Rumors swirled Thursday night following Toronto’s victory over Arizona, and now it’s official:
The Toronto Maple Leafs have reacquired defenseman Lyubushkin, bringing him full circle back to the team. Originally acquired at the trade deadline in 2022 in exchange for Freddie Gauthier, Lyubushkin left the Leafs as a free agent after that season. He then had stints with the Buffalo Sabres and the Anaheim Ducks before returning to Toronto.
What adds an intriguing twist to the story is that Lyubushkin’s first of two goals as a Maple Leaf was scored against none other than now-Leafs goalie Ilya Samsonov.