Roster Building/Team Building/Future Trade/Drafting thread.

[aingefan]

If we are signing Marner (big if)
We will have no room for Kampf/jarncrock/robertson is going to want out.

So hopefully we get some mid-late round picks back 3-5s. To replenish for 2025-2026. If all 3 are gone we have 31 million to spend on

——- Matthews. Nylander
——- —————- —————
Mcmann. Laughton. Domi.
————. ————— ————

Lots of things you can do.
Knies is a must (5-8 depending on term)
Tavares would be 5-7 depending term
Marner probably 13.

Hope to get your 4th line for 3 million.
Maybe quillan/haymes/cowan step up.
Holmberg for a million or less?
Would Lorentz take 1?

Leafs are right at the middle of the pack in terms of cap space according to sportrac. Around 21ish mil.

It’s so hard to predict what could happen in the free agent market right now. Aside from Knies resigning because of rfa rights, and the *likelihood* that Tavares comes back, feels like all bets are off.

Maybe Marner re-ups.
But if not, there’s not too much top 6 talent to pick from.
If not, maybe Brock Boeser is a good replacement.
Maybe you try to stretch out the lineup by adding another forward to pair with Willy (like Ehlers or Suter) and have JT anchor a third line?
Maybe develop Cowan in the NHL? Maybe Quillan?

With that much cap space across the league, it should be easy enough to move on from Kampf….though that’s only going to add about 1.5mil giving a minimum contract replacement.

Edit to add: this is why the team paid price it did on Laughton. Would be a tougher picture without a third line centre on the books for 1.5.

 

[ACC1224]

Detroit sounds like a good trading partner than… Rielly - Holl reunite!!! Lol

IMO, if they want to move him Detroit is the most feasible.

 

[Malachi Crunch]

It's hard to predict which teams want to trade in the summer, but my guess is:

Vancouver (disaster - need change)
New York Rangers (disaster - need change)
Utah (if Cooper goes there and they want to get to the next level)
Detroit (stagnating - need change)
Buffalo (disaster - need change)
Chicago (desperately need winger for Bedard)
Anaheim (rumour is that Quenneville may go there. This means they will make a push)

That said, we don't have a lot of players/assets to trade unless the Florida series is a flop and they want to make bigger changes.

If Marner walks, I'm guessing he goes to Edmonton, Anaheim, Chicago, Detroit or Utah. My guess is Utah if Cooper goes there. They've got some impressive young guys who are just starting to explode (Guenther, Cooley), and very good prospects coming soon (Simashev, Iginla).

Also, Cooper loves him, one of his best friends is on the Mammoth (Kerfoot) and it's probably a good place to raise a family. He also gets some anonymity and a break from the spotlight.

 

[SprDaVE]

With the center market being what it is I don't know how much choice we're going to have, the trade market will be tough and guys like Bennett are going to make some serious money imo

We need good enough but it fits a budget, I've seen some names I like but it's tough finding good 2way 3rd line centers right now

It will be but it might be another year where the Leafs go with Matthews, JT and look for Laughton to take over 3rd line center duties. Laughton pretty much is right now in terms of all around situations, and look at signing a cheaper bottom 6 center like say Dvorak or something.

If Marner walks, the Leafs can easily go after a top UFA like Bennett, Boeser or Ehlers. They'll have plenty of money. Nelson would also fit but he's also older and I just don't see him coming here. I wouldn't overpay for a 34 year old who has steadily declined in overall production and health in this instance.

A lot can change though so we'll see how things play out.

 

[SprDaVE]

It's hard to predict which teams want to trade in the summer, but my guess is:

Vancouver (disaster - need change)
New York Rangers (disaster - need change)
Utah (if Cooper goes there and they want to get to the next level)
Detroit (stagnating - need change)
Buffalo (disaster - need change)
Chicago (desperately need winger for Bedard)
Anaheim (rumour is that Quenneville may go there. This means they will make a push)

That said, we don't have a lot of players/assets to trade unless the Florida series is a flop and they want to make bigger changes.

If Marner walks, I'm guessing he goes to Edmonton, Anaheim, Chicago, Detroit or Utah. My guess is Utah if Cooper goes there. They've got some impressive young guys who are just starting to explode (Guenther, Cooley), and very good prospects coming soon (Simashev, Iginla).

Also, Cooper loves him, one of his best friends is on the Mammoth (Kerfoot) and it's probably a good place to raise a family. He also gets some anonymity and a break from the spotlight.

Chicago is giving Marner a blank cheque for sure. Seattle and Utah might as well. I don't see Detroit or Anaheim being anywhere near close in terms of contention status or appeal cities, and Edmonton has no cap space. Not sure if Marner would do it but Montreal would also be a team likely giving Marner a big run.

 

[Malachi Crunch]

Chicago is giving Marner a blank cheque for sure. Seattle and Utah might as well. I don't see Detroit or Anaheim being anywhere near close in terms of contention status or appeal cities, and Edmonton has no cap space. Not sure if Marner would do it but Montreal would also be a team likely giving Marner a big run.

