Maple Leafs player triggered Zadorov's trade demand.

National Hockey League insider Elliotte Friedman has just shared a detail that is perhaps one of the more interesting wrinkles to a trade demand I've heard in several years.

On Monday, Friedman revealed during the latest episode of his podcast that, just prior to when Calgary Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov is believed to have made his trade demand, that Zadorov had a brief but extremely interesting exchange with a player from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

"It was interesting," said Friedman on the 32 Thoughts Podcast. "The word going around on Sunday night is that a Maple Leaf player said to Zadorov on the ice 'You're exactly what we need.'"

Friedman did not reveal which player made the comment and when pressed on the subject by co-host Jeff Marek, specifically on whether or not it was Zadorov's former teammate in Max Domi who had said the words, Friedman admitted he simply didn't have a concrete answer.

"I don't know, honestly they wouldn't tell me who said it," said Friedman. "I just don't know... you could be right... I just don't know."

Regardless of which player made the comment, a comment that very well may have instigated a trade demand and even a potential trade, one thing is clear and that is that the Toronto Maple Leafs are a potential destination for the veteran defenseman.

"Zadorov gets off the ice and I don't know if it was a slap shot text to the agent... but Dan Milstein, who is the agent, basically said 'He wants out' so buy your tickets in Toronto cause Zadorov could be here."

Stay tuned for more on this developing story.