Kapanen not focusing on trade deadline … Backup goalie may not be on the front-burner, but…
Adam Kimelman of NHL.com: There has been no indication that the Toronto Maple Leafs will trade Kasperi Kapanen. He’s in the first year of a three year deal with a $3.2 million cap hit. He was a healthy scratch on Saturday after sleeping in for practice on Friday. Kapanen said he’s not concerned with the deadline.
“It’s always going to be there, it’s no surprise,” he said. “I don’t read into that stuff. I’m just focusing on being with the guys here.”
Bob McKenzie was on TSN 590 Monday and said that Michael Hutchinson‘s recent play may not put adding a backup goaltender on the front-burner, but they still may want to add one.
“What Hutchinson winning his last four starts does is it creates less of a frenzied environment.” McKenzie said. “The backup goaltender issue is not a front-burner issue for the Maple Leafs, but in a perfect world maybe the Leafs would like a higher-quality backup goaltender who can definitely spell Freddie Andersen off for more games and push him more internally.”
How the Leafs could add a top-four defenseman and still have some cap flexibility
James Mirtle of The Athletic: Any trade the Toronto Maple Leafs basically make will have to be money-in, money-out. When Morgan Rielly returns in March they’ll be around $3,000 under the salary cap.
If the Maple Leafs are okay with Travis Dermott or Rasmus Sandin playing the right side, they could look at moving Tyson Barrie ($2.75 million) or Cody Ceci ($4.5 million).
The Leafs could look to move Ceci to someone like the Anaheim Ducks, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, or New Jersey Devils. That, along with sending Sandin back to the AHL would allow them to a $5.4 million even after Rielly returns.
Adding Kasperi Kapanen or Andreas Johnsson to any deal for a defenseman would give them even more flexibility. They could even retain a portion of Ceci’s contract.
An example of a deal they could look for: Leafs get Josh Manson … Ducks get Kasperi Kapanen and Cody Ceci with the Leafs retaining $2 million. Also, a move like this would give them a bit of cap flexibility for the rest of the season.
The Ducks may want a pick or prospects as well, but it’s just an example of the type of deal the Leafs could look for.
