Rumor: Maple Leafs looking to move T.J. Brodie for another defenseman.
An NHL insider believes the Maple Leafs are trying to add a defenseman, and that may make Brodie the odd man out.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have already been relatively active this offseason, but despite that it sounds like the Leafs may have a big week ahead of them.
Not only will general manager Brad Treliving have to deal with the arbitration hearing for Ilya Samsonov set for this coming Friday, but the Leafs are also expected to either trade or buyout veteran goaltender Matt Murray when the buyout window opens up.
On top of this, recently National Hockey League insider David Pagnotta revealed that the Maple Leafs are hoping to add yet another piece over the course of the offseason, a stay-at-home type of defenseman.
"They'd like to," said Pagnotta when asked about the likelihood of the Maple Leafs adding to their blue line this summer. "They'd like to add a responsible guy because they added the offensive unit in [John] Klingberg."
Pagnotta largely dismissed the rumors that have linked the Maple Leafs to Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce, but rattled off a few other names that the Leafs might target.
"Noah Hanifin, I know there's ties there," said Pagnotta. "Nikita Zadorov more physical and defensive minded. Those are the two guys in Calgary that they are looking to move. Chris Tanev is out there too and he would be a great fit."
All of those players would come with their corresponding cap hits, and that raises questions about how the Leafs would make this all fit under the salary cap. Pagnotta had an answer for that as well, suggesting that moving veteran Maple Leafs defenseman T.J. Brodie may be part of the plan from Treliving.
"That also by the way likely means that someone else has to go, and that might explain why T.J. Brodie's name has been out there the last few weeks."