Friedman: Nikita Zaitsev has requested a trade from Toronto

[WingsMJN2965]

Zaitsev is easier to trade than Marleau for a host of reasons.

NTC is really the sole reason.

Teams with the cap space to take him on would do it for an incentive. Teams that want to reach the cap floor would easily take him after July 1st.

Hell, give me a good enough pick and I'd take him on Detroit.

 

[RomanianLeafs]

That sounds like a terrific deal for the Canucks.

I said In a package not one for one.. Also Zaitsev is not that bad as some people think..

 

[shortfuze]

Clarkson costed a worse contract, dont see your point...

Why do you think it’s a worse contract?

 

[thethirdhockeyman91]

Please be for Lucic

Leafs need to add...

 

[leeroggy]

zaitsev + Johnsson or kapanen for shatty and Kreider

You forgot the ++ coming from the Leafs, never mind how you take on even MORE salary! And Kreider is UFA after next year and after he puts up 30+ goals you'll be back in the same position next year.

 

[TheDoldrums]

They're painting this as Zaitsev asking out and that the Leafs like him like a top-4 D, what a crock of ****

You just have to look at his TOI to see that some in the Leafs organization like him as a top 4 D. And they haven't been proactive in getting Babcock more options on RHD to displace him, so they were willing to live with him there.

 

[Michoulicious]

To Arizona: Zaitsev, Sandin

To Toronto: pick #45 in 2019

 

[WingsMJN2965]

You just have to look at his TOI to see that some in the Leafs organization like him as a top 4 D.

I mean, if we gave you Glendening, Babcock would probably have him playing top 6 minutes.

 

[SpeakingOfTheDevils]

Just like clarkson and Phaneuf?

Toronto acquired two heaps of garbage in exchange for those two. I'm sure the Leafs would be able to do something similar with Zaitsev, but their current cap situation won't permit.

...therefore, TOR will have to pay significantly to get rid of Zaitsev's contract.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

It's really not. This is not a 7mil bottom pairing guy. He is a top 4 guy making top 4 money in a position of demand, the right side.

Typical HF clown show, only Toronto pays extra to trade guys that could help most teams.

I'll happily wager an avatar swap with anyone convinced we will pay to move him. You might though want to look him up so you can see most people here have no clue what they are talking about.

Zaitsev is not a top four guy on a good team. He's top four on a team with no options. I agree with the side being of demand but having a drop in your time on ice from the regular season to the playoffs is not a good sign for someone that is supposed to be a top four in your eyes.

 

[branch]

Probably going to end up 4 hours down the 401.

Sure we'll take him and your 1st rounder

 

[WingsMJN2965]

To Arizona: Zaitsev, Sandin

To Toronto: pick #45 in 2019

LOL. If that's the price to take on Zaitsev, I'd probably give up #35.

On second thought, five years is a long time... That's tough.

 

[danielpalfredsson]

If they move Marner, they should experiment with attaching Zaitsev to him. If four unprotected 1sts is the floor for Marner's trade value, it means if Marner is traded it will be because someone has offered substantially more or at least a better package for the Leafs than four 1sts.

Taking Zaitsev would be a creative asset a team could give up to beef up a Marner trade package. Fans of teams on this board don't seem to like the idea of giving up picks or prospects for cap space, but taking back one or two less assets for Marner to get 4.5M in cap space for the next 5 seasons would be immensely valuable to Toronto considering they are an attractive free agent destination who could actually put that cap space to good use, and it is their window to win now.

There'll be no market for him outside of a bad contract swap. The Leafs can probably leverage the fact that Zaitsev has most of his salary paid on July 1st and try to move him to a budget team in a deal for another bad contract (or a series of bad contracts), but I think it's incredibly unlikely that they find a trade partner.

If we add Kapanen I think we should be able to convince CBJ to give us Jones

Not a chance.

#1 RD on an amazing contract for a good young top 6 winger and a huge negative value asset? That doesn't make much sense. Kapanen would have to be worth considerably more than Jones for that to make sense, he's not.

