Josh Gorges Explains in New Interview Why He Refused a Maple Leafs Trade
Photo credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-Imagn Images
Former NHLer Josh Gorges revealed why he vetoed a trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a new interview.
Gorges, who was in his eight season as a member of the Montreal Canadiens, was facing the reality of a likely trade towards the 2014 NHL Draft, with Montreal looking to deal Gorges and having a few suitors, one being the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Speaking in the Montreal Gazette, Gorges outlines why he made the decision to not waive his No-trade clause, and why he didn't feel right about the prospect of doing so for Toronto.
H3: What Josh Gorges Revealed About Turning Down the Leafs
To the Gazette, Gorges explained that the decision to snub Toronto was a personal one, and one that he built based on his time playing in Montreal.
Understanding of the deep, personal rivalry between the two sides, Gorges chose to block a deal that would have sent him to the Habs biggest rival, as well as what had become a drive to beat Toronto.
The idea of playing for Montreal for eight seasons and then having to go put on a Leafs jersey...I was like: How can I do this? I'm a heart guy, I'm not a skill guy. I can't do this without having that true passion to go out there and compete for the team that I belong to.
As Gorges admits, he bought into the Leafs/Canadiens rivalry, and that going to a rival was something he couldn't bring himself to do both for the fans and himself.
This reasoning for not going to Toronto was something that was mostly known, but is Gorges speaking on such rejection openly and looking back on the moment, feeling that while he could have been a Leaf, it'd be impossible for him to go straight from one to the other.
The rivalry has not stopped others from crossing the provincial borders into enemy lines. From Montreal to Toronto includes as of recent Michael Pezzetta, as well as in past years Michael Plekanec, Mike Komisarek, & Mikhail Grabovski. (Of note, Mikhail is the Belarusian form of Michael, a pattern).
How His Decision Shaped the Maple Leafs at the Time
Ultimately, Josh Gorges would be traded to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a 2016 second-round pick. That pick would ultimately go to Chicago who selected Chad Krys 46th overall. Chicago would trade Krys to Toronto in 2021, but he did not appear in any NHL games.
For the Canadiens, Gorges moving allowed for them to focus on re-signing P.K. Subban, and moving to a younger roster instead.
Believed to be part of the return for Montreal from Toronto was defenseman Cody Franson. Ultimately, Franson stayed in Toronto, not for long as he would be dealt to Nashville later that season, and would join Gorges in Buffalo in 2016.
Toronto filled the role at RHD they hoped to give to Gorges, acquiring Roman Polak from the St. Louis Blues for Carl Gunnarsson and a fourth-round pick, which ended up being Ville Husso.
Polak was a solid defensive defenseman who would spent two seasons with Toronto from 2014-16 before a trade to San Jose, and then return that offseason to spend two more seasons from 2016-18.
It's not known just how much Josh Gorges would have impacted the lowly Toronto Maple Leafs that were on the cusp of building their eventual core-four, but it's one in which made clear just how deep the rivalry with the Montreal Canadiens still went to that day.
| POLL | ||
AOUT 29 | 892 ANSWERS Josh Gorges Explains in New Interview Why He Refused a Maple Leafs Trade Would you block a trade to the Canadiens if you were a Toronto Maple Leaf? | ||
| Yes | 454 | 50.9 % |
| No | 438 | 49.1 % |
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