Rasmus Sandin

The Maple Leafs' defensive logjam down the stretch became a great opportunity for the Capitals, who acquired Sandin for Erik Gustafsson and a pick. With 15 points in 19 games as a Capital, Sandin already looks like he's worth such a deal, and he could be one of the league's breakout defensemen in 2023-24. The 23-year-old produced 35 points, 136 hits, 87 blocked shots and a plus-3 rating last season, and a role as the Capitals' No. 2 defenseman (behind John Carlson) could likely put Sandin in position for 45-50 points overall. Fantasy managers will want to target him as a sleeper -- in some keeper formats, this may be the last chance to get him on draft day if he makes the anticipated star turn.

The Maple Leafs had no real intention of giving Sandin an extended run last season, as he suited up for just nine games with the big club. The Leafs are apparently much more open to the idea this time around, which is odd because they'll essentially be rolling out the same defensive corps from a season ago. Morgan Rielly is a year from unrestricted free agency and there's no guarantee the cap-strapped Leafs will be able to pay him. Sandin is the best in-house option to take over as the club's power-play quarterback if Rielly moves on, but Toronto needs to get him some work in that role this year in order to see what they are working with.

Sandin made his NHL debut in 2019-20, playing in 28 games and adding eight points, 33 hits and 22 blocked shots. The 20-year-old Swede is a future stud defenseman, but he's unlikely to develop into that role this year. Sandin still needs a couple of years to round out his overall game and get up to speed at the NHL level, and playing time could be hard to come by since the Maple Leafs added veterans to their blue line this offseason. Dynasty managers will want to hang onto Sandin for the next two or three years, but managers in redraft leagues can likely leave him undrafted in 2020-21.

Sandin leapfrogged Timothy Liljegren on the Leafs' depth chart in 2018-19. The smooth-skating teenager saw upwards of 28 minutes a night early in the AHL playoffs last year, and showed a poise that made observers think he was already in his mid-20s. Sandin is just under six-feet tall and thin at 183 pounds, but he's smart and uses angles almost perfectly, so he's almost always in the right spot at the right time. The 19-year-old needs time to mature, but as a worst-case scenario, he should be able to carve out a career similar to the quietly effective Anton Stralman. Best case? Think fellow Swede Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Stash him in keeper formats if he's still available.