3 Reasons Why the Toronto Maple Leafs Have to Trade for Patrik Laine
By James Tanner
3. The Leafs Actually Have the Cap Space
Well, technically they only have about $1.2 million right now, which may or may not have to go to Jani Hakanpaa.
But, they have quite a lot of cap-space that they could clear off the books.
David Kampf makes $2.4 million and Calle Jarnkrok makes $2.1 million. That is $4.5 million in wasted cap space. Neither player has a spot on the current roster that couldn't easily be filed by a cheaper option from the AHL.
Patrik Laine makes $8.7 and if Columbus retains half of that, it's $4.35 million.
Laine, retained, makes less than Kampf and Jarnkrok combined, which means the Leafs could easily afford him.
That means all the Leafs would have to do is offer the Blue Jackets enough motivation to eat $4.35 million x 2.
The Jackets won't get much for Laine at his full price, but I think an unprotected 2028 first round pick, Bobby McMann (who becomes obsolete with Laine on the team) and Fraser Minten would be a generous package that the Leafs could stomach paying.
Ultimately, I doubt Laine gets traded for even that much, which means the Leafs have the assets to get this done. They have the cap space, and both the need and opportunity are there.
There are few no-brainer decisions in the NHL, but this is one of them:
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The Toronto Maple Leafs must trade for Patrick Laine.