Report: Maple Leafs Linked to Trouba

Jacob Trouba was finally jettisoned by the New York Rangers last week, but as we heard over the weekend, his stay in California with the Anaheim Ducks might be brief, as it's thought they could flip him in another transaction at some point. 

Several teams in the Eastern Conference have been proposed as potentially interested parties, like the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators and Columbus Blue Jackets. But none of those are real contenders. What if a team with true playoff aspirations wanted in on Trouba? 

According to Steve Simmons in the Toronto Sun, the Maple Leafs do have eyes for the physical, punishing defenseman. 

Leafs management likes big defenceman Jacob Trouba, the recently traded Rangers captain. And they might have some interest in Trouba, if Anaheim or somebody else eats a lot of salary, at the deadline.

Certainly, Trouba's style of play (he averaged over 200 hits and 180 blocked shots over each of the previous three seasons) would certainly fit right in for head coach Craig Berube. 

But that $8 million cap hit does not fit  in the Leafs' salary cap structure. So it would indeed be imperative that the Ducks (or a third party) retain plenty—even up to 50%—of Trouba's cap hit. 

Simmons, however, also admits that finding a "forward of prominence" before the trade deadline might be a bigger priority for the Leafs' brass, especially considering their limited cap room. A number of possible trade targets on that front have already been proposed. 

Trouba has another year left on his hefty contract after this one, so retention would definitely be the name of the game if the Ducks do try to turn him around in another trade. 

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