Elliotte Friedman offered a bit of inside information on the big trade that Took place between the Vancouver Canucks and Carolina Hurricanes for defenceman Ethan Bear. One of the things people wanted to know, was if the Toronto Maple Leafs were involved in any trade conversations.
Friedman said:
“ I think Toronto did look at it, I think the issue was Vancouver was willing to go were Toronto wasn’t with the extra draft pick and with all the salary the Leafs would have to take, Toronto didn’t want to do that, to add the extra pic, because one of the reasons is if they trade one they could have as few as three this year, [Timothy] Liljegren could and [Jordie] Benn could be back next week.”
The Maple Leafs are looking for roster improvements but they need to be cautious of the moves they make. Having moved a number of picks to compete now, they can’t afford to mortgage their future, especially if it means adding a piece that might not be a difference-maker.
Related: Maple Leafs’ Keefe Backtracks On Harsh Comments: Is It Too Late?
The Toronto Maples did reportedly kick tires on Ethan Bear before he was traded to the Canucks, but weren’t willing to meet the asking price.
Things have gotten a bit hairy in Toronto where the team is playing alright, but not off to the start the organization had envisioned. They are dealing with multiple injuries and losing to teams they should be beating on paper. There has been chatter that both head coach Sheldon Keefe and GM Kyle Dubas could be on their last runs with the team if this season doesn’t go as planned.
There’s still plenty of time to get on the right track and Dubas will continue to scour the NHL marketplace looking for the right opportunities.
Next: Canucks Warned Players There Could Be Roster Changes
