Several Leafs players names have surfaced in the NHL trade rumour mill.
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The Maple Leafs do not plan on standing pat this offseason. To be fair, they don't really have a choice. After blowing three leads in their series against the Bruins, the Leafs once again found themselves on the sidelines before the calendar flipped to May.
With Mitch Marner likely to get a massive payout on his next deal, the Leafs will be virtually out of cap space moving forward. Trading depth seems inevitable at this point. There is even some talk that if Marner does not take a number the Leafs can stomach, a trade is not entirely out of the question. That said, a massive breakdown in negotiations would have to occur for it to go that direction.
There is buzz that the Leafs could trade William Nylander this summer. Although Dubas made it clear that he did not want to trade away young skill, there simply isn't enough room to keep everyone. The Carolina Hurricanes are still believed to be interested in Nylander. Brett Pesce or Justin Faulk could be offered up in return.
Other trade possibilities include RFAs Andreas Johnsson and Kasperi Kapanen - the former having arbitration rights this summer. The Leafs cannot afford to overpay either, so a trade could occur if either can't come to terms. Both would interest the Hurricanes.
Most likely to be dealt, however, is depth winger Connor Brown. The Leafs simply can't afford to pay more than 3 or 4 million on their fourth line. Brown generated some interest at the deadline from teams like Edmonton and Philadelphia.
Leafs management would love to find a taker for veteran Patrick Marleau, but with a no move clause in hand a deal is unlikely.
There are many balls in the air in Toronto. With the city clamouring for immediate playoff success, GM Kyle Dubas has his work cut out for him.
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