The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin from the Anaheim Ducks in a three-team deal that also includes the Carolina Hurricanes. The Ducks receive a third-round pick from the Maple Leafs and will retain 50% of his cap hit while the Hurricanes net a sixth-round selection from Toronto as they are taking on an additional 25% of Lyubushkin's salary. The Russian blueliner spent 31 regular-season games and all seven postseason contests with the Leafs in the 2021-22 season before signing with the Buffalo Sabres the following offseason. He has just four helpers on a low-scoring Ducks team this season but he sits 11th in the league with 138 blocked shots and has also added 112 hits to his ledger across 55 games played.
Buffalo Sabres defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin (undisclosed) will come out of the lineup Wednesday versus Detroit. He suffered an undisclosed injury Monday versus Tampa Bay and will need some time off to recover. With Buffalo also in action on Thursday, Lyubushkin looks set to miss multiple games. Fantasy managers won't miss him, but the Russian rearguard has played an important role on the Sabres blue line, handing out 36 hits and throwing himself in front of 27 shots. Offensively, Lyubushkin has notched just one assist in 17 games. He will be replaced in the lineup by Lawrence Pilut.
Arizona Coyotes defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin will log his first minutes of the season on Thursday against the Blues after finally getting his visa issues sorted out. Forward Michael Chaput is set for his season debut as well. Neither player has fantasy value unless you are looking for hits, as Lyubushkin delivered plenty of those last season with 151 in 51 games. He also had 53 blocks and 18 penalty minutes with four points and a plus-four rating. Jordan Gross has been assigned to the taxi squad to make room for Lyubushkin, who made five outings for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in the KHL earlier in the season.
