Insider says Aston-Reese and the Leafs may already have a deal on the table, drops a Sandin update

On the surface, the deal appeared to be one to generate some competition in training camp, but according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the Leafs and Aston-Reese may already have a deal on the table in the neighborhood of $800K-$850K, presumably on a 1-year "show me" deal.

The holdup here is likely a combination of the salary cap and the number of contracts that the Buds have on the books currently. The Leafs are sitting at 48/50 contracts without the likes of Rasmus Sandin and Zach Aston-Reese on the roster. All signs point to at least one trade coming - possibly two. The Leafs will also need a contract slot available for Matthew Knies when his NCAA season comes to an end in the spring, but there's plenty of time to sort that situation out later on.

While on the subject of Rasmus Sandin, that's not all Friedman had to report. He also reported that the Leafs have not soured on Sandin during these negotiations. Friedman confirmed that the Leafs do not want to trade the Swedish defenseman. They want to sign him.

The Leafs are expected to open training camp on September 21st with on-ice sessions set to begin on September 22nd, in preparation for a preseason double-header against the Ottawa Senators on September 24th.

Buckle up, folks! Hockey is almost back!