Ilya Lyubushkin trade: Full transaction details involving Maple Leafs, Ducks and Hurricanes

The Toronto Maple Leafs are making strategic moves ahead of the NHL trade deadline, and one notable addition to their roster is defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin.

In a three-team trade involving the Anaheim Ducks and the Carolina Hurricanes, the Maple Leafs have brought back the experienced right-handed blueliner to shore up their defensive depth.

Trade Details:

To Leafs:

Ilya Lyubushkin

Receiving the rights to unsigned Kirill Slepets

To Ducks:

3rd round draft pick

Anaheim retains 50% of Lyubushkin’s deal

To Hurricanes:

6th round draft pick

Carolina retains 25% of Lyubushkin’s deal

Leafs are getting defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin at a remarkably low cap hit of $687,500, even with double retention. The amount falls well below the league minimum salary, leaving ample room for further roster adjustments before the Mar. 8 trade deadline.

Lyubushkin, who is in the final year of his contract with a $2.75 million cap hit, played 31 games with the Maple Leafs during the 2021-22 season.

After departing Toronto, the 29-year-old defenseman signed a two-year, $5.5 million contract with the Buffalo Sabres in 2022 before getting traded to Anaheim ahead of the current season.

The Maple Leafs sought another right-handed shot defenseman for added depth, especially with Timothy Liljegren sidelined due to injury and veteran Mark Giordano recovering from a head injury sustained in a recent game.

Known for his stay-at-home style, Lyubushkin brings experience to the Maple Leafs' blue line, with five goals and 43 points in 334 games. He's expected to fill Giordano’s spot on the third defensive pairing and provide an additional option for the team's penalty kill unit.

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Ilya Lyubushkin's trade journey

Ilya Lyubushkin began his professional hockey journey in Russia with Metallurg Novokuznetsk before being drafted to Lokomotiv Yaroslavl following a tragic plane crash that decimated the entire roster. Making his KHL debut in the 2012–13 season, Lyubushkin spent five seasons with Lokomotiv before transitioning to the NHL.

In May 2018, Lyubushkin signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Arizona Coyotes, where he showcased his defensive prowess and physicality during the 2018–19 season.

Re-signed for another year, he continued his tenure with the Coyotes, contributing four points in the 2019–20 season. Reaching restricted free agency, he extended his stay with the Coyotes for a third season in Oct. 2020.

However, he briefly returned to Lokomotiv Yaroslavl on loan before eventually scoring his first NHL goal during the 2020–21 season. In Feb. 2022, Lyubushkin was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Following his stint there, Lyubushkin signed with the Buffalo Sabres as an unrestricted free agent in Jul. 2022, setting career highs in points during his first season. In Aug. 2023, he was traded to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a fourth-round pick.