Wed, Apr 3, 2013 at 3:17pm

LEAFS LAND BIG BLUELINER O'BYRNE

The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired defenseman Ryan O'Byrne from the Colorado Avalanche for a fourth-round draft pick in 2014.

What does it give the Toronto Maple Leafs
Byrne is a needed big body who can kill penalties and give Toronto some much-needed sandpaper in front of the net. He was leading all Avs rearguards in penalty minutes and hits this season, and at 28 is probably just entering his prime. Toronto has several talented puck-movers on the back end but really need a player with Byrne's size and profile for their playoff push. This is a mini-heist for just a 2014 4th-rounder. If he works out with his new team, pending UFA O'Byrne is a nice off-season re-signing target for the Leafs.

What does it give the Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche faced the prospect of losing O'Byrne to unrestricted free agency this off-season, so moving him here for a future asset is a no-brainer. That said, just a 2014 4th-round draft pick isn't a great return for a player of O'Byrne's very solid abilities (although the Avs do save some cash and open up playing time for a younger d-man down the stretch).

Fantasy impact
O'Byrne's arrival in Toronto likely cuts some playing time for some of Toronto's younger defensemen, but it's unclear what the new rotation is as yet. That said, O'Byrne isn't really a fantasy factor even if he sees big minutes. On the Colorado side, don't be surprised if young {P Stefan Elliott} see a boost in minutes down the stretch.