Rumor: Leafs to land star D-man in time for the playoffs!

Many trade rumours have surfaced about the Toronto Maple Leafs and their desire to acquire a quality defenseman to help them push through a long Stanley Cup run this upcoming spring. 

While the Leafs are apparently been eyeing Arizona Coyotes' Oliver Ekman-Larsson and other blue liners whose names have been mentioned in trade chatter, it appears that help is on the way ... from Russia! 

In May 2016, the Leafs announced the signing of KHL defender Nikita Zaitsev and now GM Lou Lamoriello could pull another rabbit out of his hat with another KHL blue liner: Igor Ozhiganov.

According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, "other NHL teams have been told Toronto has a verbal commitment from Ozhighanov. He can sign after April 30."

The Leafs would need to push through the first round of the playoffs and then could count on the KHL star defenseman for the future. 

There’s definitely a place with the Leafs for an offensive defenseman with a big shot from the blueline - and they might get it sooner than later.