Speculation: Chris Johnston "An atom bomb could drop"

[Avilaj07]

Here's my dream scorched earth off season scenario

To Toronto-
Byfield
Fiala
Clarke

To Kings-
Matthews
Robertson

Then,

To Toronto-
Guenther
Hayton

To Utah-
Nylander
Kampf

Then,

To Toronto-
Detroit 1st Round Pick (13th overall)
Prospect

To Detroit-
Rielly

Then,

To Toronto-
Marchment

To Dallas-
Mcmann
Steeves

Trade away Jarnkrok and OEL for whatever you can

Sign Ehlers 7yrs x 7.5 million
Sign Bennett 7 yrs x 7 million
Sign Provorov 7 yrs x 7.5 million
Sign Marchand 2 yrs x 4 million

Ehlers-Byfield-Guenther
Knies-Bennett-Fiala
Marchment-Hayton-Marchand
Lorentz-Laughton-Domi

McCabe-Tanev
Provorov-Carlo
Benoit-Clarke

 

[WillNy29]

Again, depends on the return.

and so be honest do you think you'll get a return that objectively makes this team better?

 

[kevsh]

^ Sounds great until you ask Nylander to waive for Utah, Reilly to waive for Detroit and while I think it's possible Matthews would consider LA, I'm far from sold on Byfield as a future 1C and they can keep Fiala.

And Bennett, no thanks. He'll be too expensive and that 7 years any GM will have to offer him will be an anchor on the team he goes to within 2-3 years. He's going to fall off from his career-high season fast and hard.

But I do like fellow posters come up with trade scenarios, honestly. And I'd love to hear more because at least it's brainstorming real changes to this group that desperately needs real change.

 

[WillNy29]

This is a failed reasoning and simply fanboyism.

Teams with worse centers than Matthews have won cups (2019 Blues being a clear example)

Teams with worse wingers than Marner/Nylander have won cups (2023 Knights being an example)

Teams with worse D-man than Rielly have won cups (2017 Pens being an example)

The leafs players see their play drop significantly come playoffs. The core 5 make up 50-55% of our cap allocation and produce maybe 75% of required value for us to be a viable cup contender.

Matthews is not and never has been a 60G per 82 scorer come playoffs. He has never been a 50G per 82 or 40G per 82.

He avgs 31 G + 40A for 71 pts per 82 over his 9 years as a leaf with a net AAV over those 9 years of ~8.9M on a avg salary cap over those 9 years of 80.67M.

He has made on avg ~11% of avg salary cap since his first game in 2017.

In that time frame he is 38th in total pts, 21st in ppg for players >50 games played.

He has not failed once or twice, he has failed over the 9 years of his career for the leafs in the playoffs. This is a career playoff choker.

A Joe thornton/Patrick Marleau level player who sucks when the refs tighten the whistles, and when defenses are preventing chances with tighter and more restrictive and body sacrificing defense.

He is a career loser and showed he takes 0 responsibility with his dumb comment on this team losing to "too many passangers" instead of the core 5 again f***ing choking hard and being shut down like its nothing

name a team that has won a cup without a franchise centre in the last 15 years
now tell me how they acquired those centers
now tell me how you think the leafs will acquire another 1?
fanboyism my ass; ive watched this team flounder around with bozaks and connolies after Sundin left its hilarious that you think we'd be quick to find a new one.

 

[WillNy29]

He had the grit and play style to be a winner IMO. Never felt Huberdeau did. The Tkachuk’s US preference should come as no surprise, Brady won’t stay in Ottawa forever either.

so much grit that he quit on his team? so much grit his ppg in the playoffs tanked? do people just make things up? Danny briere at half the size was twice the playoff performer

 

[Rare Jewel]

Depends on the return.

And that's just it.

He's going to be 28, there's no doubt he still has enormous value in the league and if someone offers something that's worthy then maybe.

Will they, likely not. Hockey management is typically quite conservative.

But more than ever, I'm open to it.

 

[TMLAM34]

^ Sounds great until you ask Nylander to waive for Utah, Reilly to waive for Detroit and while I think it's possible Matthews would consider LA, I'm far from sold on Byfield as a future 1C and they can keep Fiala.

And Bennett, no thanks. He'll be too expensive and that 7 years any GM will have to offer him will be an anchor on the team he goes to within 2-3 years. He's going to fall off from his career-high season fast and hard.

