Maple Leafs' pursuit of Zach Whitecloud receives a significant update

The Toronto Maple Leafs would love a defenseman like Zach Whitecloud, although the Calgary Flames aren't exactly begging for someone to take him.

With Chris Tanev, Marshall Rifai, and Nick Blankenburg out of the Maple Leafs lineup, with a gaggle of injuries, it is clear that the team needs a defenseman right now.

Preferably, they need a stay-at-home defenseman who can play on the second pairing and keep pucks out of the net, while also avoiding injuries. They also want someone young and right-handed.

Whitecloud fits that description as he stands at 6-foot-2, is a right-handed shot, plays responsible defense, and is also 29 years old.

He has been named as someone the Leafs would be interested in trading for. In fact, it was expected that general manager John Chayka would engage in trade talks immediately, as the team's defensive core is in dire straits.

However, according to Pierre LeBrun, the Leafs might want to forget the Whitecloud dream entirely. As it stands, the Flames like him too much to trade him.

Teams have been calling on players like Zach Whitecloud; He's the kind of rugged, playoff-warrior defenseman that contenders love to add. But he's also wearing an “A” in Calgary; So they aren't in a rush to move him

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It seems as though the only way the Maple Leafs could make a deal is if they overpaid. At this time, Chayka is not in the business of overpaying for anybody.

What can the Leafs do?

If the Maple Leafs want to get through this rough patch, they just need to be patient. It is expected that Chris Tanev could come back sooner rather than later.

Should this be the case, then the necessity to trade for a defenseman lessens. However, the looming threat of another Chris Tanev injury is always going to be there.

For the Leafs, it's going to be a question of making sure they don't make any rash decisions that jeopardize the future. Brad Treliving did enough of these for Leafs fans to hold a lifetime grudge. Chayka cannot afford to do the same.

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