It was another out-of-town game and another sighting of Kyle Dubas — the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs — on Jan. 24 at the game in Vancouver between the Vancouver Canucks and Chicago Blackhawks. While the CHL’s Top Prospects Game took place on the following evening in Langley and could explain his presence along with other league GM’s at the Canucks’ game, a visit like this one always sparks speculation and curiosity.
With that in mind, as we did with his visit to the Coyotes-Flyers game earlier in the month, here’s a look at four targets the Maple Leafs’ and Dubas could have their eye on from the matchup between the Canucks and Blackhawks.
Bo Horvat
Along with the rumoured interest the Maple Leafs have in Patrick Kane, which could seem extremely unrealistic to many while considering the team’s cap situation, Bo Horvat may be the next in that column of unrealistic possibilities.
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Still, it’s a target worth considering. No, the Maple Leafs don’t need another centre. No, they probably don’t need more leadership in the room. But the addition of Horvat might fit perfectly with the reduction in role with John Tavares as he serves out the remainder of his contract with the Maple Leafs and could give the Maple Leafs the strongest top-three centres in the league with Auston Matthews, Horvat and Tavares.
Still, cap constraints considered, Horvat might be the most unrealistic option of these four targets. With his contract set to expire at the end of the season, he will surely be looking for a nice increase on the $5.5 million cap hit that he’s had attached to his name since 2017-18.
With the J.T. Miller contract, Horvat is likely unaffordable for the Canucks and has been a reported trade piece for the team all season. As for the Maple Leafs, affordability would come at a cost of moving some players out to re-sign Horvat unless they are willing to acquire him on a rental basis — which the cost seems too steep for a rental.
Regardless, Horvat is going to command a major pay increase as he’s already matched his career-high in goals with 31 through just 48 games and sits just 11 points shy of his career-high in that category that he set back in 2018-19. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him grab $8 million average…
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