A Big Market For Maple Leafs’ Kasperi Kapanen?

While the world watches to see what the Toronto Maple Leafs might do with their backup goaltending situation, there is other news Elliotte Friedman subtly snuck into his 31 Thoughts article this week.

As part of Friedman’s 31 Thoughts post he noted that the Maple Leafs might stick with their backup situation in net, specifically because the options that might be out there for them aren’t all that realistic or they simply aren’t enamored with them. That said, if they wanted to make a trade, they could and there’s a piece in Toronto a lot of teams have their eye on.

Friedman said he was informed that there’s a healthy appetite in the NHL marketplace for forward Kasperi Kapanen. Kapanen came on strong in the absence of William Nylander last season and hasn’t looked back since. He’s a depth piece in Toronto behind names like John Tavares, Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and others but, on a different NHL team, he could be a star.

Friedman noted that if the Maple Leafs wanted to move him, they’d have no trouble getting a good return.

Related: Penguins Trying to Move Alex Galchenyuk

Would the Maple Leafs Move Him?

As it stands now, the Maple Leafs have no desire to trade Kapanen. One of the better value-deals on the team, he makes $3.2 million for the next three seasons and he’s on pace for 45-plus points in a limited roll.

Sure, the Maple Leafs could move him and get literally any backup netminder they want, maybe more. But, once you move a player like Kapanen, you no longer have a player like Kapanen which could explain why so many teams are interested.

Things will have to get a whole lot worse in Toronto before the team considers saying goodbye to a player of his skill set.

Next: Devils Shopping P.K. Subban Too?