"General manager Brian Burke took two pieces that didn't fit the puzzle that is the 2011-12 Maple Leafs and turned them into a top-six forward and a top-four defenceman on Sunday.

That's what cap space in an off-year for free agents will do for you.

The Leafs are considerably stronger by adding speedy centre Matthew Lombardi and defenceman Cody Franson from Nashville than they were with little-used defenceman Brett Lebda and low-level prospect Robert Slaney, who went the other way in Sunday's trade."