April 17, 2016; Anaheim, CA, USA; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Hampus Lindholm (47) moves the puck against Nashville Predators during the first period in game two of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The Toronto Maple Leafs are primarily in the market for a right-shot defender, but if a high quality left-shot defender is available, why avoid him?

The Anaheim Ducks just signed Sami Vatanen to a four year deal worth $4.875M per season. The Ducks are allegedly a budget team that now features only ~$13M in cap space under the current $71.4M cap (that is likely to go up a smidgen, however).

Does that make Hampus Lindholm available? The rumors were all surrounding Vatanen going and Lindholm staying, and rightly so, but has the situation changed?

Anaheim has more roster spots to fill up front with only eight forwards under contract on the active roster and seven defenders – and then there was this tweet:

Bob Murray says in a Facebook Live session that a priority is getting a left-shooting left wing. “High quality left winger if possible.” — Eric Stephens (@icemancometh) June 18, 2016

Interesting.

A month ago I wrote that the Toronto Maple Leafs should trade James van Riemsdyk, who happens to be a left-shooting, high quality left winger.

If the Ducks plan on trading Lindholm and keeping the older, lesser, Vatanen, which could be the case, they clearly don’t value Lindholm as much as they should. After the hiring of Randy Carlyle, though, that shouldn’t shock anyone.

When the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired James van Riemsdyk it was a straight up trade for Luke Schenn, a deal they won by a landslide. They now have the opportunity to do the same thing again, only in reverse.

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The 27-year-old van Riemsdyk has two years left on a deal that underpays him to the tune of $4.25M per year. That’s a value that would interest a team that operates under an internal budget.

When he’s up for renewal he would likely price himself out of Toronto given the contracts the Toronto Maple Leafs will have to give out over the next three years and the younger players getting ready to potentially supplant him.

If the Ducks want a quality left winger at a team-friendly salary, James van Riemsdyk is their guy. A straight up trade of van Riemsdyk for Lindholm shouldn’t upset Toronto Maple Leafs fans one bit, nor should it if they have to sweeten a little.