NHL Rumors: 2 Potential Destinations for Maple Leafs' Ilya Mikheyev

The Toronto Maple Leafs continue to shop the rights to pending free-agent Ilya Mikheyev as the two sides don't appear to be interested in signing a long-term contract extension. While Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas discusses a deal before the July 13 free-agency period begins, there's certainly a very good chance no trade is reached and Mikheyev walks for nothing.

The Leafs have informed teams they're open to trading the rights to pending UFA Ilya Mikheyev.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 30, 2022

Here's two teams to watch when free agency begins:

New Jersey Devils

The New Jersey Devils are looking to add some scoring wingers to their mix and Mikheyev and his 21 goals in 53 games last season, could be a nice fit for the hockey club. The Devils had interest in the speedy winger dating back a few years when they ended up acquiring Andreas Johnsson instead. Mikheyev could be even more dangerous if someone would give him some power-play time and his versatility to effectively kill penalties is something the Devils could use more of. New Jersey has the cap space to make this move, and expect to see them very aggressive this offseason, beginning at the NHL entry draft.

Carolina Hurricanes

Of the contending teams across the NHL, the Carolina Hurricanes may be in the best position financially, as they have close to $20 million in cap space to work with this summer. They would love to add some more firepower up front and Mikheyev could be a nice fit for their hockey club. There's a bit of a gamble here as it was just last season when he finally starting burying his chances, but if you look back a couple of seasons, the Maple Leafs forward regularly puts himself in positions to make an impact on the game. The Hurricanes know the player well and with their international flavor up front, this move could make a ton of sense for both sides. Mikheyev is 27 years old and likely looking for a four or five-year deal around $4-4.5 million per season.

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