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Does Dubas have any more deals to do???

July 9, 2019, 6:08 PM ET [586 Comments]
Mike Augello
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Slightly over a week after the starting gun was shot to start the race for signing free agents and making changes for the upcoming 2019-20 NHL season, the news has slowed to a crawl. With the exception of Ryan Dzingel and soon-to-be former Leaf Jake Gardiner, the prominent names available in unrestricted free agency have fallen off the board, and the focus has shifted towards RFA signings, salary arbitration dates and the occasional trade.

On Tuesday, the Buffalo Sabres completed their third trade in less than two weeks, moving former first rounder Alex (brother of William) Nylander to Chicago for defensive prospect Henri Jokiharju. The deal represents a new start for both youngsters.

Nylander failed to crack the Buffalo lineup after being selected eighth overall in 2016 and was a prospect from the Sabres former management team. Jokiharju won gold for Finland at the 2019 World Junior and was well liked by former Hawks coach Joel Quenneville, but was not as favored by the new Chicago coaching staff.

The Toronto Maple Leafs division rival now have six right-handed defensemen (Jokiharju, Ramsus Ristolainen, Brandon Montour, Colin Miller, Zach Bogosian(injured) and Casey Nelson) and It is possible that the trade opens up other options such as dealing Ristolainen for help up the middle.

The Leafs made two big moves on July 1, adding right-handed blueliners Tyson Barrie and Cody Ceci, along with center Alex Kerfoot, but it is still possible that GM Kyle Dubas has a deal or two in the hopper before training camp.

The trade most likely to happen may involve backup Garret Sparks. The Leafs appear to have taken care of the #2 behind Frederik Andersen with the re-signing of Michael Hutchinson to a one-year, one-way league-minimum contract.

Indications prior to the NHL Draft in Vancouver was that Toronto was shopping the 25-year-old (who will be an unrestricted free agent next summer). Youngsters Ian Scott and Joseph Woll will need to get regular playing time in the minors next season and it is possible that Sparks will not clear waivers if the Leafs attempt to send him down after training camp.

There continues to be speculation that the Leafs would like to bring back Gardiner and that the free-agent would like to re-sign in Toronto, but that signing would be next to impossible with the club’s current cap situation and Mitch Marner still unsigned.

Any attempt to re-sign Gardiner would likely result in Dubas moving out another defenseman to make room, but the only way that happens is if the 29-year-old takes a significantly lower salary than anyone thought and that still is extremely unlikely to occur.


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