Leafs propose blockbuster trade to Hurricanes!

GM Dubas trying to make something big happen!

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Published 4 years ago
Leafs propose blockbuster trade to Hurricanes!
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The Toronto Maple Leafs are desperate to get out of this cap crunch, especially since top free agents to get under contract, notably Mitch Marner, Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnson. 

A new plan therefore needed to get in motion to shed some salary off their cap this summer and it seems like the Leafs played big and have proposed a blockbuster trade to the Carolina Hurricanes in order to get more money to play around with - on top of improving their blue line. 

According to Pierre LeBrun, Leafs GM Kyle Dubas has offered the Hurricanes Kapanen and Connor Brown in return for defenseman Brett Pesce. Here is what LeBrun had to say about the potential trade on last night’s Insider Trading on TSN

“Well they need to create cap space. We know that. And they are in the middle of all kinds of things. One discussion they had recently was with the Carolina Hurricanes. I’m told the Leafs would have moved Connor Brown and Kasperi Kapanen in a deal that would have involved Brett Pesce from the Hurricanes. We’ve talked about him a lot all season long. Carolina wants to keep Brett Pesce right now, they’re trying to sign Justin Faulk to an extension, if they can’t do that maybe they trade Faulk but for now I think Carolina is looking elsewhere. They’re looking at acquiring a top-six forward, maybe that conversation with Toronto resumes.”

His colleague Darren Dreger had this to add about the Leafs' situation: 

"Well according to other team sources the Toronto Maple Leafs have let it be known that they’ve got Kasperi Kapanen and Nazem Kadri in the category of we’re willing to listen. Now, they do need a good defenceman coming back as part of a package that would include Kasperi Kapanen. If it’s Nazem Kadri going out then they’d need a centre coming back so that feels less likely. Connor Brown no question is in play and will likely be traded.”

While the Hurricanes have always hesitated in moving Pesce, they could change their minds if a deal is struck with Faulk. It remains to be seen if Dubas is convincing enough to make GM Don Waddell pull the trigger and therefore save some much needed money. 

Source: TSN