Yeah, Chicago, Seattle, and Utah, I can see being the frontrunners.

Edmonton - Yeah, they'd have to move a lot of salary. Not impossible, but a hard task.

Detroit - Maybe an option because of distance to home. If that's important to Mitch.

Anaheim - I think they have a chance at getting him. They're not that far off and Quenville, if hired, may make the difference.

Montreal - That would be an epic traitor move. LOL

Pittsburgh - With the promptly closing competitive window, that would be a bad move by Mitch.

Hopefully, we go deep and resign him, but.....we'll see.

 

[Kiwi]

It will be but it might be another year where the Leafs go with Matthews, JT and look for Laughton to take over 3rd line center duties. Laughton pretty much is right now in terms of all around situations, and look at signing a cheaper bottom 6 center like say Dvorak or something.

If Marner walks, the Leafs can easily go after a top UFA like Bennett, Boeser or Ehlers. They'll have plenty of money. Nelson would also fit but he's also older and I just don't see him coming here. I wouldn't overpay for a 34 year old who has steadily declined in overall production and health in this instance.

A lot can change though so we'll see how things play out.

Laughton is a good defensive player but I don't think he scores enough for a 3C and if you get a top 6W like Ehlers your going to burn through a lot of your money and may need to throw more money overboard to get a 3C which is also doable

I didn't mind Dvorak during the playoffs, I thought he looked pretty dangerous but I think he's going to need the right type of wingers to work

 

[LeafSteel]

When I work the figures I end up with about 10M once I've resigned the guys I want to keep (Tavares, Knies, Lorentz)
I like Robertson but I don't think management is as keen so he either goes for a mid round pick or another guy in the same situation but a different position (ie a struggling center)

I think Domi works if he fills the RW hole Marner leaves, he's not as good obviously but he will pass the puck to the other two which is what I want

Knies Matthew's Domi

I like the Tavares, Nylander McMann line but I've got 12-13M to spend so I'm looking for a top 6LW and I'm willing to spend up to 8M for him, does that get us a 60 point guy like Ehlers? It should do

I'd keep the Jarnkrok Laughton Lorentz line together so that's good

Now I'm looking for a good experienced 3C I can blood a young guy with, I'm thinking Gourde 5M over a couple of years so

McMann Gourde (young guy like Cowan, Steeves etc)

We need to start developing some young guys and bring them through and that 3rd line has a good mix of offense, defense and experience to help that

I would keep everything else pretty much as it is

This would be my idea if Marner decided to walk this off-season

Instead of spending that money on Gourde for a Centre, I would rather spend it on Donato, or even better, swing a trade with Buffalo for Krebs.

Still leaves us well positioned to try to sign a 2LW and 6RHD, which remain positional needs.

 

[SprDaVE]

Instead of spending that money on Gourde for a Centre, I would rather spend it on Donato, or even better, swing a trade with Buffalo for Krebs.

Still leaves us well positioned to try to sign a 2LW and 6RHD, which remain positional needs.

Donato is someone that scares me a a lot in terms of giving up a big term contract, something he might get with the big season he had. A consistent 30 point producer jumping from team to team exploding with a 30 goal campaign on a bad team getting a lot of minutes... could be rough in a smaller role on a contender. But if he takes a similar deal to Strome (5M ish cap hit) I think it could be ok? Still very risky.

I'd have interest in Magiapane as a buy low LW for the 2nd line. Hasn't been able to reproduce his 35 goal campaign from a few years ago but he's a speedy forward with a lot of good tools offensively. I think he'd fit in well but obviously it would have to be at a good rate. He's from Toronto too. A consistent 15 goal and 40 point producer for the most part.

Defensively I think the Leafs are 99% set. Everyone is signed into next season. Our top 6 is set, with Myers as the 7th D. They are likely to add a depth defenseman or two though in the same vein as Mermis.

 

[LeafSteel]

Donato is someone that scares me a a lot in terms of giving up a big term contract, something he might get with the big season he had. A consistent 30 point producer jumping from team to team exploding with a 30 goal campaign on a bad team getting a lot of minutes... could be rough in a smaller role on a contender. But if he takes a similar deal to Strome (5M ish cap hit) I think it could be ok? Still very risky.

I'd have interest in Magiapane as a buy low LW for the 2nd line. Hasn't been able to reproduce his 35 goal campaign from a few years ago but he's a speedy forward with a lot of good tools offensively. I think he'd fit in well but obviously it would have to be at a good rate. He's from Toronto too. A consistent 15 goal and 40 point producer for the most part.

Defensively I think the Leafs are 99% set. Everyone is signed into next season. Our top 6 is set, with Myers as the 7th D. They are likely to add a depth defenseman or two though in the same vein as Mermis.

Thought of Mangiapane as well for 2LW.

For 6RHD, would love to get Korczak from Vegas. He seems lost in the shuffle and would be able to slide up if/when Tanev starts to decline.

They don’t have to be big sexy names, but rather guys who can be had for reasonable deals, have some further development potential, and are better than what we have now.

