Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Rumours III
Toronto Maple Leafs Trade Rumours III
The Toronto Maple Leafs opened their trading season this past weekend when they traded Cody Franson and Mike Santorelli to the Nashville Predators for a first-round draft pick, prospect Brendan Leipsic and centre Olli Jokinen. But, as is to be expected with a rebuilding team, more deals are said to be on the way.
With that in mind, here is the latest trade rumours and links from around the rinks pertaining to the Toronto Maple Leafs:
Roman Polak Drawing Interest from Multiple Teams
Right-handed shooting defenseman Roman Polak continues to draw interest from multiple teams around the league, as TSN‘s Darren Dreger reported yesterday on TSN 1050 that at least six teams are interested in the 28-year-old defenseman.
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Among the teams interested, TSN‘s Bob McKenzie reported that the Montreal Canadiens may be one of those six teams interested in Polak. With Sergei Gonchar and Alexei Emelin out with injuries, the Canadiens are definitely in the market for a defensemen.
Seeing Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin and assistants Larry Carriere and Rick Dudley at the Maple Leafs game on Tuesday, it is clear that something on the Leafs roster has intrigued them.
With another season left on his contract at $2.75 million, contending teams may view Polak as a cheaper option they can afford to acquire, as opposed to paying a high price for a rent-a-player defenseman who will be heading towards free agency after the season.
One team that was previously linked to Polak was the Los Angeles Kings. However, according to The Fourth Period, the Kings denied having any interest in Polak, as he “is not a fit” for their club.
Meanwhile, Brandon Worley of Defending Big D believes that you can cross the Stars off the list of potential suitors for Dion Phaneuf, as his monstrous contract does not justify the Leafs’ asking price.
Jets Showing Interest in Winnik & Possibly Jokinen
Daniel Winnik has been tied to numerous trade rumours this season, as the versatile UFA-to-be will probably not play in Toronto after March 2. Although Pierre LeBrun says the Leafs are far from dealing Winnik, The Fourth Period believes that the Winnipeg Jets are reportedly interested in him since a slew of injuries has put Winnipeg in a precarious position.
Damien Cox also wonders if the Jets would be interested in Olli Jokinen as a rental player, with Mathieu Perrault likely out for the rest of the regular season.
Could a deal involving both Winnik and Jokinen entice the Jets? Given the fact that the Jets did not re-sign Jokinen in free agency this past summer, I would say they look elsewhere for a centre.
Phil Kessel to the Sunshine State?
Jan 2, 2015; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs forward Phil Kessel (81) skates with the puck in the second period against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. The Minnesota Wild win 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
To the surprise of few, Maple Leafs winger Phil Kessel continues to be a hot name leading up to the trade deadline. Earlier this week, TSN reported that the Florida Panthers are reportedly interested in Kessel. However, the Panthers do not want to part with any of their young talent in order to get Kessel, essentially putting an end to this rumour.
On the surface, Florida is a good fit for Kessel though. His low-key personality would fit in well at a disinterested hockey market like Florida. Plus, he lives in South Florida during the off-season, so permanently residing there would be something Kessel does not need convincing of — although I’m sure not many of us would.
However, amidst all the Kessel-to-Florida rumours, The Fourth Period said that the two teams are yet to discuss a trade involving Kessel. Pierre LeBrun also shared the same sentiment when he was on TSN 1050 this past Tuesday, reiterating that management members of both the Leafs and Panthers told him they are yet to discuss anything involving Kessel.
Bozak to Arizona?
According to Eklund of the Hockey Buzz, the Arizona Coyotes are said to be “the most” interested in Tyler Bozak, while Calgary and Montreal are also interested.
He also goes on to say that Maple Leafs want Keith Yandle in a big way. But let’s be real here, which team doesn’t want Yandle in a big way?
Next: Toronto Maple Leafs: A Second Chance for David Clarkson?