Dubas on his RFAs, offer sheets, and trade candidates in Zaitsev, Marleau and Kadri
Maple Leafs Hot Stove: (full collection of question and quotes transcribed at MLHS) Media availability for Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas yesterday.
Dubas on their RFAs.
“Yeah, we are talking with all of them. We’ve got Mitch, Kasperi Kapanen, Andreas Johnsson… We are continuing to work away at that. We will keep all of those details private.”
Dubas doesn’t feel any pressure with July 1st getting closer. On if they’d match any offer sheet for Mitch Marner.
“If there were to be an offer sheet, we’d look at what they are and what the compensation is for our team and make the decision based on that. They’re all very important players for us and so it is our intention that they are all here for as long as we can possibly keep them, but if the dollar amount doesn’t make sense in terms of our internal economics and the marketplace and the compensation is such, it is going to be a decision on our end as to what we do.”
When asked if Nazem Kadri is available if they need to clear some salary cap space.
“Naz is an important player for us. At the same time, it is foolish to say that any player is 100% never going to be moved or anything like that because things change and we have to be looking to make our team better. But is our full intention that Naz is going to be on the team.”
Dubas said there hasn’t been any behind the scenes movement with Nikita Zaitsev or Patrick Marleau. There is a “strong chance” that Marleau could be back with the Leafs next season.
Dubas on Marleau … A Leafs-Penguins rumor … Leafs-Marner up to $2 million apart
Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star: Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas said it wouldn’t be a problem if Patrick Marleau is back with the Leafs to start the season.
“If Patrick Marleau were back with the Toronto Maple Leafs at the beginning of next year, it wouldn’t be a problem for Patrick. There’s a strong chance he’ll be back next season.”
The Maple Leafs could be willing to include Kasperi Kapanen in a deal to move Nikita Zaitsev, and a source said that the Pittsburgh Penguins and Kris Letang “makes sense.”
It’s believed that Mitch Marner is looking for a deal at $11 million a season with the Leafs holding firm at up to $2 million below that.
“What the other teams are thinking, I don’t know,” Dubas said. “It’s within the rules. It gets bandied about. It’s kind of hanging over everything now. If it happens, it happens. We’ll go from there.
“I hope it doesn’t come to that. I hope we can continue to work together.”
