While the Toronto Maple Leafs and general manager Kyle Dubas continue to try and find ways to free up cap space, they're also looking for ways to improve their blueline. The Leafs are likely losing Jake Gardiner to free agency while Nikita Zaitsev has requested a trade. Even with both of them leaving, the Leafs will still have a tight salary cap situation. When it comes to a possible trade, the Leafs have been attached to the Carolina Hurricanes going back to last summer with lots of speculation the Hurricanes wanted to land William Nylander. Last year most of the speculation surrounded Brett Pesce however it seems the discussions were around Justin Faulk. Craig Custance of The Athletic reports the Hurricanes would love to work out a deal with the Leafs to send them Faulk, however they want a one of the Leafs' young forwards in return. Custance adds the Hurricanes are more than happy to move on from discussions from the Leafs if another team makes a serious offer.
