Maple Leafs Could Find a Blueline Upgrade in Nashville

The Toronto Maple Leafs could target Nashville Predators defenseman Nic Hague as an upgrade for their defense corps, according to writer Nestor Quixtan. Hague recently appeared on Chris Johnston's trade board in The Athletic, as Nashville is reportedly exploring a remodel of its blueline. Quixtan notes that the 27-year-old physical defenseman has no trade restrictions in his current contract.

Quixtan argues that acquiring Hague would require a trade involving matching salary due to Hague's $5.5 million cap hit and Toronto's tight salary cap. The writer suggests that Nashville is unlikely to accept veteran defensemen such as Oliver Ekman-Larsson or Troy Stecher, making any potential midseason deal challenging for Maple Leafs management unless future contract solutions are established.