Luke Fox over at The Athletic dropped some interesting news about the Toronto Maple Leafs possibly eyeing Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce. But there's a catch. Pesce, 29, hasn't hit the ice since Game 2 of the first round due to a pesky lower-body injury, rumored to be an ankle sprain. <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/tlndc/status/1790774138891587939'> </a></blockquote></div> He's been up in a walking boot since the the second-round matchup against the New York Rangers started, and has only just started skating. With the series having already gone five games and set to end this weekend with game 6 on Thursday in Raleigh and if needed a game 7 in Manhattan on Saturday, it's doubtful Pesce will join the Canes quest to become the 5th team in NHL history to overcome a 3-0 series deficit. Should Toronto GM Brad Treliving try to pursue him, they'll have to look into that foot even if it's healed by the time July 1st arrives. <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/kacyhintz/status/1790795236798509287'> </a></blockquote></div> During the regular season, Pesce was a defensive stalwart for the Hurricanes. He blocked 113 shots and was fourth in ice time per game, averaging about 20:17. He also chipped in with three goals and 13 points, in 70 games. Pesce's entering the final stretch of a six-year contract he signed back in 2017. With a $4.025 million cap hit for the 2022-23 season and no trade protection, he's looking like quite the catch for any team in need of a solid defenseman. Now, one would figure Pesce could be in for a hefty raise this summer, possibly landing a deal worth $5-6 million. That's solid for one of the NHL's top right-shot blue liners. Should it be the Leafs who pay up?