The Toronto Maple Leafs are willing to listen to offers for forwards Nazem Kadri and Kasperi Kapanen, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.
The Leafs are asking for a defenseman for Kapanen and a center for Kadri, Dreger adds.
Kadri is a pesky two-way forward with significant offensive upside whose current team-friendly contract carries an annual cap hit of $4.5 million. The 28-year-old - who has three years remaining on his deal - put up back-to-back 32-goal seasons in 2016-17 and 2017-18 and can give a team valuable minutes on the power play.
Kapanen is coming off a breakout sophomore campaign in which he totaled career highs with 20 goals and 44 points. However, the 22-year-old is a restricted free agent who may become a victim of the Leafs' current cap issues.
The team currently has $72.4 million committed to 17 players and just $7.7 million in projected cap space, forcing general manager Kyle Dubas to explore ways to shed money.
Defenseman Nikita Zaitsev and his $4.5-million cap hit through the 2023-24 season were put on the trade block in late May, and the Leafs continue to try and shed 39-year-old winger Patrick Marleau's $6.25 million cap hit that's on the books for one more season.
Along with Kapanen, forward Andreas Johnsson and blue-chip winger Mitch Marner are restricted free agents in need of a new deal. Dubas is expected to meet with Marner's agent Darren Ferris at the upcoming NHL draft, according to Dreger.
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