On the Vegas Golden Knights asking price for defensemen …
Maple Leafs Hot Stove: Chris Johnston on the Fan 590 talking about teams that could be interested in some defensemen that Vegas could draft.
“The Leafs aren’t the only ones . Teams like Edmonton and Tampa Bay are in the market for the same type of player. The one thing about that market is Vegas is asking for the stars and the moon in order to get those type of guys because they control, basically, the entire trade market around the league right now.”
On the Toronto Maple Leafs …
Maple Leafs Hot Stove: Darren Dreger on TSN 1050 talking about the Maple Leafs offseason search for a defesneman.
Don’t think either Sami Vatanen or Josh Manson are going to Vegas as Ducks GM Bob Murray paid off the Golden Knights. This doesn’t mean that the Ducks won’t trade Vatanen.
“Where do the Maple Leafs fit in there? Is it Vatanen that they covet? Is it Brodin from the Minnesota Wild? Whether that happens this week or not, we can’t be certain. But I can be certain Toronto has a pretty significant interest.
I think it is the best opportunity . I can’t recall the last time there were names like the names that are being thrown out there as being potentially available. You think of Tyson Barrie with the Avalanche. Vatanen, who we’ve talked about. Travis Hamonic with the Islanders. Is he going to be available? We believe that he is. These are good young players that fit into that age dynamic that the Maple Leafs are trying to build around.
The surprise to me, I think, and perhaps Leafs Nation in general, is what the Leafs are going to have to pay to acquire one of these players. I don’t think that there is a willingness in Toronto to attack their young core with a Nylander or piece like that. So what’s it going to take? Does Toronto have the assets or the stomach to move out a good key draft pick or prospect to go along with that? That is going to be most interesting. What is Toronto going to pay to acquire on of those pieces?”