News Article: News and Notes XXV: Higher than the Highest Boss

[spockBokk]

If the braintrust sees Nylander as a C and IF he becomes a Cane in the next month, I wonder what that does to the Aho as a 1C experiment?

Aho-Nylander Staal-Rask (when healthy) down the middle is not shabby at all. With Necas in the wings as well. More than likely though, I’d think you’d see Aho back on the wing or Nylander on Aho’s wing.

 

[spockBokk]

I think Nylander would make an excellent offensive center. With him and Aho 1/2 or 2/1 and Jordan taking the tough matchups, that would work really well. If he is signed long term, given his age, that would make Necas expendable in my mind if we wanted to use him to get Nylander. Faulk plus Necas would be something I would entertain assuming we could get a sign and trade deal where Toronto signs Nylander to an 8 year term at $7.5M. We'd obviously be giving up some lower cost years of Necas and some cost control going forward, but we'd also be giving up the risk that Necas doesn't develop to the point where Nylander already is. If that would allow us to move Faulk as the RHD in the trade over Pesce, I'd do that, given that Fox coming in a year or two better replaces Faulk than Pesce.

I’ve pretty much come to the conclusion that if we get Nylander, Pesce is going the other way. It solves some cap issues for TOR and gives them exactly what they need. I’m not sure how I’d feel about a Faulk plus Necas price for Nylander. I guess that would have to depend on what Nylander’s contract ends up as and if he is able to be a top 6 C right away.

I am intrigued as to who in the heck Dudley has been scouting in TOR...

 

[The Faulker 27]

I think Nylander would make an excellent offensive center. With him and Aho 1/2 or 2/1 and Jordan taking the tough matchups, that would work really well. If he is signed long term, given his age, that would make Necas expendable in my mind if we wanted to use him to get Nylander. Faulk plus Necas would be something I would entertain assuming we could get a sign and trade deal where Toronto signs Nylander to an 8 year term at $7.5M. We'd obviously be giving up some lower cost years of Necas and some cost control going forward, but we'd also be giving up the risk that Necas doesn't develop to the point where Nylander already is. If that would allow us to move Faulk as the RHD in the trade over Pesce, I'd do that, given that Fox coming in a year or two better replaces Faulk than Pesce.

You would think too, that one of Necas, Geekie, Kuokkanen, Poturalski, Bishop, Roy, or McKegg would eventually pan out to at least a solid bottom 6er, and with Rask's return we have several options at Center, with trade pieces for those that don't fit. I would definitely consider Necas+Faulk for Nylander. Nylander would make us better now, and we have a lot of Center depth in the AHL that may take the next step in a year or 2.

 

[MinJaBen]

You would think too, that one of Necas, Geekie, Kuokkanen, Poturalski, Bishop, Roy, or McKegg would eventually pan out to at least a solid bottom 6er, and with Rask's return we have several options at Center, with trade pieces for those that don't fit. I would definitely consider Necas+Faulk for Nylander. Nylander would make us better now, and we have a lot of Center depth in the AHL that may take the next step in a year or 2.

Yeah, Aho and Nylander locked up long term at center means that we only need our "centers in waiting in Charlotte" to be 3rd/4th line quality for some time. Anything else would be a bonus.

 

[Mose]

I’ve pretty much come to the conclusion that if we get Nylander, Pesce is going the other way. It solves some cap issues for TOR and gives them exactly what they need. I’m not sure how I’d feel about a Faulk plus Necas price for Nylander.

The thing that is confusing is why have Carolina scouts been at Toronto games if Nylander is the only Leafs player involved in a trade? I wonder if the Canes might move Pesce/Faulk and Rask. Because the one thing that came out of all the moves in the offseason is that the Hurricanes remained near the salary floor. If Nylander is getting $7.5M then the management might want to shed a similar amount of salary. Perhaps the Canes are scouting Par Lindholm or, less likely, Kapanen. Because it seems that they are actually scouting someone not named Nylander.

