With a 19-9-2 record and hanging onto a marginal lead in the North Division, Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas says he’s looking to improve his team before the NHL trade deadline on Apr. 12.
“I think it’s very clear that our team will explore every opportunity to improve,” Dubas said in his opening remarks during his mid-season availability with the media.
The Maple Leafs are pressed right up against the $81.5 million salary cap this season. Toronto’s situation is similar to many around the league with revenues falling amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Given difficulty of taking on more money, Dubas says the rental market, the act of acquiring a player whose contract expires at the end of the season, makes more sense this season.
“Knowing that (the salary cap) is very likely going to be at $81.5 (million) again, anything what we take from next year’s allotment it impacts a number of different things as you can imagine,” Dubas said. “It’s a rare time were probably a rental is a better fit.”
More to come…