NHL Trade Rumors: 5 Maple Leafs who may be moved this summer

1. Nikita Zaitsev

Age: 27
Position: RHD

When reports of Nikita Zaitsev’s candid discussion with a Russian outlet began to make the rounds of the talk circuit of the hockey world, an unexpected prospect was translated into a reality. Zaitsev, signed to a $4.5 million contract that lasts through 2023-24, made public that he wanted out of Toronto — the very franchise that had allowed him to receive what many have come to regard as a significant overpayment in the first place.

Citing frustration with the manner in which he has been deployed in Babcock’s system, along with the extensive implications of harsh coverage at the hands of opinionated talking heads like Don Cherry, Zaitsev’s interview quickly became one of the sport’s more head-turning subjects of rumination. And given that Zaitsev’s “personal reasons” are the motivating factor behind his request for a trade, the Maple Leafs’ administration has been prompt in ensuring that the club will attempt to orchestrate a deal that works for both the player and the organization in the months ahead.

Originally seen as one of the Maple Leafs’ more difficult contracts to move, it is somewhat surprising that a Zaitsev trade appears to loom large on the horizon. Both the Vancouver Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers are speculated to be in the running to land the 27-year-old, right-shot defender, who shall look to bounce back in 2019-20.

As Leafs Nation awaits a degree of resolution on Zaitsev’s future, the question of what a potential return would look like becomes all the more intriguing. Expect the rumor mill to operate in full swing.