Could the Maple Leafs Go After a Flames Defenseman?
Sportsnet reported on October 31 that all of the Flames' contract talks have been put on hold given their slow start to the season.
The Maple Leafs could be on the hunt for a defenseman from the Calgary Flames.
Sportsnet Insider Elliotte Friedman joined Don Taylor and Rick Dhaliwal on the 'Donnie And Dhali - The Team' on Monday, where he shared some news on the situation in Calgary.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0r_REGcbic[/embed]
There was a lot of anticipation heading into this season regarding the Flames and how they would do under a new head coach after Darryl Sutter was let go. But things haven't gone as most would've hoped.
Calgary has only three wins in 11 games this season, placing them in sixth place in the Pacific Division. And now, by the sounds of it, they might want to offload a few of their defensemen before they get to free agency next summer.
"I think they are calling around and gauging the market," Friedman said about Calgary's Noah Hanafin, Chris Tanev, and Nikita Zadorov on 'Donnie and Dhali - The Team.' "I can see teams like Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver showing interest in some of those players."
This could be of interest to the Maple Leafs, given the number of injuries they've had at the position this year, plus Toronto's defensive play in general. They have a 49.96 xGF% through 11 games this season, good enough for 23rd place in the NHL, per NaturalStatTrick.com.
If the Maple Leafs choose to go down this road of acquiring a defenseman, they will need to shed some serious salary. All three defensemen mentioned in the tweet above carry an AAV of $3.7 million or higher. So, Toronto would need to send someone out to bring another player in.
Jake McCabe is still out of the lineup with a groin injury, Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said on Monday morning. Timothy Liljegren, who was injured during last Thursday's game against Boston, is out for "significant time" with a high-ankle sprain.
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