GDT: Free Agent Frenzy 2022

[BertCorbeau]

I don't think so. Maybe temporarily. They just converted almost 30 Huberdeau into a 24 year old Matthew Tkachuk who now gets Barkov as his center. Everything they did prior to gut their draft capital is in the past. Using this trade as a new day 0 and moving forward, they got better.

I stand by securing your superstar foundation and worrying about the rest after. Wasting time worrying about a team with barkov at 26, tkachuk at 24 and Ekblad on the backend just because they lost Weegar.

But they traded their second best d-man too… so they’re weaker on the back end

 

[conFABulator]

I don't think so. Maybe temporarily. They just converted almost 30 Huberdeau into a 24 year old Matthew Tkachuk who now gets Barkov as his center. Everything they did prior to gut their draft capital is in the past. Using this trade as a new day 0 and moving forward, they got better.

I stand by securing your superstar foundation and worrying about the rest after. Wasting time worrying about a team with barkov at 26, tkachuk at 24 and Ekblad on the backend just because they lost Weegar.

Yeah, but they did lose Weegar and a prospect in the Tkachuk from Huberdeau "upgrade", have no draft picks forever and bad contracts.

How do you fill out a roster with draft capital or cap space? Even dumping Bobrovsky is very difficult without assets to attach to him or desire to eat half.

 

[Mess]

I just see the league differently from others. If you have the superstars, you are among the elite at least for the regular season.

I don't like Florida odds for the stanley cup but I see zero risk for them missing the playoffs. Barkov-Tkachuk leading the way for your team with Ekblad on the backend guarantees you at least playoffs. They're on their own from there.

I'm with you on this point.

Tkachuk is just coming into his prime at age 24 (coming off a 42 goal 104 point season) and Barkov is just 26 and both players are locked in long-term both entering year #1 of their 8 years deals, and both players consume less cap then any of Leafs 3 X $11 mil players who are all coming up for new contracts in the next 2-3 years.

That makes Florida's Cup window now wide open for the next 8 years with their star players locked in. and something our Leafs are going to need to deal with as a Div opponent.

 

[Havoc]

But they traded their second best d-man too… so they’re weaker on the back end

Sounds bad on paper but converting Huberdeau to 24 year old Tkachuk trumps everything moving forward. Maybe they can't maximize 2023 but their window to win a cup is extended.

Now it's time for them to caffeine up and see how to offset all those picks they traded and having bobs contract on their cap. At least the hardest part is over (core of young stars) and what 80% of the league can only dream for as a foundation.

 

[Go4soda]

If I’m the leafs my moves revolve around winning but also enticing Matthews to stay. I’m not an alarmist and think he’s gonna walk but I stack the deck in my favour as much as I can.

I’d sit down with him and gauge his feelings on bringing in a signed long term tkachuk - if signing a buddy long term makes him wanna stay then I say do all they can to make that happen.

Post season success isn’t here yet
No idea what the team will look like around him

Vs

We can and will offer big money
_______
(Need more pros)

i’m willing to bet the leafs have kept good dialogue with matthews on this issue. if fans are concerned, i’m sure management is on it too. i for one, expect matthews to resign here. Toronto isn’t calgary with all due respect, and Matthews is well connected here. The team has had relative growth considering this group was built from scratch. Playoff success is vital now.

 

[Morgs]

Calgary has put themselves in a great position to rebuild with many players that can garner big assets. Whether they take the chance or not is another thing.

It's so hard to sell a rebuild, especially in a Canadian market and how well they did last season, but losing two arguably top-10 forwards and potentially both for nothing (if they don't trade or re-sign) besides a late 1st should likely lose Treleving his job.

The last thing any mid-to-late 20s team should be gunning for is a late playoff spot. You lost your two superstars, sell while the going is still good and if you draft well and make good FA signings/trades you can pur yourself in a position like the Kraken are next season.

 

[SprDaVE]

I'm with you on this point.

Tkachuk is just coming into his prime at age 24 (coming off a 42 goal 104 point season) and Barkov is just 26 and both players are locked in long-term both entering year #1 of their 8 years deals, and both players consume less cap then any of Leafs 3 X $11 mil players who are all coming up for new contracts in the next 2-3 years.

That makes Florida's Cup window now wide open for the next 8 years with their star players locked in. and something our Leafs are going to need to deal with as a Div opponent.

Aren't you all about defense winning championships Mess?

