NHL History: Toronto Maple Leafs acquire Cody Franson nine years ago today

It was nine years ago today that the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Cody Franson.

The deal saw the Leaf give up Brett Lebda, Robert Slaney and a condition fourth-round pick in 2013 to the Nashville Predators for Franson and Matthew Lombardi.

While Lombardi only lasted one season in Toronto scoring 18 points in 62 games, Franson played the best years of his career with the Leafs.

Over parts of four seasons, Franson scored 20 goals and 115 points in 236 games. He was a tough defender for the Leafs standing at 6’5, 225 lbs., but was still able to provide lots of offence for the team over his three-and-a-bit year stint.

He posted a career-high in points in the season he was traded back to the Predators with 36 total — 32 of which came in 55 games with the Leafs.

On Feb. 15, 2015, the Leafs traded him back to Nashville along with Mike Santorelli for Olli Jokinen, Brendan Leipsic and a first-round pick in the 2015 draft. Toronto later traded that pick, 24th overall, to the Philadelphia Flyers for a 2015 1st, 29th overall, and a 2015 2nd, 61st overall.

The Flyers used their pick on Travis Konecny, while Toronto traded down from the 29th spot for a package that included 34th overall in 2015 where they drafted Travis Dermott.

Long story short, Leafs fans had clamoured for the return of Franson and has continued to do so since he left the organization. Franson, now 32, has been playing for the KHL’s Avangard Omsk for the last two years.

On Twitter: @zjlaing