But I do like fellow posters come up with trade scenarios, honestly. And I'd love to hear more because at least it's brainstorming real changes to this group that desperately needs real change.

Rielly’s wife is from Windsor, if Rielly were to move I wouldn’t be surprised to see Detroit on his list. However you’re not getting the 13th overall pick plus a prospect for Rielly. Vancouver, Seattle, and Rangers I can also see on his list he’d waive to.

I can definitely see Utah and a team like Seattle willing to pay quite a bit for Nylander, they’re desperate for a superstar. Both destinations are far better than Toronto IMO living and lifestyle wise.

 

[WillNy29]

I would have 0 problem with this team going scorched earth. Letting Marner and Tavares walk should be a given. Putting Matthews and Nylander on the market, my god the returns would be astronomical and maybe exactly what this team needs. Like someone previously posted, after these playoffs, I think the fans would actually embrace a massive retool.

how would the returns be astronomical these guys are apparently good for nothing losers; is this the "enemy is both strong and weak" stage of fascism?

 

[seventieslord]

Maybe they sell high on Nylander?

Wouldn't be a popular move but his value is extremely high right now.

Even with that contract?

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

My guess is Johnston doesn't know a thing you or I don't.

 

[hamzarocks]

name a team that has won a cup without a franchise centre in the last 15 years
now tell me how they acquired those centers
now tell me how you think the leafs will acquire another 1?
fanboyism my ass; ive watched this team flounder around with bozaks and connolies after Sundin left its hilarious that you think we'd be quick to find a new one.

There are more 1Cs in the league than Matthews.

You can build a team many ways.

Again was RoR a franchise C in 2019? Id say he was a very good 1C but a non top 10C. He elevated his play along with a very deep team at forward and defense and a hot goalie leading to a hard fought cup.

2011 boston won with Krejci and Bergeron when neither were elite players. They had incredible goaltending + deep defense + elite forward depth.

For this year neither Hintz nor Aho are franchise Cs atheist not top 5-10Cs in the league and both are in the final 4.

Matthews has been overplayed and overhyped for far too long here.

We can build our team with deep wings + strong d-core and a good goalie system and have avg Cs who can step up in tough playoff environment.

While it would be easier if matthews was a 50G and 95-100 pt player in the playoffs as we expect and as he is paid for us to win a cup, we are 9 years deep into seeing him failing at being that player.

How long do we have to wait until we can accept he's not the guy? He has 3 years left, are we simply going to play out 3 more seasons like the past 9 and let him walk for no assets in 2028?

You can build a team to win a cup if the rest of the team is very deep and strong with centers that arent top 5/10 in the league year in and year out

We could acquire the below as part of a big time Matthews deal to try and get a 1C we can try to build a deeper team around:

Dylan Strome
Quinton Byfield
Tage Thompson
Joel Eriksson Ek
Shane Wright
Robert Thomas

 

[darrylsittler27]

and so be honest do you think you'll get a return that objectively makes this team better?

Cellebrini plus.

and so be honest do you think you'll get a return that objectively makes this team better?

 

[WillNy29]

There are more 1Cs in the league than Matthews.

You can build a team many ways.

Again was RoR a franchise C in 2019? Id say he was a very good 1C but a non top 10C. He elevated his play along with a very deep team at forward and defense and a hot goalie leading to a hard fought cup.

For this year neither Hintz nor Aho are franchise Cs atheist not top 5-10Cs in the league and both are in the final 4.

Matthews has been overplayed and overhyped for far too long here.

We can build our team with deep wings + strong d-core and a good goalie system and have avg Cs who can step up in tough playoff environment.

While it would be easier if matthews was a 50G and 95-100 pt player in the playoffs as we expect and as he is paid for us to win a cup, we are 9 years deep into seeing him failing at being that player.

How long do we have to wait until we can accept he's not the guy? He has 3 years left, are we simply going to play out 3 more seasons like the past 9 and let him walk for no assets in 2028?

ROR was a franchise C...
Hintz and Aho have not won a cup...

we literally went from build deep down the centre to build from the wings in lol......

I wish Detroit had traded Yzerman away

 

[Legion34]

Honestly I'd trade Matthews and sign Marner if that became possible.

There isn’t

Grew up a Leafs fan and just had a child with his wife from southern Ontario.
You can ask but I doubt he waives.

