Leafs don’t have much cap space to work with
Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun: A look at the Toronto Maple Leafs leading up to the expansion draft and free agency.
The Maple Leafs have about $11 million in salary cap space with 16 players under contract for next season.
There reportedly has been some mutual interest in the Leafs bringing goaltender Frederik Andersen back, but any deal would have to be cheap.
Unless they are able to clear some cap space, Zach Hyman is likely gone. The Leafs have interest in re-sign Zach Bogosian. If Nick Foligno could be brought back at a reasonable price, it may make sense.
For the expansion draft, they will likely lose one of Travis Dermott, Justin Holl or Alex Kerfoot. Losing Kerfoot would free up $3.5 million.
The Maple Leafs won’t be big spenders in free agency.
Don’t think that trading defenseman Morgan Rielly this offseason makes sense.
The Leafs have had previous interest in Arizona Coyotes RFA Conor Garland and they could revisit those trade talks.
Will the Penguins try to trade Zucker?
Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The Nashville Predators received a second and third-round pick from the Los Angeles Kings for forward Viktor Arvidsson.
The Pittsburgh Penguins may leave Jason Zucker unprotected for the Seattle Kraken expansion draft. Zucker arguably had better numbers than Arvidsson. Arvidsson carries a $4.25 million cap hit compared to Zucker’s $5.5 million. Zucker is faster and more physical than Arvidsson.
The Kraken would be guaranteed to select Zucker from the Penguins if he was left unprotected. Could the Penguins get similar draft picks if they traded Zucker? They could then use one of the draft picks to send to the Kraken to protect a player/suggest to take someone like Marcus Pettersson.
If the Penguins were able to trade Zucker and get the Kraken to select Pettersson, that would take over $9.5 million off their cap.
The Penguins gave up a first-round pick and prospect Calen Addison for Zucker, so may they could get more than a second and third.