Toronto Maple Leafs to sign two top free agent defenseman according to Friedman
Sportsnet reporter Elliotte Friedman revealed today that the Toronto Maple Leafs are in the market for multiple high-end defenseman in free agency.
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.
«Toronto is going to go out to try to get TWO really good defensemen in the UFA market»
Who would you like to see in the blue and white?
Who would you like to see in the blue and white?
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.
"A final offer is coming to Zadorov soon.."
@DhaliwalSports on the latest with Nikita Zadorov and the #Canucks
@DhaliwalSports on the latest with Nikita Zadorov and the #Canucks
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.
I think this kind of sums up nicely why Chris Tanev should be the priority for the Stars if it's a choice between trying to re-sign him or Duchene.
Also Nils Lundkvist needs to be traded to somewhere that will let him play.
Also Nils Lundkvist needs to be traded to somewhere that will let him play.
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.
Source: HockeyPatrol
Elliotte Friedman shares 5 UFA defensemen the Maple Leafs are likely to pursue
| POLL | ||
How many of the top free agent defenseman do you think the Toronto Maple Leafs will sign this summer? | ||
| one | 139 | 28.6 % |
| two | 178 | 36.6 % |
| three | 40 | 8.2 % |
| None | 129 | 26.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
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