The Toronto Maple Leafs may be looking to move restricted free agent defenseman Cody Franson, according to TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger.
The 25 year old defenseman is looking for a long-term contract extension after leading the Leafs in defensive scoring with 29 points during the lockout shortened regular season and registering six points in the first round playoff loss to Boston.
Franson was underutilized by former Leafs coach Ron Wilson and after agreeing to a one-year deal following the NHL Lockout, he excelled under Randy Carlyle, paired with veteran Mark Fraser and seeing significant power play time alongside Dion Phaneuf.
Dreger indicates that Toronto would like to keep Franson in the fold, but based on his numbers last season and the escalating cost for defensemen this summer, his salary demands may be in excess of $4 Million per season.
The Leafs could be vulnerable to another team signing Franson to an offer sheet, after the signings of blueliners Carl Gunnarsson and Paul Ranger reduced the amount of available room under the salary cap to $5.57 Million and with Fraser and Nazem Kadri still unsigned, but the trade speculation may be a gambit to get the big defenseman to agree to a more cap friendly amount.
Trading Franson could be the classic example of buying low and selling high, as the Leafs acquire him two years ago for the much maligned Brett Lebda and minor leaguer Robert Slaney. He is entering his fifth NHL year, which means that he will not qualify for unrestricted free agency till the end of the 2015-16 season. That could mean that there is an avenue available to signing him to a short term deal, rather than following the recent league trend to lock up blueliners to deals of five years or more, as Ryan McDonough, Roman Josi, Slava Voynov and Travis Hamonic have been this summer.
GM Dave Nonis has to consider the blueline scenario after the upcoming season. Jake Gardiner will be a restricted free agent as his entry level deal expires, 2012 top pick Morgan Rielly will likely be ready to challenge for a spot on the Leafs blueline and Phaneuf could potentially be headed for unrestricted free agency. If Nonis is unable to move John-Michael Liles in a trade to open up cap room and is unwilling to move Phaneuf, then trading Franson off a great season and recouping a good prospect or high draft pick is a viable option.
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