NHL Rumors: Toronto Maple Leafs Cap Space An Issue As Team Looks To Add Defence

Toronto Maple Leafs defense could benefit from trades with Calgary Flames

Sportsnet’s Luke Fox: The Calgary Flames have three unrestricted free-agent defensemen the Maple Leafs could use to shore up their defense, according to Fox.

They are Noah Hanifin, Nikita Zadorov and Chris Tanev.
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Current Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving is no stranger to these three.
Because he brought all three of them to Calgary when he was general manager there.

We know Toronto is interested in these three players along with two other teams, Vancouver and New Jersey, so getting this done is a priority.

Reasonable caps for each player are $4.95 million for Hanifin, $4.5 million for Tanev and $3.75 million for Zadorov.
Zadorov seems to want to play in Toronto.

Everyone brings something different.
While Zadorov and Tanev are on the physical side, Hanifin is more of a puck-handling defenseman like the Maple Leafs.

Meanwhile, Hanifin is looking for a Devon Toews-style deal.

This will allow you to remove the maple leaves from the mixture. Because we need more size and spirit at the back.

Salary cap space is an issue for Toronto

Dave Pagnotta in the fourth round: Pagnotta wrote that Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving would like to sign someone like Nikita Zadorov or Chris Tanev but has no cap space.

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Toronto, like most teams, has a salary cap. And the teams with free places are at the bottom of the tournament table. So what does Toronto do?

As Pagnotta points out, Treliving needs to get creative to close the deal.
Is he one of the designated defenders or an additional striker?

As for William Nylander, his salary cap will be reduced if Toronto signs him to an eight-year contract worth more than $10 million.

With Neylander only starting 15 games this year, the price is bound to rise.
Toronto has its work cut out for it moving forward.