NHL Trade Rumors: What defenders should the Maple Leafs pursue?
By Simon Vacca
2. Brett Pesce
Frequently rumored to have engaged in talks with Dubas at the height of the Nylander sweepstakes, the Carolina Hurricanes offer one of the NHL’s sharpest blue lines. Comprised of the likes of Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce, Jaccob Slavin, Calvin de Haan, Trevor van Riemsdyk and Justin Faulk, the biggest hurdle for Rod Brind’Amour’s men to jump continues to be that of the club’s lack of offensive output. Currently sitting at fourth from the bottom in goals scored per game (2.59) while somehow generating a league-high 37.4 shots on a nightly basis, the team needs goals in any way, shape or form going forward.
Fixing such an expansive problem begins with acquiring some scoring. Queue the talk circuit of Leafs Nation.
Pesce is often touted as the most movable of GM Don Waddell’s pieces and Faulk likely remains within the realm of transferable assets. The Maple Leafs’ need of a right-handed defender renders either a viable candidate, but the onus of discussion is still centered on Pesce.
So what would the cost of a trade of this nature look like?
It’s tough to estimate. As mentioned, Dubas would ideally like to play around with moving out Zaitsev’s contract, but whether the Hurricanes would be willing to take on his cap hit of $4.5 million into 2023-24 remains subject to debate.
More relevant, however, is the question of who would help to strengthen the Hurricanes’ ability to net pucks. Tavares, Matthews, Marner, Nylander and Nazem Kadri are all out of the picture, but Kapanen and Johnsson — the former in the midst of a head-turning campaign, the latter beginning to pick up the pace in a year in which he has opted to bet on himself — are almost definitely under the radar of a few of the NHL’s front offices. Consider adding a prospect to the mix and perhaps the trigger on a trade is even closer to being pulled than we may be inclined to think.
Whether Dubas would actually target Pesce is a matter of contention. That said, it would be foolish to sleep on the Hurricanes, as Tom Dundon has already proven to be an unconventional owner in what has been a relatively short stint at the organization’s helm.