Defenseman officially rejects a deal with the Maple Leafs

It's a tough reality in today's NHL. Teams are holding onto their top trade chips every year until closer to the trade deadline in hopes of jacking up the asking price and coming away with a more substantial return on their investment. So far, the Leafs have stood their ground and committed to not overpaying. They have even attempted to seek out defensive help outside of the trade market.

The Leafs were reportedly one of several teams interested in UFA defenseman Ethan Bear, along with the Vancouver Canucks and Washington Capitals. The Buds were believed to have had talks with Bear's camp at some point in the past week, but unfortunately things didn't turn out the way they were hoping.

Per TSN's Chris Johnston, Bear has rejected the Leafs' offer in favour of signing a deal with the Washington Capitals. Johnston told viewers on Tuesday that, while the deal is yet to be finalized, Bear is expected to strike a deal with the Caps once all of the details are finalized and agreed upon.

Bear might not have been the higher-end top-4 D that the Leafs are looking for, but he would have been a serviceable right shot defenseman who really could have helped the team bridge the gap until they could acquire someone with a little more grit and veteran savvy, such as Chris Tanev, to whom the team has been linked for several weeks.

Now, having missed out on the free agent Bear, the Leafs will have to continue trying to tread water until they can complete a trade to bolster their right side on the back end.