The latest development on Ben Chiarot likely prices him out of Toronto's range
The Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadiens came together on a blockbuster deal on Monday which sent Habs winger Tyler Toffoli to the Flames for a total of 4 pieces, which included a quality prospect and a 1st round pick, but according to Sportsnet's Eric Engels, there may be another trade in the works between the two Canadian clubs.
Engels reported that the Flames are also very high on Habs defender Ben Chiarot. A subsequent report from Boston Hockey Now's Jimmy Murphy suggested that 2021 13th overall pick Matthew Coronato could potentially be involved in a deal for Chiarot.
If that's the case, I can imagine that the Leafs will be out on Chiarot. Coronato, a 13th overall pick, has the potential to be an impact player for a lot of years in Calgary, and while I get that teams often give up top prospects and high picks in an attempt to win now, I simply cannot see the Leafs giving up the equivalent of a Matt Coronato for potentially just a month or two of Ben Chiarot.
I'd have to think that if the Flames would include Coronato, then the ask from the Leafs would be Rodion Amirov +. I'm sure many in Leafs Nation might say they'd be fine with that deal given Amirov's disappointing season, but it's important to note that while Amirov has just 3 points this season, he has been hurt all year. Prior to the start of the KHL season, Ufa head coach Tomi Lamsa and assistant coach Viktor Kozlov were both very high on Amirov and loved what they saw in training camp and in the preseason.
Unfortunately, before the season even began, the 20-year-old suffered a collar bone injury and was not the same afterwards. He has already been shut down for the remainder of the year, so he will have plenty of time to rest and recover before next season. We may even get a closer look at Amirov if the Leafs decide to bring him over to North America to develop with the Marlies. It's also worth noting that Leafs GM Kyle Dubas has stated that he's been very encouraged by the growth in Amirov's game.
Ultimately, we'll see where Chiarot winds up, because teams can ask for whatever they want. If the Habs are asking for Coronato, there's no guarantee they'll get him.
