Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke listens to trade offers
Toronto Maple Leaf general manager Brian Burke says that he has received two trade offers since Monday 25 October.
The Leaf GM says that the trade market is beginning to heat up, as teams move further-and-further into the regular season. However, to this point full-on panic has not yet set in.
“It’s unlikely that someone is going to make the deal that we want after six of seven games,” said Burke. “Nobody is desperate and nobody has had a poor enough start that they absolutely have to move a key guy. You’re not going to get into a real deal probably
for a bit yet. But we’re ready and we’re flexible when it does come through.”
The Leafs managed to clear up a great deal of cap space when they sent defenseman Jeff Finger down to the American Hockey League at the beginning of the season. The decision to move Finger down cleared up $4 million in cap space for the club.
Many hockey experts predict that the Leafs will be willing to take on bloated contracts for other clubs in exchange for a prospect or draft pick. Toronto is not expected to do a great deal of damage in the Eastern Conference this season and therefore has
the ability to benefit from others club’s need to clear salary.
“With each passing day, our cap space goes up. We’re in a good position to add a player that can make a difference,” said the Leafs GM. “We’re not in a position where we have unlimited funds to spend. We do have some room, but we’re going to wait and make
the deal that we think is best.”
Despite the recent offers made to the Leafs GM it is unlikely the club would move anyone at this time, if only because of the team’s recent success. The Leafs currently sit at 4-2-1 and are second in the Northeast division.
The Leafs next game is at home in the Air Canada Centre against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday 26 October.
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