A trade is coming for the Toronto Maple Leafs, it's not a matter of if, but a matter of when. Nikita Zaitsev, Patrick Marleau or Connor Brown, somebody is getting moved in the coming days and it's just a matter of time. The problem is the Leafs don't have any salary cap to help facilitate a trade and take on a contract.Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos has mentioned that Marleau prefers a trade to San Jose but it would likely require a third team to help pull that off because San Jose has cap problems of their own. The third team could possibly buyout Marleau allowing Marleau to sign on the cheap with San Jose. That team?Pierre LeBrun mentions for The Athletic that the Arizona Coyotes could help out the Leafs but it would likely require the Leafs to throw in Kasperi Kapanen or Andreas Johnsson to get the deal done. LeBrun adds that for the Sharks to accept Marleau without a third team, it would require the Leafs to eat almost half of Marleau's salary.