 

[Stephen]

I recall that story out of Florida in the playoffs that they were out late a night before a game against Tampa .. maybe Hubes was involved and they wanted to send a message?

Whatever message they’re sending they’re going to be a fundamentally different team with Huberdeau, Weegar, Marchment, Giroux, Thornton, Chiarot all gone.

 

[Zybalto]

Again, what if Tkachuk floats back down to what he was before last season?

Below PPG pest that will give you 30 goals?

For all the crazyness talked about 25% retention around here, this FAR riskier deal seems to be better liked.

 

[Shooter2x]

But they traded their second best d-man too… so they’re weaker on the back end

Bigger picture. Added Matthew Tkachuk to the roster at 24.

Make a list of players you'd sacrifice as collateral damage to secure Tkachuk at 24. Are you turning down 24 year old Tkachuk to save Weegar? I don't think so. I'd rather have Tkachuk and worry about finding a Weegar versus having a Weegar and worrying about how to make a time travel machine to make Huberdeau 24 years old again. Tkachuk at 24 is also better than Huberdeau at 24. These are the hardest more rarest players for teams to add to their roster.

Tkachuk locked up for 8 years. They have a plan. He still has massive trade value for at least the next 4 years too if they get cold feet on this return and want to split him up into two or three balancing options instead.

 

[Shooter2x]

Again, what if Tkachuk floats back down to what he was before last season?

Below PPG pest that will give you 30 goals?

For all the crazyness talked about 25% retention around here, this FAR riskier deal seems to be better liked.

Huberdeau is leaving his 20's though. Let's not forget that. It's worth taking the risk on the what if's.

 

[conFABulator]

I'm with you on this point.

Tkachuk is just coming into his prime at age 24 (coming off a 42 goal 104 point season) and Barkov is just 26 and both players are locked in long-term both entering year #1 of their 8 years deals, and both players consume less cap then any of Leafs 3 X $11 mil players who are all coming up for new contracts in the next 2-3 years.

That makes Florida's Cup window now wide open for the next 8 years with their star players locked in. and something our Leafs are going to need to deal with as a Div opponent.

I might rather have Matthews, Marner, Tavares than Barkov, Tkachuk and Bobrovsky...if your re comparing Toronto's three largest contracts you should probably include Florida's three largest also.

 

[Stephen]

Again, what if Tkachuk floats back down to what he was before last season?

Below PPG pest that will give you 30 goals?

For all the crazyness talked about 25% retention around here, this FAR riskier deal seems to be better liked.

Yeah, I don't see Tkachuk as a regular 100 point player and so much will depend on his chemistry with Barkov if they play together. Barkov's production is also up and down year to year and deals with a lot of injuries.

 

[leafsfan5]

Again, what if Tkachuk floats back down to what he was before last season?

Below PPG pest that will give you 30 goals?

For all the crazyness talked about 25% retention around here, this FAR riskier deal seems to be better liked.

This is what I don't get

All this talk about him being a superstar and around a top 10 player. He just put up his first 100 point season riding shotgun to one of the best play drivers in hockey on a line that all had career years. His high before this is 77 points. How likely is it that he's now a 100 point player going forward?

 

[DraftSchmaft]

meh. They got the best asset in the deal. Spent a good week not too long ago with some others here as allies fighting how important that is when making trades.

Time will tell if they build around barkov/tkachuk/ekblad well.

 

[SprDaVE]

This is what I don't get

All this talk about him being a superstar and around a top 10 player. He just put up his first 100 point season riding shotgun to one of the best play drivers in hockey on a line that all had career years. His high before this is 77 points. How likely is it that he's now a 100 point player going forward?

I think Barkov and the Panthers have a pretty good set of forwards to give Tkachuk plenty of options to produce like he did in Calgary. Will he shoot 13% again? Maybe not but I think he's at least a PPG level player while providing the rat/physical aspect of his game.

I think the problem with this to me isn't Tkachuk being a good player, it's that it doesn't really elevate the Panthers to a level where I don't think they are better overall as a team.

 

[Shooter2x]

This is what I don't get

All this talk about him being a superstar and around a top 10 player. He just put up his first 100 point season riding shotgun to one of the best play drivers in hockey on a line that all had career years. His high before this is 77 points. How likely is it that he's now a 100 point player going forward?

How do you propose Huberdeau replicates 85 assists in Calgary?

Only hit 30 goals twice in his career and is turning 30 now.

