The conditional pick in the Jonathan Bernier trade turns out to be conditional on a big if. The Toronto Maple Leafs only receive a pick in the trade if Bernier reaches the Stanley Cup Final with Anaheim or another team, according to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston.
This trade shouldn’t be viewed in a vacuum. It was a part of the Frederik Andersen trade, in essence. Bernier had a $2 million bonus coming up that was to be paid at the start of July. The Ducks didn’t want to pay that bonus, so the Andersen trade went through and Bernier was moved to the Ducks after the Maple Leafs paid out that bonus, saving the Ducks about half of Bernier’s cap hit in actual cash. They will still be on the hook for the full amount against the cap though.
Here are the complete conditions of the Bernier portion of that trade, per Johnston.
— If Bernier starts half of Anaheim’s playoff games next spring and the Ducks win the Stanley Cup, Toronto receives the Ducks’ 2017 second-round pick. (If Anaheim doesn’t still own that selection, it will transfer its next available second-rounder from a future year.)
— If Bernier starts half of Anaheim’s playoff games next spring and the Ducks lose in the Stanley Cup Final, Toronto receives the Ducks’ 2017 third-round pick. (If Anaheim doesn’t still own that selection, it will transfer its next available third-rounder from a future year.)
— Should Anaheim trade Bernier to a team that starts him in half of its playoff games next spring and wins the Stanley Cup, Toronto receives the Ducks’ second-round pick.
— Should Anaheim trade Bernier to a team that starts him in half of its playoff games next spring and loses in the Stanley Cup Final, Toronto receives the Ducks’ third-round pick.
If Bernier doesn’t make the Stanley Cup Final, that final trade could wind up looking like this:
To Toronto:
Frederik Andersen
To Anaheim:
Jonathan Bernier
2016 1st round pick (PIT)
2017 2nd round pick
Additionally, General Fanager reports that the 2nd round pick in the swap will be the middle pick of the Leafs’ three picks in the 2017 draft. Toronto currently owns their own pick, San Jose’s pick and Ottawa’s pick.