 

[DougieSmash]

i want nylander immediately

 

[MinJaBen]

The thing that is confusing is why have Carolina scouts been at Toronto games if Nylander is the only Leafs player involved in a trade? I wonder if the Canes might move Pesce/Faulk and Rask. Because the one thing that came out of all the moves in the offseason is that the Hurricanes remained near the salary floor. If Nylander is getting $7.5M then the management might want to shed a similar amount of salary. Perhaps the Canes are scouting Par Lindholm or, less likely, Kapanen. Because it seems that they are actually scouting someone not named Nylander.

We may want to shed a bunch of salary, but we can't do that with Toronto. The whole reason Nylander is possibly available is that if they over pay even in the slightest for him, they will not be able to get Matthews and Marner signed low enough to keep all three. So sending them anyone else with Pesce/Faulk that is not a prospect is probably not something they can do. No way are they taking Rask signed at $4M instead of just adding a bit to Nylander's salary.

 

[bleedgreen]

Nylander is a rw in the nhl, and showed at best competency at center. I don’t view him as a center and don’t think he’s any more inclined to be one than Aho is at this point. Doesn’t make sense assuming he’d be ours, and I’d argue with him being a righty that we almost need him more as a rw if Aho is a center. With Ferland on the left that could be a great line.

 

[bleedgreen]

The thing that is confusing is why have Carolina scouts been at Toronto games if Nylander is the only Leafs player involved in a trade? I wonder if the Canes might move Pesce/Faulk and Rask. Because the one thing that came out of all the moves in the offseason is that the Hurricanes remained near the salary floor. If Nylander is getting $7.5M then the management might want to shed a similar amount of salary. Perhaps the Canes are scouting Par Lindholm or, less likely, Kapanen. Because it seems that they are actually scouting someone not named Nylander.

It’s probably be a bigger deal if it’s Nylander, but I honestly think our teams are talking about lots of options right now - whether Nylander happens or not.

 

[Mose]

We may want to shed a bunch of salary, but we can't do that with Toronto.

Toronto is only slightly above the Canes for salary this year. Rask would give them yet another center or LW for the run at the Cup this year. There were rumors that St. Louis offered two 2nds for Rask, even if that is down to one 2nd, Toronto will need cheap options for a long time once Marner and Matthews are on long-term deals. So taking Rask helps with this year for Toronto (Matthews, Tavares, Kadri, Rask is the type of center depth needed for a Cup run) and allows them to add a reasonably high pick while shedding salary after the season.

This is all complete speculation. But it does fit with the fact that Canes scouts have been watching someone in Toronto and it fits with budget ownership.

 

[MinJaBen]

Toronto is only slightly above the Canes for salary this year.

This year, yes. They could give Nylander anything they want. This year. But it is next year when they have to sign Matthews and Mariner and maybe Gardner that they have problems. Rask is signed for more than this year, so that would be a problem.

 

[Lempo]

The Nylander signing will still, and especially after all this, be a benchmark for Matthews and Marner extensions whether done by TML or someone else. If one feels a bit puckish.

 

[CandyCanes]

Sorry for this chicken scratch. But I think management needs to be wary of Nylander’s contract long term. That $3.5-$4m savings on Pesce’s contract could actually be valuable to this team pretty shortly.

Current team salary - $58.3M

Off the books next year.
Williams $4.5M
TT $2.8M
Ferland - $1.8M
McGinn - 900K
Aho - 900K

$10.9M Total

On the books next year?
Williams - 3M? (If we bring him back or replace him with a vet forward)
TT - 6M
Ferland -5m
Aho - 8M
McGinn - 1.5M

$23.5M Total = $70.9M total salary with new contracts.

Trade Nylander for Pesce straight up.

Nylander $7.5M - Pesce $4M = $3.5M

Make the Nylander trade and we are looking at a team with a salary that costs close to $72-75M.

 

[Brock Anton]

That's also counting Rask and Darling, which is $8.1 million. I highly doubt both of them are here next year, whether we get Nylander or not. I'm not worried at all about the cap situation if we can land Nylander.

 

[bleedgreen]

It’s a valid point overall though. We’re not going to be a low budget team long. Ferland and Nylander while both valueable and obvious improvements we should embrace would change our bottom line no doubt.

