Marleau’s days in Toronto are numbered
Sportsnet: It’s looking like Patrick Marleau‘s days in Toronto are numbered according to Nick Kypreos.
“It sounds like Marleau and the Leafs are set to part ways,” said Nick Kypreos during the ‘Headlines’ segment of Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday. “The family is going to move back to San Jose. Patrick Marleau has made it clear to the Toronto Maple Leafs that he’d like to get closer to his family once again, which means moving to the west coast area.”
Sources have told Kypreos that interested teams include the Arizona Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings.
“Now everybody’s wondering ‘why the Los Angeles Kings?’ … There’d be no question that a type of deal that would have to involve taking on that contract would be, maybe, taking on a current roster player that the Leafs would have to give up, and maybe even retaining as much as maybe $1.5, $2 million.”
Could the Hurricanes and Maple Leafs work out a deal involving Zaitsev?
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic: believes that the Toronto Maple Leafs were going to try to trade defenseman Nikita Zaitsev this offseason even before he made his trade request.
Zaitsev’s 10-team no-trade list kicks in on July 1st.
The Leafs might have to create a larger deal to move him given his contract and struggles.
The Carolina Hurricanes and Maple Leafs coming together on some type of deal seems to make some sense because of needs and the fit between the two teams.
Would Zaitsev and one of Kasperi Kapanen or Andreas Johnsson for one of the Hurricanes right-handed defenseman work?
Mike Augello: “A potential factor in the #Leafs trading Zaitsev could be his $3M signing bonus for 2019-20. After July 1, he is owed only the base salary of $1.5M, which might be more of an enticement for interested teams.”
Maple Leafs still interested in re-signing Gardiner
Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic: Jake Gardiner‘s agent Pat Brisson and Leafs GM Kyle Dubas briefly met at the draft combine in Buffalo. The Leafs are still interested in re-signing the pending free agent, but until Mitch Marner is re-signed they can’t do anything.
Gardiner doesn’t require back surgery this offseason.