How the Maple Leafs kickstarted trade activity prior to 2016 deadline day

One thing was for sure in 2016: the Toronto Maple Leafs were sellers in advance of the Feb. 29 trade deadline.

A total of 20 deals were pulled off in the 28 days of February leading up to deadline day, five of which were pulled off by a Maple Leafs' brain trust led by president Brendan Shanahan and general manager Lou Lamoriello.

Yes, that's 25 percent of the trade action spurred by one team.

Here's a look at what Toronto was up to this time last year:

1. Feb. 9 - Maple Leafs traded D Dion Phaneuf, F Matt Frattin, F Casey Bailey, F Ryan Rupert, and D Cody Donaghey to the Ottawa Senators for D Jared Cowen, F Colin Greening, F Milan Michalek, F Tobias Lindberg, and a 2017 second-round pick

2. Feb. 21 - Maple Leafs traded F Shawn Matthias to the Colorado Avalanche for F Colin Smith and a 2016 fourth-round pick (used to select D Keaton Middleton)

3. Feb. 22 - Maple Leafs traded D Roman Polak and F Nick Spaling to the San Jose Sharks for F Raffi Torres, a 2017 second-round pick, and a 2018 second-round pick.

4. Feb 27 - Maple Leafs traded G James Reimer and F Jeremy Morin to the Sharks in exchange for G Alex Stalock, F Ben Smith, and a 2018 conditional fourth-round pick.

5. Feb 28 - Maple Leafs traded F Daniel Winnik and a 2016 fifth-round pick (used to select F Beck Malenstyn) to the Washington Capitals for F Brooks Laich, D Connor Carrick, and a 2016 second-round pick (used to select F Carl Grundstrom).

Toronto stayed silent on the actual trade deadline day, and the rest, as they say, is history: the Maple Leafs' depleted roster amassed 17 points in the final 21 games of the season and finished 30th in the overall standings.

The Leafs later won the NHL Draft Lottery for the right to select Auston Matthews with the first overall pick, and now, one year later, they could very well be buyers rather than sellers as the March 1 trade deadline approaches.