Frontrunner emerges in Leafs’ Justin Holl sweepstakes

Recent reports have revealed that the Toronto Maple Leafs have talked to other teams about some of their defensemen, per team insider James Mirtle of The Athletic. It sounds like GM Kyle Dubas is shopping both Travis Dermott and Justin Holl, and the latter has caught the attention of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

According Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now, the Penguins should go after Holl to shore up a blue line that has been depleted at times already this season by injuries and COVID-19. He believes that the Pens could get the veteran defenseman for a reasonable return.

Holl has been a healthy scratch for five games in Toronto in favor of Timothy Liljegren. However, he has played top-four minutes for the Leafs in each of the last two seasons. The Maple Leafs had potentially set their minds on losing Dermott at the Seattle Kraken expansion draft, as he was left unprotected while Holl was kept. However, the Kraken opted to take forward Jared McCann from Toronto. Holl also carries an affordable $2 million cap hit through 2022-23. His deal includes a 10-team no-trade list.

In return for Holl, Kingerski believes the Penguins could offer up backup goalie Louis Dominigue. There is no doubt that the cap-strapped team would need to make room to get the immediate help of Holl.

Not sure if the Penguins would attempt to make a pitch for Dermott, as he has two years left on his contract with a $1.5-million cap hit. But it sure sounds like Pittsburgh is shopping for a D on the market.