Knies-Matthews-Marner (yes, he will be resigning)
Mangiapane-Tavares-Nylander (ditto for Tavares)
Domi-Krebs/Donato-Robertson (keep the kid, he can play)
Lorentz-Laughton-McMann

McCabe-Tanev
Rielly-Carlo
OEL-Korczak
Benoit-Myers

 

[SprDaVE]

Might be another low end benchmark for Knies. Gonna be tough to go long-term for him.

 

[Legion34]

Might be another low end benchmark for Knies. Gonna be tough to go long-term for him.

He had 24 goals and 47 pts.
Knies was 29 and 29.

Wouldn’t 7.5 x 7 be fair then?
Or 6.5 x 6?

 

[Dreakmur]

Laughton is a good defensive player but I don't think he scores enough for a 3C and if you get a top 6W like Ehlers your going to burn through a lot of your money and may need to throw more money overboard to get a 3C which is also doable

I didn't mind Dvorak during the playoffs, I thought he looked pretty dangerous but I think he's going to need the right type of wingers to work

People expect way too much scoring from the third line. Good 3rd liner players put up 30-35 non-PP points.

 

[Kiwi]

People expect way too much scoring from the third line. Good 3rd liner players put up 30-35 non-PP points.

That still seems more than Laughton can put up

I think if you can get 50 goals between the 3 guys you're doing well. That's why I think a McMann Gourde Robertson/Cowan line would be a solid option

 

[Legion34]

That still seems more than Laughton can put up

I think if you can get 50 goals between the 3 guys you're doing well. That's why I think a McMann Gourde Robertson/Cowan line would be a solid option

Laughton has been at an about 15g 40pt pace for a few years now.

He had a rough transition. But I see him as a good 3c now. If he plays like this.

 

[Dreakmur]

That still seems more than Laughton can put up

I think if you can get 50 goals between the 3 guys you're doing well. That's why I think a McMann Gourde Robertson/Cowan line would be a solid option

Yes, that’s a bit higher than Laughton should be expected. I think he’s probably more of a 25 point guy.

 

[Dreakmur]

Laughton has been at an about 15g 40pt pace for a few years now.

He had a rough transition. But I see him as a good 3c now. If he plays like this.

He’s done that in a second line role with PP time.

 

[Kiwi]

Laughton has been at an about 15g 40pt pace for a few years now.

He had a rough transition. But I see him as a good 3c now. If he plays like this.

Remember he was playing as a top 6W rather than a 3rd liner in Philly

 

[Legion34]

Remember he was playing as a top 6W rather than a 3rd liner in Philly

This is over the past bunch of years. I don’t know if he was pp1.

But he definitely played lots of C over years. From 2019-2024 (last year when he played c) he scored an average of 15g 40 pt pace.

Scott Laughton Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Title | Hockey-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats of Scott Laughton. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, trade, draft and more on Hockey-Reference.com

www.hockey-reference.com

 

[Kiwi]

This is over the past bunch of years. I don’t know if he was pp1.

But he definitely played lots of C over years

Torts was using him in his top 6 as a winger

He's a useful player but I'd try to keep the checking line together so they can eat some tough minutes for Matthew's and JT, he ain't scoring a lot with those guys

 

[Legion34]

Torts was using him in his top 6 as a winger

He's a useful player but I'd try to keep the checking line together so they can eat some tough minutes for Matthew's and JT, he ain't scoring a lot with those guys

Again. He was recently used as a part time winger/c. He was a center for years.

Look at his hockey reference. He had 6 total goals and 16 power play points in like 8 years.

He the vast majority of his point a have been. Even strength he has more short handed goals than pp goals.

He can be a solid 3c for us. And score without pp time.

I agree let him check. The line he is on is found money but he isn’t David Kampf

 

[Menzinger]

With consistent playoff scratches Kampf and Robertson are both 100% gone by July.

Robertson has recouped a bit of value .either a 2nd or B prospect. Kampf likely goes for future considerations but there's always a team interested in a centre so someone will take him for free

 

[Legion34]

With consistent playoff scratches Kampf and Robertson are both 100% gone by July.

Robertson has recouped a bit of value .either a 2nd or B prospect. Kampf likely goes for future considerations but there's always a team interested in a centre so someone will take him for free

I was hoping for

Robertson 3rd
Kampf 5th. He is a legit 4c. Try to get something back for 2026 even if what we use it

 

[Kiwi]

Again. He was recently used as a part time winger/c. He was a center for years.

Look at his hockey reference. He had 6 total goals and 16 power play points in like 8 years.

He the vast majority of his point a have been. Even strength he has more short handed goals than pp goals.

He can be a solid 3c for us. And score without pp time.

I agree let him check. The line he is on is found money but he isn’t David Kampf

No he can't, his advanced stats before and after he got here were absolutely horrendous, he was playing on the wing in Philly and we tried him at 3C and he was bloody terrible

He's found a home on the 4th line because it's a checking line so his lack of scoring doesn't matter, he isn't a 3C

 

[The Shadow]

Questions for you guys

What type of skill set would work best with Tavares and Nylander?

It seems there hasn’t been a good fit for those two.

Who could be targeted for that line?