If Aho is our number one center no biggie, if he’s not we’d still want to add another big salary. Plus a good goalie. We’ve had so much space for so long it’s hard to put it on the radar. Once we’re paying with the big boys any bad contract has a much bigger impact. As having too much money on the third pairing could be a big deal, though it seems unlikely that will be the case long term.

 

[Chrispy]

Nylander is a rw in the nhl, and showed at best competency at center. I don’t view him as a center and don’t think he’s any more inclined to be one than Aho is at this point. Doesn’t make sense assuming he’d be ours, and I’d argue with him being a righty that we almost need him more as a rw if Aho is a center. With Ferland on the left that could be a great line.

If Nylander isn’t projected to be a center, there’s no way I use the last major trade chip on him. They’ve already made one major trade that didn’t bring back the C they need. I don’t want to see that again.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Get it donedundon

 

[DougieSmash]

Long term this looks brutal:

Ferland/Aho/Svechnikov
TT/Nylander/Necas
Foegele/Staal/Mattheos

 

[Lempo]

If Nylander isn’t projected to be a center, there’s no way I use the last major trade chip on him. They’ve already made one major trade that didn’t bring back the C they need. I don’t want to see that again.

I'm wary of trading for a projected C instead of a proven one. TT came into N as a C, ditto Mi. Granlund, but both seem to be more properly used as a winger on the NHL level than as a meh center.

 

[Negan4Coach]

Long term this looks brutal:

Ferland/Aho/Svechnikov
TT/Nylander/Necas
Foegele/Staal/Mattheos

Like brutal for us?

 

[Highway29]

What if it will be something like Staal + Pesce for Nylander + Kadri and stuff to make it even.

Or something else out of the blue.

 

[Dishface]

What if it will be something like Staal + Pesce for Nylander + Kadri and stuff to make it even.

Or something else out of the blue.

Doubt they want a 6m staal, they would just sign nylander then.

 

[My Special Purpose]

Bigger is interesting, I think Kadri is the guy that changes our shape up front, in a good way. I cant see them moving both though, especially mid season. Unless Necas or something ridiculous is added I dont see how we have the assets anyhow.

I think Kadri is appealing honestly, but with Matthews out, I'm not sure how available he would be.

If the braintrust sees Nylander as a C and IF he becomes a Cane in the next month, I wonder what that does to the Aho as a 1C experiment?

Yeah, Aho and Nylander locked up long term at center means that we only need our "centers in waiting in Charlotte" to be 3rd/4th line quality for some time. Anything else would be a bonus.

Nylander is a rw in the nhl, and showed at best competency at center. I don’t view him as a center and don’t think he’s any more inclined to be one than Aho is at this point. Doesn’t make sense assuming he’d be ours, and I’d argue with him being a righty that we almost need him more as a rw if Aho is a center. With Ferland on the left that could be a great line.

If Nylander isn’t projected to be a center, there’s no way I use the last major trade chip on him. They’ve already made one major trade that didn’t bring back the C they need. I don’t want to see that again.

I'm wary of trading for a projected C instead of a proven one. TT came into N as a C, ditto Mi. Granlund, but both seem to be more properly used as a winger on the NHL level than as a meh center.

Obviously, it's hard enough to make a two-team trade in this freakin' league, but with L.A.'s rumored interest, I've been thinking about a three-team deal that gets everybody what they want. For example, who says no to the basic framework of: Nylander to L.A., Jeff Carter to CAR and Faulk + Muzzin to Toronto.

 

[My Special Purpose]

Svech-Aho-Ferland
Foegele-Carter-Teravainen
McGinn-Staal-Williams
Martinook-Wallmark-Zykov

Slavin-Pesce
de Haan - Hamilton
Fleury - TvR

 

[Chrispy]

Obviously, it's hard enough to make a two-team trade in this freakin' league, but with L.A.'s rumored interest, I've been thinking about a three-team deal that gets everybody what they want. For example, who says no to the basic framework of: Nylander to L.A., Jeff Carter to CAR and Faulk + Muzzin to Toronto.

I don't see Toronto going for Faulk and Muzzin since both are UFA after 2020. They probably want a younger forward back instead of Muzzin. I wonder if LA would agree to that; it's losing 2 forwards to get Nylander.

Alternately, does Carolina give up a young winger under control along with Faulk to get Carter?