Berger: Leafs Working On Trade To Move D-Man

[Kyle Doobas*]

Doesn't help create a roster spot for Rielly when Fraser is healthy.

Our top seven would be Phaneuf, Gunnarsson, Gardiner, Franson, Rielly, Ranger and Fraser (or whatever order you want to put them in).

The problem is that, when Kulemin, Fraser and McLaren return from injury, even after sending Leivo and Broll down, we'll be over the cap with nobody we can send down other than Rielly or (I think) Ashton, and even if we send Ashton down, that leaves us right up against the cap with only twelve forwards so if anyone were put out with a minor/day-to-day injury, their cap hit would still count and we wouldn't be able to call up a guy like Ashton or Broll to replace them. Even moving Gardiner for a forward making a similar salary wouldn't work as it'd just shift the problem from the front end to the back, as we we'd be right up against the cap with only six defensemen. This can only involve Liles IMO and isn't about a roster spot so much as the fact that we'll have almost no choice but to send Rielly down unless we create at least a couple million in cap flexibility.

 

[goonx]

Nonis probably promised Liles that he'll move him so that he can play in the NHL. liles is a classy guy and nonis is the type where he'll take take care of his players.

Liles is servicable a top 6 Dman in the NHL. I could also see Gardiner getting moved for the right package. Young potential forward on the rise.

 

[Patience]

Why would Howard Berger have any reputable sources? I'm not sure he did even when he was employed by a professional media company.

 

[Remuskokafication]

I too was told, by a "source," with no details, that the leafs could be working on trade involving D that will clear some cap space

 

[Ari91]

For a fanbase that knows how Eakins operates with his players, I'm surprised any Leafs fan would think that Yakupov is on the trade block just because he got scratched for a game. We've seen first hand how Eakins handles his players. He's firm but supportive and I'm sure he offers even more explanations to his players about his decisions than he does to the media. If there is any issue with Yakupov, it'll be because he isn't responding well to the coach, not because the coach has given up on him and wants him out.

I'll take this news with a grain of salt. I don't even need one hand to count the amount of insiders I trust when it comes to speculation surrounding the Leafs.

 

[crump]

Hoping its Liles. Gardiner doesn't make that much to rush him off in a trade for the sake of keeping Rielly. Agree if this is true then it's probably Liles or Gunnar. Hope its Liles. He is class and deserves to be in the NHL.

 

[Penalty Kill Icing*]

I too was told, by a "source," with no details, that the leafs could be working on trade involving D that will clear some cap space

What more details did you expect? Name of the D-man? Teams involved?

That is as much detail as you should expect. Team wants to unload D-man and get some cap relief.

I also don't know why we'd trade for Yakupov. Leafs are good at wing position and have a lot of money already invested for wingers who do very well (Kessel, JvR and Lupul). And I don't think Leafs envision Clarkson playing bottom 6 role. Yakupov to Leafs doesn't make sense to me.

 

[bluewhiteblue]

there have been persistent rumours about a d-man on the move so it's not as if berger is charting new territory here. gotta think it's liles. he's got a significant cap hit, is likely not too thrilled about being down with the marlies and with rielly likely to stick after 9 games, there's no room for him with the big club.

 

[Jerkini]

I have a sneaking suspicion it'll be Gardiner. I hope it's Franson, Fraser, or Ranger.

 

[Remuskokafication]

What more details did you expect? Name of the D-man? Teams involved?

That is as much detail as you should expect. Team wants to unload D-man and get some cap relief.

I expect if someone who claims to be a journalist reports something its going to be news. Reporting the leafs could be thinking about trading a d man is like reporting the sky is blue. Naming a player or saying its imminent would be news.

 

[FlareKnight]

What more details did you expect? Name of the D-man? Teams involved?

That is as much detail as you should expect. Team wants to unload D-man and get some cap relief.

I also don't know why we'd trade for Yakupov. Leafs are good at wing position and have a lot of money already invested for wingers who do very well (Kessel, JvR and Lupul). And I don't think Leafs envision Clarkson playing bottom 6 role. Yakupov to Leafs doesn't make sense to me.

That's not even saying what you are interpreting it as saying. Some vague source says the team could be working on a trade. They could be, could not be as well. That's exactly as much as we knew before the tweet and even without sources. Leafs could be looking to make a trade.

 

[Penalty Kill Icing*]

That's not even saying what you are interpreting it as saying. Some vague source says the team could be working on a trade. They could be, could not be as well. That's exactly as much as we knew before the tweet and even without sources. Leafs could be looking to make a trade.

That is why they are called rumors. Because there is uncertainty associated with them.

EDIT: I am not here to defend Toronto journalists. Last thing I'd do. Just that I don't see anything wrong with what he tweeted.

 

[Rude Dog]

I was quite surprised that Grapes called Rielly our best D. Love the kid and think he is getting better....but I don't share Grapes opinion right now. He is getting more confidence every game but not the time to trade Gardiner.

