Report: Maple Leafs Believed to Have Offered 'Multiple Picks' For Flames' Chris Tanev, But Calgary Waiting for a First-Rounder, Chances for Noah Hanifin
The Toronto Maple Leafs continue to be interested in the defenseman. But are they willing to part with the right assets?
We're less than a month away from the NHL trade deadline and the Toronto Maple Leafs have been linked to Calgary Flames defenseman Chris Tanev for quite some time now.
On the latest edition of the '32 Thoughts' podcast, Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman discussed the latest on Toronto's pursuit of pending unrestricted free agent defenseman Chris Tanev.
"When it comes to Tanev, I think the Flames are waiting for a first-round pick gets offered. I think that’s what they’re waiting for and if a team steps up with a first-rounder, I can see it happening."
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The Maple Leafs have their first-round pick in 2024 but do not have a second-rounder until 2027. Friedman reports that the Leafs have offered multiple lower-round draft picks.
"It’s Toronto which I think is offering multiple picks, but none of them a first, and their first second (round draft pick) available isn’t for four years. So that’s a challenge."
The Flames have reportedly told teams that a first-round pick is the price for the Toronto native.
Another Flames defenseman who is sought after is Noah Hanifin. The Maple Leafs may have an interest in him, but there could be a desire for the Boston native to return to the United States if he doesn't end up signing an extension with the Flames before the March 8 trade deadline.
"I think a team like Toronto would love to get Hanifin. I said this last summer, Hanifin’s position would be to go to the States if he hit the market this summer. And the U.S. teams certainly think that."
'Hanifin has a modified eight-team no-trade list on his current contract that pays him an average annual value of $4.95 million per season. But if it becomes clear that a deal for Hanifin doesn't come with a new contract, maybe a deal becomes harder to broker.
The Maple Leafs have been looking for defensive help but have learned to buckle down as of late with some key absences.
With Morgan Rielly out for the last four games while serving a suspension for his cross-check to the face of Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig, the Leafs have gone 4-0-0.
Another consideration for Toronto is its tight salary cap space. They currently have just over $1.3 million in long-term injury exception, according to Puckpedia.com, however, they still have to make room for forward Calle Jarnkrok's $2.1 cap hit when he returns. The same goes for Joseph Woll's $766,667 cap hit.
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