 

[shortfuze]

I don't think there's a Marleau move out there that makes sense but it's possible. Marleau is probably willing to help them out if they can find something to his liking but I just don't see that happening.



Yes it worked out for Toronto but the motivations and circumstances are different. Neither of those trades the Leafs were making a deal to save and use cap dollars in the short term. They just wanted to get rid of Clarkson and had a deal to make to pay for an uninsured injured player. Phaneuf they were taking expensive AHL'er/fringe NHL'ers to get out from term while also retaining. Yeah, it worked out for them just like this deal could work out for them too but the idea that adding an asset to take Zaitsev isn't going to happen because of those trades when the cap wasn't an immediate concern like it is now is misleading.

I have never said that Toronto would or wouldn’t have to move an asset with Zaitsev to make a trade. To be honest I think it will be a 1 for 1 deal where Toronto takes back a similar player with either less year or less cap. My point is that some people were saying Toronto was screwed with those 2 contracts but they made it work.

 

[Henkka]

Zaitsev

for

Lucic or Abdelkader.

 

[SI90]

If we add Kapanen I think we should be able to convince CBJ to give us Jones

Lmao no

 

[Michoulicious]

LOL. If that's the price to take on Zaitsev, I'd probably give up #35.

On second thought, five years is a long time... That's tough.

I actually think it is a fair deal. Toronto loses its best prospect (but LHD, which is less of a need than Liljegren on the right side), but gets rid of its worst contract and is able to sign Marner/protects itself from hostile offesheets with July 1st coming up... and gets a good pick as well.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

You just have to look at his TOI to see that some in the Leafs organization like him as a top 4 D. And they haven't been proactive in getting Babcock more options on RHD to displace him, so they were willing to live with him there.

I mean, Russell played 20+ minutes a night too and all everyone will talk about is how much of a big fat cap dump he is.

Now imagine he’s signed for an extra three years instead of just two more.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

I have never said that Toronto would or wouldn’t have to move an asset with Zaitsev to make a trade. To be honest I think it will be a 1 for 1 deal where Toronto takes back a similar player with either less year or less cap. My point is that some people were saying Toronto was screwed with those 2 contracts but they made it work.

Toronto wasn't in a cap crunch like they are now. They have less leverage. A one for one deal with less cap is not going to free up the kind of cap necessary to get the guys they need to get in to their fold.

 

[danielpalfredsson]

I'm calling it now. Bobby Ryan is going to hurt his finger and not be insured, Sens will deal him for Zaitsev after his bonus is paid, and the Leafs will send Ryan to Robidas island.

 

[shortfuze]

Toronto acquired two heaps of garbage in exchange for those two. I'm sure the Leafs would be able to do something similar with Zaitsev, but their current cap situation won't permit.

...therefore, TOR will have to pay significantly to get rid of Zaitsev's contract.

they may have been heaps of garbage but it still benefitted Toronto.


But Might as well shut this down since you say that’s the way it has to be.

 

[SnizzNasty88]

To Arizona: Zaitsev, Sandin

To Toronto: pick #45 in 2019

Not a chance the Leafs trade Sandin just to dump Zaitsev. Like negative chance.

 

[WingsMJN2965]

Don't hate the player, but contract sucks considering Leafs cap woes. A bag of pucks and a pick will suffice.

... I mean, the Leafs would be the ones giving up the pick.

 

[Michael HOMERUNing]

I mean, Russell played 20+ minutes a night too and all everyone will talk about is how much of a big fat cap dump he is.

Now imagine he’s signed for an extra three years instead of just two more.

Zaitsev takes 1000x the shit Russell takes on these boards

 

[TheDoldrums]

I mean, Russell played 20+ minutes a night too and all everyone will talk about is how much of a big fat cap dump he is.

Now imagine he’s signed for an extra three years instead of just two more.

not sure what relevance this has to the idea of the Leafs being fine with Zaitsev in the top 4