The Toronto Maple Leafs are looking to bolster their bottom six and have turned their sights on Evan Rodrigues of the Florida Panthers, a potential casualty of Florida's salary cap issues. Rodrigues, 30, recently celebrated back-to-back Stanley Cup victories with the Panthers and recorded 15 goals and 32 points during the last regular season, further proving his value as a middle-six winger with playoff experience.

As the Panthers navigate an overage of $3.725 million against the cap, Rodrigues, under contract until 2027 with a $3 million cap hit, is seen as an attractive option for teams aiming to contend. The Maple Leafs, with over $5.3 million in available cap space, could realistically facilitate this trade, allowing Rodrigues to fill a much-needed third-line center role in Toronto.