The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired defenceman Kevin Marshall from the Washington Capitals in exchange for forward Nicolas Deschamps.
Marshall, 24, played in 52 games with the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears this season, registering a goal and four assists with 77 penalty minutes and a plus-five rating.
Originally drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the second round, 41st overall in the 2007 draft, Marshall played in 10 games with the Flyers in 2011-12, putting up eight penalty minutes.
Marshall will be assigned to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies.
Deschamps, 23, recorded seven goals, nine assists and 26 penalty minutes in 50 games with the Marlies this season.
The six-foot-one, 182-pound left-winger from Lasalle, Que., was originally drafted by Anaheim in the second round (35th overall) in the 2008 draft and was traded for Luca Caputi via Alexei Ponikarovsky
The last thing Toronto needs is another defenceman, right? The Marlies might if this foreshadows a call up (Gardiner), a trade, or both.
Marshall’s scouting report from Hockey’s Future:
History
2006-07: Kevin Marshall was a key force in helping Lewiston capture the QMJHL title in 2006-07. He posted a very respectable 32 points in 70 games (5 goals, 27 assists) this year for the MAINEiacs, to go along with a team-leading 141 PIMs.
2007-08: In his third year with the Lewiston MAINEiacs (QMJHL), Marshall put up a season-high 35 points (11g+24a) in 66 games. He added a goal and an assist in six playoff appearances with the club. He was named to the QMJHL Second All-Star Team before being traded to the Quebec Remparts at the close of the season.
2008-09: Marshall skated for Quebec (QMJHL) after three seasons with Lewiston and continued to display a combination of toughness and offensive opportunism. Marshalll was the second-leading scorer amongst Remparts defensemen with 9 goals and 29 assists, scoring 7 of his 9 goals on the power play, and led the team with 125 PMs in 61 games. He was +23 on a Quebec team that had the league’s third best record and finished first in the East Division. In 17 playoff games he scored 1 goal with 10 assists and was -10 with 32 PMs.
2009-10: Marshall made steady progress with AHL Adirondack in his first pro season. He scored 2 goals with 7 assists and 80 PMs and was -8 for a Phantoms team that finished last in the AHL’s East Division.
2010-11: Marshall led Adirondack defensemen with 120 PMs and appeared in 78 of 80 games for the Phantoms in his second pro season. He scored 3 goals with 11 assists and was -9 as Adirondack finished seventh in the East Division and failed to reach the playoffs.
2011-12: Marshall made his NHL debut with the Flyers at the end of November — one of several young defensemen pressed into service by Philadelphia due to a rash of injuries. He skated in ten games for the Flyers and was minus-one with 8 penalty minutes; averaging 8:45 minutes of ice time. Marshall spent most of the season in the AHL, first with Flyers’ affiliate Adirondack and then Caps’ affiliate Hershey after being optioned in a February 2012 trade. In 63 AHL games between the two clubs he was minus-six with 2 goals and 4 assists; amassing 116 penalty minutes. In the Bears’ first round playoff series with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre he was an even plus/minus with 2 assists and 10 penalty minutes in five games. Marshall was re-signed as a restricted free agent to a one-year contract by the Capitals in July, 2012.
Talent Analysis
Marshall is regarded as a hard-working, stay-at-home defenseman who plays with a physical edge. He skates very well, has excellent balance and moves the puck efficiently.
