http://www.thefourthperiod.com/news/tor171116.html
November 16, 2017 | 10:37am ET
Leafs listening on Leivo
TheFourthPeriod.com |
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The Toronto Maple Leafs are looking to strengthen their defensive corps and have been looking for a top-pair defenseman since the off-season.
Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello and his staff have been exploring the marketplace and have plenty of talent to part with if the right deal presented itself.
Among the players the Leafs are willing to move is forward Josh Leivo, whom the team is high on, but with limited space on the roster, his ice time has been nearly non-existent, having played in just five games so far this season.
Leivo, 24, could be packaged in a trade with other assets for help on the blueline, as the Leafs are looking for both a rugged blueliner and a puck-mover.
In the off-season, the Leafs were reportedly close to acquiring Tyson Barrie from the Colorado Avalanche, but the deal supposedly fell apart. It's unclear if the two teams have re-opened discussions.
The Leafs aren't the only team to have expressed interest in Barrie, as the Montreal Canadiens, Boston Bruins and San Jose Sharks have reportedly inquired in the past.
Toronto has also been linked to Anaheim Ducks blueliner Sami Vatanen and while the price tag would be much higher than Leivo, he could be added to a deal if the Ducks decide to move their defenseman for help up front, which they are actively searching for.