Jake McCabe Extension Talks Underway With Maple Leafs

Elliotte Friedman is reporting that the Toronto Maple Leafs have begun, at least in a preliminary fashion, contract extension talks with defenseman Jake McCabe .

Noting hes the kind of defenseman the team needs, despite adding Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson , it sounds like the Leafs feel McCabe is someone they dont want to lose.

McCabe has become a vital piece of Torontos roster, and the organization is already considering extending his contract.

According to Friedman, the Leafs have initiated discussions with McCabe about an extension.

I believe theyve had some conversation with Jake McCabe about extending him.

I think hes perfect for them, Friedman said.

McCabes hard-nosed, physical style of play has made him an invaluable asset to the Leafs defense, and securing him long-term would provide stability on the back end.

Friedman adds, that while its unclear how these talks will progress, its evident that McCabe is viewed as a key player in Torontos future plans.

Locking him in for $4 million with the Leafs might be a smart move.

He was arguably their best defenseman during the playoffs and thats exactly what they brought him in for.

Hes also a heart and soul player who quickly became a fan favorite over the past two years.

The challenge, of course, is paying him his true value when over 60% of the salary cap is tied up in just five players.

What this deal looks like and how open McCabe is to taking a contract that keeps him in Toronto will be an intriguing storyline to watch.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission..

This article has been shared from the original article on yardbarker, here is the link to the original article.