Some Maple Leafs blue line options, and moving Marleau’s contract
Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star: (mailbag) The Toronto Maple Leafs re-signing Michael Hutchinson would give them insurance for Garret Sparks.
Guessing that Ron Hainsey will be re-signed. Calle Rosen should fill in for the injured Travis Dermott.
The Carolina Hurricanes are an obvious potential trade partner with so many right-handed defensemen. Brett Pesce is the Maple Leafs likely target, but would prefer Dougie Hamilton.
Could they get creative and come together with the Edmonton Oilers for Adam Larsson, sending the Oilers some forward help.
Other trade targets could be Chris Tanev and Colin Miller.
A sweeter to move Patrick Marleau may be the likes of Jeremy Bracco, or taking back a bad contract. Believe that the Leafs and Los Angeles Kings talks may have involved Jeff Carter, who a has a $5.275 million cap hit but three years left. Carter could be a future LTIR or buyout candidate.
Would rather have Marleau for one more year over Ilya Kovalchuk for two.
Would the Islanders-Leafs make this deal?
Andy Graziano of WFAN: Would the Islanders and Maple Leafs be interested in a Nick Leddy for Nazem Kadri trade?
No sweetener needed for Zaitsev?
Sportsnet 650: David Pagnotta on a Nikita Zaitsev trade: “I don’t think we will see a scenario where Toronto is forced to sweeten the pot in a Nikita Zaitsev deal. There is enough interest around the league where that won’t happen.”
Term may be an issue for a Zaitsev trade
Rory Boylen of Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman on Zaitsev.
“I think he gets dealt,” Elliotte Friedman said. “Look, teams are always looking for right shot D. And Zaitsev — the issue there is more term than money, the five years left. I just think that because you’re always looking for defencemen in this league there is a fit there, again it just depends on how the return looks. How much do teams want Toronto to eat of it? You’re not going to need a huge sweetener to make it happen because I think there’s people who believe Zaitsev was just really unhappy in Toronto and a quieter change of scenery will just be better for him.”
The Vancouver Canucks, New Jersey Devils and Tampa Bay Lightning could be teams that are interested.