In an effort to put someone between the pipes that is legitimately better than one of those pipes, the Leafs unloaded Sergei Bobrovsky, Jack Campbell and Phil Kessel to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Braden Holtby and Jordan Eberle.
In Holtby the Leafs acquire a goalie who fits the No. 1 criteria of not being Sergei Bobrovsky, who has not been able to turn his game around since joining the Leafs at the end of October.
Bobrovsky and Kessel were also divisive figures in the locker room, what with their penchant for horseplay, gossiping, black market tennis racquet sales, and frequent naps. Jack Campbell, meanwhile, is a fine upstanding citizen who shall be missed greatly, but saw his backup role usurped by the cheaper Anders Nilsson during the Leafs once highly-successful off-season.
The Leafs were also thrilled to add Eberle, who scored that sick goal against Calgary that time, and man, that last-second goal against Russia in the juniors? Crazy.
The Leafs thank the Blue Jackets organization for negotiations that were quick and easy - just the way sycophants like Bobrovsky and Kessel like 'em.
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