 

[Penalty Kill Icing*]

I was quite surprised that Grapes called Rielly our best D. Love the kid and think he is getting better....but I don't share Grapes opinion right now. He is getting more confidence every game but not the time to trade Gardiner.

Dion is our best defenseman. To me at least.

 

[Warden of the North]

Liles doesnt open a roster spot, so that doesnt quite make sense. It does clear cap room though.

 

[Kingstonian84*]

Regardless of a trade or not, someone IS coming out of the lineup if Rielly is staying, they won't let Rielly stay up if he's going to be the 7th D. Realisticly it's either Ranger or Fraser taking a seat for Rielly, based on how weak we our physically right now and based on how much Carlyle loves Fraser I don't see it being him. Ranger is the likely candidate, however and there is a however here and that is he's picking his game up at the right time so at lets say the 8th game in he's really improving that will make for a very difficult decision and that is does Rielly stay or is he sent down?

 

[Mikeyg]

I say its time to call up macT and dangle reimer too see what we could get, reimer + gunnar could haul in something hefty imo, that oiler goaltending is just brutal, I read on there that they have been scored on in 17/18 periods thus far lol.

 

[NarcoPolo]

Liles doesnt open a roster spot, so that doesnt quite make sense. It does clear cap room though.

But if rielly showed he wasn't ready yet, liles would be called up to be the 7th defensemen. Dealing him would ensure that we move forward with the 7 dman we have on our roster now, which essentially means that we are in a way making space for him?

 

[Kingstonian84*]

I say its time to call up macT and dangle reimer too see what we could get, reimer + gunnar could haul in something hefty imo, that oiler goaltending is just brutal, I read on there that they have been scored on in 17/18 periods thus far lol.

The problem is the Leafs/Oilers don't make good trading partners- We are deep upfront and on D, they are deep upfront but are brutal in D and in net, doesn't make for a good trading partner. I think if we dangled Reimer (and I'm gonna use the Bernier deal as precedent) we'd get a mid ranged roster player, a 2nd rounder and a backup goalie as a fair return for Reimer. Gunnarsson would fit in well on the Oilers they need someone to calm their blueline down, I could see them offering us a 1st for him.

I think a fair deal would be we would give them Reimer/Gunner and they give us Gagner/2nd/backup goalie. Whether or not you approve that's the kind of deal we'd get from them, and really it'd be a bad trade for us because really we're stacked on wingers, we could use a 2nd but then again it doesn't help us now, the backup could help.

 

[Rare Jewel]

I have a sneaking suspicion it'll be Gardiner. I hope it's Franson, Fraser, or Ranger.

Ranger actually has a NTC.


Plus I think he's coming along, So no need.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I like Reimer too much to subject him to the mess in Edmonton, that would be cruel and unusual punishment playing behind that team. Eakins has his work cut out for him, he was able to get the Marlies to buy into a defence first style, can he do it in Oil town in time?

 

[Mikeyg]

The problem is the Leafs/Oilers don't make good trading partners- We are deep upfront and on D, they are deep upfront but are brutal in D and in net, doesn't make for a good trading partner. I think if we dangled Reimer (and I'm gonna use the Bernier deal as precedent) we'd get a mid ranged roster player, a 2nd rounder and a backup goalie as a fair return for Reimer. Gunnarsson would fit in well on the Oilers they need someone to calm their blueline down, I could see them offering us a 1st for him.

I think a fair deal would be we would give them Reimer/Gunner and they give us Gagner/2nd/backup goalie. Whether or not you approve that's the kind of deal we'd get from them, and really it'd be a bad trade for us because really we're stacked on wingers, we could use a 2nd but then again it doesn't help us now, the backup could help.

I would literally do terrible terrible things to get that oiler 1st..... The way I see it, we really dont need wingers... gagner is basically kadri, so we either make something like kadri reimer gunnar for rnh or whatever would make it close/even or just go balls out for that 1st,

 

[Kingstonian84*]

But if rielly showed he wasn't ready yet, liles would be called up to be the 7th defensemen. Dealing him would ensure that we move forward with the 7 dman we have on our roster now, which essentially means that we are in a way making space for him?

Pretty sure Liles is making $2.9M, that would put us above the cap if we called him up.

 

[Mr Scarface*]

Ranger actually has a NTC.


Plus I think he's coming along, So no need.

The guy deserves his NTC.
Then again, everybody does.
We need to move somebody clearly, but the gain won't be that entertaining I'm sure..... Interesting though.

 

[Bismuth]

Liles doesnt open a roster spot, so that doesnt quite make sense. It does clear cap room though.

The money saved against the cap would essentially open a roster spot (or two). The team hasn't been able to use all of their available roster spots due to the cap crunch.

I doubt Liles can be traded though. I think Fraser will get traded to Edmonton and Liles will be called up later in the season once the team has gained some cap space (or injuries strike). Liles will be a more movable asset next year when he's only got two years left on his deal and the cap goes up - retaining almost $2 million of his salary for the next three years would be such a waste.