from Pierre LeBrun of ESPN,

Odds are Cody Franson will be moved before the March 2 trade deadline unless the Toronto Maple Leafs have a change of heart on what they’re willing to agree to contract-wise with the pending UFA blueliner.

The Leafs and Franson’s agent Gerry Johansson chatted last week. Toronto expressed willingness to do something in the neighborhood of three years and around $4.4 million to $4.5 million a year.

That’s just not going to cut it for a defenseman of his ilk who knows he can get six to seven years on the July 1 market at easily north of $5 million...

There are a lot of teams interested in him, including the likes of Detroit and Los Angeles, both in need of a top-four, right-handed defenseman. Nashville is another team we heard has expressed some interest. Of course the Predators drafted Franson, so there’s some history there. They know the player.

more