Report: Maple Leafs willing to listen to offers for Kapanen, Kadri

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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