The insider was asked about what the team intends to do with their blueline for next season. After all, they have significant vacancies to fill with John Klingberg, Mark Giordano, and TJ Brodie all leaving the team. Friedman's response was quite interesting as he dropped several names, linking them to the Leafs. Among the names he listed are Nikita Zadorov, Chris Tanev, Brandon Montour, Brett Pesce, and Sean Walker.
Some of those blueliners will be more difficult to sign than others. For starters, the Canucks are reportedly working very hard to make something work for Nikita Zadorov. According to fellow insider Rick Dhaliwal, the team is preparing their final offer for Zadorov. Both sides are interested in re-signing but the cap space is tight, making negotiations questionable. Still though, it seems like Zadorov very well may not reach July 1st as a free agent, taking one potential option for the Leafs off the board.
Similarly, the Dallas Stars have expressed interest in re-signing Tanev. Even Friedman pointed out that the team is hoping to keep their trade-deadline acquisition around for at least a couple more years, but again the cap situation with the team is tight. Even if Tanev is the team's top priority, they may very well fail to reach an agreement.
If they do succeed though, that will be one less option for the Leafs to consider. Furthermore, these players being taken off the market could increase the value of the players still remaining so guys like Sean Walker or Brett Pesce may very well become more expensive as free agency goes on. Be sure to stay tuned over the summer to see how Brad Treliving handles this complicated situation.