I do this trade for Matthew Tkachuk with zero hesitation. Its easy to bet on Tkachuk producing more than Huberdeau next season.

The risk people are stuck on doesn't justify turning this deal down for Florida.

 

[Notsince67]

It is not false. The suggestion that Matthews at an 8 year cap hit would be worth more than Mcdavid at the same is silly. They have the same agency. If the “normal rate” for years 6-8 of Matthews was more than Mcdavid by the same agency. Then they would have a lot of explaining to do to their crown jewel.

If dubas chose 5 instead of 8 for a minor difference he is a fool.

Facts are

Mcdavid signed pre Vegas when Everyone was expecting it to be an Arizona. Matthews signed post when they were expecting it to jump. Every star RFA prior signed 6-8 year. That one year they all signed 2-6. It’s not a coincidence

Insiders reported this. It is known.

As far as the future.

I don’t know if Matthews signs a 3 year deal of course I am guessing as an idea. I am not at all suggesting that I know this to be the case or am confident. Just suggesting a possibility.

We know the cap will be 84.5 under the current agreement Do you honestly think he signs for what 14-16% of 84.5 knowing the cap will jump in 1-2 years?

McDavid left 750k on the table (what was offered) on a lower max cap year.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Calgary doesn't do rebuilds and they shouldn't do one now. I get that Bedard is available, but with Bjorkstrand returning f*** all, it's clearly the wrong time to be a seller. Huberdeau for Gaudreau is a wash. Weegar for Tkachuk is a loss, but otherwise this is the same roster and Sutter is still coach. If the wheels fall off they can be a deadline seller, but they'd get pennies on the dollar if they blew it up now.

 

[leafsfan5]

I think Barkov and the Panthers have a pretty good set of forwards to give Tkachuk plenty of options to produce like he did in Calgary. Will he shoot 13% again? Maybe not but I think he's at least a PPG level player while providing the rat/physical aspect of his game.

I think the problem with this to me isn't Tkachuk being a good player, it's that it doesn't really elevate the Panthers to a level where I don't think they are better overall as a team.

I see him settling in to the 80-90 point level as well, but that doesn't make him a superstar like others have claimed imo. He's definitely valuable and a great player, just not in the tier of Matthews/Marner/Barkov/Kucherov

Florida definitely got worse overall due to this. I think the forwards swap is a wash right now, better for Florida going forward. But, losing Weegar was a huge blow. He was their #2 and there's no one to replace him. That defensive core is ugly now and they have no assets or cap space to improve it until next offseason

 

[Legion34]

McDavid left 750k on the table (what was offered) on a lower max cap year.

 

[leafsfan5]

How do you propose Huberdeau replicates 85 assists in Calgary?

Only hit 30 goals twice in his career and is turning 30 now.

I do this trade for Matthew Tkachuk with zero hesitation. Its easy to bet on Tkachuk producing more than Huberdeau next season.

The risk people are stuck on doesn't justify turning this deal down for Florida.

I don't see Huberdeau getting to that level again obviously, but I can see him around 90 points for the next couple seasons

I think the two will have comparable production, with Tkachuk providing more overall due to his rat tendencies. My contention is with those who think this 100-points is a new normal for Tkachuk. That I'll need to see more of before agreeing with

 

[PromisedLand]

It looks like we'll be seeing more of the rat for many years.

Excellent haul for Calgary, but they better make sure they extend Huberdeau and Weegar or move them for assets.

The rats in division:

- Ottawa: B Tkachuk
- Florida: M Tkachuk
- Boston: B. Marchand
- Detroit: T. Bertuzzi
- Montreal: their entire fanbase
- Tampa: FAT Maroon and Perry
- Toronto: ???

 

[Shooter2x]

I don't see Huberdeau getting to that level again obviously, but I can see him around 90 points for the next couple seasons

I think the two will have comparable production, with Tkachuk providing more overall due to his rat tendencies. My contention is with those who think this 100-points is a new normal for Tkachuk. That I'll need to see more of before agreeing with

Fair. If Barkov plays 82 games I'll take the over though.

 

[leafsfan5]

The rats in division:

- Ottawa: B Tkachuk
- Florida: M Tkachuk
- Boston: B. Marchand
- Detroit: T. Bertuzzi
- Montreal: their entire fanbase
- Tampa: FAT Maroon and Perry
- Toronto: ???

Bunting??