Kapanen deal gives Leafs needed salary cap relief
Shipping potential 40-goal man to Pens first step toward acquiring key free agent
The Toronto Maple Leafs traded a potential 40-goal scorer on Tuesday, but they still win the deal in a big way if they go all the way down the road it leads them to explore.
The first-round pick the Pittsburgh Penguins sent them as the primary asset for Kasperi Kapanen will likely be more hit than miss, although there are no guarantees, especially at No. 15. But the US$3.2 million in cap relief the Leafs receive in moving the 24-year-old speedster could help them get what they really need.
That’s Alex Pietrangelo.
The St. Louis Blues captain, a right-shooting defenceman who plays the position as well as anyone in the league, is about to become an unrestricted free agent. Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, he naturally said he would like to stay in St. Louis, where he has spent the first 10 years of his career and won a Stanley Cup. At the same time, he also left the door open a crack to his departure.
“Obviously, I want to stay a Blue,” said the native of King City, about 40 minutes from downtown Toronto. “It’s the only place I’ve known in professional hockey. Legacy is obviously important. This organization means a lot to me. But whether it’s here or somewhere else, you want to play to the best of your ability and leave a legacy wherever you are.”
Pietrangelo, a very good twoway defenceman and a strong leader, checks all the boxes for the Leafs. At this point, it would be more of a surprise if they don’t find a way to free up additional cap space and offer him what it will take to bring him home.
STOPS AND STARTS
Ron Maclean was on fire during the first intermission of the Bruins-lightning game on Tuesday night. At different points, he had panellists Kelly Hrudey, Cassie Campbell-pascall and Elliotte Friedman laughing very hard.
Maclean may be a bit corny at times, but when it comes to hosts of sports productions on TV, I’ll take him over the rest every time. …
In 12 seasons, Zach Bogosian has eclipsed the 20-point mark just three times. You would never have guessed that had you watched the Tampa defenceman take the puck at his own blue-line, skate up ice and split the Bruins’ D-pairing of Torey Krug and Brandon Carlo to set up Blake Coleman’s first-period goal.
HNIC’S Kyle Bukauskas asked him during the first intermission about the last time he had a rink length rush like that.
“Um, yesterday,” said Bogosian. “In practice?” asked Bukauskas.
“Yeah,” said Bogosian, snickering. …
It happens all the time, just not with so much at stake. Working for whatever company is making Bogosian’s sticks is a rep with some explaining to do after one snapped in half, with very little stress put on it, leading to the first Bruins goal. …
TO THE POINT
The league announced it fined Columbus coach John Tortorella $25,000 for “his conduct during a media availability following Game 5” in the Tampa series. With Torts, you’re going to have to be more specific … Blake Coleman was a good player for New Jersey, a piece that the Lightning thought could push them over the top. He looked like that guy on Tuesday.
ON THIS DATE
Exactly 26 years ago, the Hartford Whalers acquired defenceman Glen Wesley from the Boston Bruins for their first-round draft picks in 1995, 1996 and 1997. With them, the
B’s selected Kyle Mclaren, a big defensive D-man, defenceman Jonathan Aitken (whose NHL career was 44 games long) and Sergei Samsonov, who had 571 points in 888 games . ...
Exactly six years ago, Burger King agreed to purchase Tim Hortons for $11.4 billion. You know, a good chunk of today’s under-30 (40?) crowd doesn’t even know that Tim Horton was an exceptional NHL defenceman for 24 years, 19 of which were with the Maple Leafs, and that he was killed while driving under the influence at age 44, then a Buffalo Sabre, hours after a loss in which he was one of the game’s three stars. But ask them what goes on a Whopper. …