid that they're going to have to pay guys like Spaling and Kostistyn more because of the QO snafu that took place. And also they have to get Shea Weber locked up too.

But either way you look at it, this was a rape job in which the Leafs won big time.