Leafs get in touch with Alex Pietrangelo in last ditch effort!

Kyle Dubas talks about making a splash!

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 3 years ago
Leafs get in touch with Alex Pietrangelo in last ditch effort!
Zuma Press

The most coveted free agent on the board remains there for now. Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, who’s decided to test the unrestricted free agency waters after he wasn’t thrilled with the St. Louis Blues’ offer, remains unsigned at the moment with both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights working hard to land him.

However, Pietrangelo is expected to command quite the pay check and both teams will have to make room on their cap space to get him on their respective roster. 

The Leafs therefore attempted to see with the free agent’s camp how low they can go to get him to agree to a contract in Toronto. General manager Kyle Dubas explained in his latest press conference that he got in touch with Pietrangelo’s agent Don Meehan to discuss his team’s limitations. 

“We have talked to Don Meehan, but I have not talked to Alex at this point. They know where we stand and what our interest is and what our limitations are.”

We’re not sure that’s the best way to go about this… 

The 30-year-old Pietrangelo is expected to looking at a deal that will pay him $7+ million annually,. Darren Dreger of TSN recently reported that the Blues might have offered Pietrangelo $8M AAV, however, couldn’t what the length of the deal would be. Pietrangelo might be after more money than the Blues can afford. Team insider Jeremy Rutherford explained how three days ago, the team reportedly offered 7.7M and other agents think Pietrangelo could make 8.5 or even 9 on the open market. He ended a seven-year, $45.5 million contract signed with the Blues in 2013, and is looking for a pay raise. 

There is no doubt that the Leafs need to improve on the back end, and Dubas admitted that they are willing to make a splash, we just don’t know how much of a big one… 

The GM also mentioned that he could get that addition on the free agent market, but that it could also happened via trade. 

“We have [cap] flexibility, it’s just a matter of how big a splash we want to make.”

Options in both places, Dubas said. So, is this a last ditch effort to land Pietrangelo? 

Pietrangelo had 16 goals and 52 points in 70 games during the regular season, adding one goal and six points in games upon the NHL’s Return to Play. He has spent his entire career to date with the Blues, but is now considering wearing another uniform. He is however still open to circling back to the Blues as well…

Source: Twitter