Well to be fair so did Marner and apparently he’s running out the door

 

[WillNy29]

And that's just it.

He's going to be 28, there's no doubt he still has enormous value in the league and if someone offers something that's worthy then maybe.

Will they, likely not. Hockey management is typically quite conservative.

But more than ever, I'm open to it.

why would he get massive value? I am being told he is a bum we cant have it both ways

 

[Legion34]

There isn’t anything in ufa really. We can try to replace Marner with 1 year deals like Kane but that’s about it.

It’s a night mare losing him for nothing.

 

[HofT]

name a team that has won a cup without a franchise centre in the last 15 years
now tell me how they acquired those centers
now tell me how you think the leafs will acquire another 1?
fanboyism my ass; ive watched this team flounder around with bozaks and connolies after Sundin left its hilarious that you think we'd be quick to find a new one.

This fan base is yearning to bring back the Jeff Finger era.

 

[hamzarocks]

ROR was a franchise C...
Hintz and Aho have not won a cup...

we literally went from build deep down the centre to build from the wings in lol......

I wish Detroit had traded Yzerman away

If RoR is a franchise C then that just makes it even easier to argue you dont need a Matthews level center to win a cup. Dude is a career ~60 pt player. His peak he was 13th in hart and a 77 pt player.

There are players we can look to acquire who can blossom into that type of production making 40-50% less than 13.25M

Matthews at to WSH would get a Haul

Dylan Strome + Ryan Leonard + 2026 1st at minimum

That's a 1C replacement at 5M for 3 years + top prospect who is top 20-30 in the league plus a first in a strong draft along with 8M+ in cap space to upgrade the roster at defense or wing

 

[Punch Drunk Loov]

CJ probably heard that people are Raging in upper management and are speaking harshly. It has never meant anything for 9 years so their atom bomb might be letting marner and JT walk and signing Knies and Boesser

 

[WillNy29]

If RoR is a franchise C then that just makes it even easier to argue you dont need a Matthews level center to win a cup. Dude is a career ~60 pt player. His peak he was 13th in hart and a 77 pt player.

There are players we can look to acquire who can blossom into that type of production making 40-50% less than 13.25M

You may want to see what ROR did to other teams top Centers and the heater the Bennington went on.

now lets do all of the other teams in the last 10 years

 

[WillNy29]

This fan base is yearning to bring back the Jeff Finger era.

yeah its going to be these same fans complaining when we do go back to the decade of darkness, but people should keep receipts

 

[Rare Jewel]

why would he get massive value? I am being told he is a bum we cant have it both ways

Well, that's an emotional response.

But he still is the league's leading goal scorer. My issue with being open to trading him is whether he has to be the guy who drives it here or is actually more akin to Malkin, Kane, or even Kessel and needs another guy to be the emotional heart of the team.

But his goal scoring will always be coveted, and there's always some GM who thinks he's the tonic to their teams' problems.

 

[WillNy29]

Well, that's an emotional response.

But he still is the league's leading goal scorer. My issue with being open to trading him is whether he has to be the guy who drives it here or is actually more akin to Malkin, Kane, or even Kessel and needs another guy to be the emotional heart of the team.

But his goal scoring will always be coveted, and there's always some GM who thinks he's the tonic to their teams' problems.

im just saying you cant have it both ways; the trash bag 1C cant somehow also get a massive haul. Goal scoring while shutting down other teams top players should rightly be coveted, that is an insane skill set

Buffalo traded 3 top line centers away and all three proceeded to quickly win cups lol

then you have backstrom and mackinnon who only made it out of round 2 once and both won cups in those years.

it takes just one run to change everything but it could also take just one bad trade to end up like buffalo with no hope in sight

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Here’s a question, can Marner stop the Leafs from trading his rights because of his NMC?

Yes, because he's still under contract until July 1

 

[Rare Jewel]

im just saying you cant have it both ways; the trash bag 1C cant somehow also get a massive haul. Goal scoring while shutting down other teams top players should rightly be coveted, that is an insane skill set

Buffalo traded 3 top line centers away and all three proceeded to quickly win cups lol

then you have backstrom and mackinnon who only made it out of round 2 once and both won cups in those years.

it takes just one run to change everything but it could also take just one bad trade to end up like buffalo with no hope in sight

Many recognize the talent, but when is that run coming?

How many more chances for him specifically is he going to get?