NHL Trades and Rumors
TSN Insider Potentially Shoots Down Maple Leafs Trade Rumor
Did Bob McKenzie just shoot down the possibility of a big trade partner for the Toronto Maple Leafs when he described exactly what GM Kyle Dubas was looking for in a deal for a defenseman?
Recently, buzz has circulated that Matt Dumba might be available out of Minnesota and that the Toronto Maple Leafs would be interested if they could figure out how to make the trade work. One insider suggests that might not be so easy to do.
Today, Bob McKenzie was on TSN radio talking about the Maple Leafs’ very public search for help on the blue line. He confirmed some of the speculation that was out there. He said:
I think it’s a very specific need. I think it’s a right-shot [defenseman] or a left-shot who has a lot of experience playing on the right side. It’s also somebody who has a significant amount of term on his contract, and by significant I would probably say the low end of the bar would be what they did with [Jake] Muzzin.
Hence, this is where Dumba fit into the conversation. He’s got term, he’s a potentially high-end player they can build their blue around and he fits the Maple Leafs’ positional needs. When McKenzie said the Leafs would like someone with two, three, four… years on the deal, Dumba stands out like a sore thumb. Unfortunately, so does his salary.
McKenzie also notes that Dumba is signed until the 2022-23 season but his $6 million cap hit is a massive issue for GM Kyle Dubas and likely too expensive for the Maple Leafs to handle. McKenzie figures the big-four forwards are off the table in terms of trade talks so that means their salaries won’t be moved.
And, while teams are asking about Kasperi Kapanen, and the Wild certainly would too if Dumba’s name was part of the conversation, Kapanen’s salary doesn’t get it done.
“I think there’s certainly a will and it’s bigger than this season and part of a long-range plan.” Does that mean salary isn’t a concern? Certainly, it is.
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