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

[nuck]

Do you guys think we should pursue one or both of Granlund and Duchene? I could see them both signing deals similar to Giroux’s, maybe even $1M less.

Neither of these guys are a real upgrade on JT. Granlund has been a winger in Dallas so is he a C in Toronto? For the price I would have taken Granlund before Laughton but I wouldn't let Tavares go this summer to add a winger who is almost as old. Duchene is a bit more interesting but he is only 4 months younger than JT too and has done even less in the playoffs.. They need to get younger if they can. I suspect JT will cost them less money and term than Duchene. Ehlers and Bennett work better for me if we are spending Mitch's contract and if they can be had for the right price.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Personally I’d be willing to dangle Woll for a difference maker up front or on defence. Stolarz looks like he’s the guy in net going forward and despite being 31 goalies don’t have the same age curve as skaters.

Woll should have good value and with Akhtyamov and to a lesser extent Hildeby in the system I’m not too worried about moving on from Wonder Woll. Some team out there needs a goalie badly, and they’d be willing to part with a young C or D to get him, especially with Joseph on a sweetheart contract.

Maybe wait till after you’ve extended Stolarz though so he doesn’t Swayman us a year from now.

 

[RoadWarrior]

Personally I’d be willing to dangle Woll for a difference maker up front or on defence. Stolarz looks like he’s the guy in net going forward and despite being 31 goalies don’t have the same age curve as skaters.

Woll should have good value and with Akhtyamov and to a lesser extent Hildeby in the system I’m not too worried about moving on from Wonder Woll. Some team out there needs a goalie badly, and they’d be willing to part with a young C or D to get him, especially with Joseph on a sweetheart contract.

Maybe wait till after you’ve extended Stolarz though so he doesn’t Swayman us a year from now.

Don’t need to make trades. Leafs will have $30M in cap space. Tons of room to sign free agents.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Don’t need to make trades. Leafs will have $30M in cap space. Tons of room to sign free agents.

Yeah but see, I don't like any of the centre or defence options in free agency. And going too hard in free agency on the wrong guys can have dire consequences for this roster with a rapidly narrowing window to compete.

I think getting a early-mid 20s skater at centre or defence would be prudent. This team doesn't have much in the pipeline and is already too old for their own good.

 

[RoadWarrior]

Yeah but see, I don't like any of the centre or defence options in free agency. And going too hard in free agency on the wrong guys can have dire consequences for this roster with a rapidly narrowing window to compete.

I think getting an early-mid 20s skater at centre or defence would be prudent. This team doesn't have much in the pipeline and is already too old for their own good.

Fair enough but every team will demand Knies or Cowan in return. If they can swing a trade without sacrificing those guys sure. Might have to live with a salary dump in return or eat some of Rielly’s salary on the way out.

 

[BallardEra]

Thanks for the trip down memory lane, man I loved going to the Gardens, hockey, lacrosse, wrestling, concerts. I even got to skate there twice with the Whipper Billy Watson’s skateathon…….

I also remember reading articles from all of those sports writers in the video as a kid. Such a different time where they were independent and could be critical of the Leafs.

Nowadays the majority of the writers work for the media companies all connected to the Leafs and so many of them are just shills with pom poms.

 

[Dreakmur]

Don’t need to make trades. Leafs will have $30M in cap space. Tons of room to sign free agents.

Signing UFAs will require both money and term. I’m not sure how many of the UFAs are guys you want to commit to long term.

 

[RoadWarrior]

Signing UFAs will require both money and term. I’m not sure how many of the UFAs are guys you want to commit to long term.

Ekblad for sure. Probably Bennett.

 

[Dreakmur]

Ekblad for sure. Probably Bennett.

A shut-down right-handed defender to add to Tanev and Carlo. Paying a premium to address a non-need isn’t particularly smart.

Bennett would be great, if he becomes available. That’s .

 

[RoadWarrior]

A shut-down right-handed defender to add to Tanev and Carlo. Paying a premium to address a non-need isn’t particularly smart.

Bennett would be great, if he becomes available. That’s .

Much easier to replace Rielly on the left side. Adding Eklblad would give the leafs the best RD corps in the league.

 

[Dreakmur]

Much easier to replace Rielly on the left side. Adding Eklblad would give the leafs the best RD corps in the league.

As I said above, spending money on unnecessary upgrades is a waste. We have 6 defenseman signed already. We actually need to acquire 2 centres and 2 wingers for our second and third lines.

 

[RoadWarrior]

As I said above, spending money on unnecessary upgrades is a waste. We have 6 defenseman signed already. We actually need to acquire 2 centres and 2 wingers for our second and third lines.

The leafs lost to the Panthers because of a poor transition game from the D… and the Stolarz injury. They desperately need a puck moving D with grit to help get the puck out.

 

[Rare Jewel]

As I said above, spending money on unnecessary upgrades is a waste. We have 6 defenseman signed already. We actually need to acquire 2 centres and 2 wingers for our second and third lines.

They should look to use one of those Dmen to get a center, even if they were recently acquired or re-signed.

 

[RoadWarrior]

They should look to use one of those Dmen to get a center, even if they were recently acquired or re-signed.

They can trade Rielly for a centre or just sign Bennett. Would have to eat some of Rielly’s contract.

 

[Rare Jewel]

They can trade Rielly for a centre or just sign Bennett. Would have to eat some of Rielly’s contract.

Bennett is a no go for me. The contract will be stupid.

Rielly, could go, but I'm alluding to McCabe and Carlo. It likely won't happen because they're Tre's guys, but have fun getting pounded by forechecks and having no offensive production.

 

[RoadWarrior]

Bennett is a no go for me. The contract will be stupid.

Rielly, could go, but I'm alluding to McCabe and Carlo. It likely won't happen because they're Tre's guys, but have fun getting pounded by forechecks and having no offensive production.

You replace Rielly with a two way D who can operate a PP. sign Ekblad or trade.

 

[Trapper]

I was under the impression that you have to beat teams other than Carolina to win the Stanley Cup. I guess not

Not here. You win the Cup by saying you could beat the teams you didn’t play.

 

[Dreakmur]

The leafs lost to the Panthers because of a poor transition game from the D… and the Stolarz injury. They desperately need a puck moving D with grit to help get the puck out.

And you think Aaron Ekblad is the answer to address the transition game?

 

[Rare Jewel]

You replace Rielly with a two way D who can operate a PP. sign Ekblad or trade.

I think it's a pretty slow group even then, Also, I have to be honest: Ekblad is going to get a contract that might age like milk as well.

 

[RoadWarrior]

And you think Aaron Ekblad is the answer to address the transition game?

It’s working for the Panthers..lol

 

[RoadWarrior]

I think it's a pretty slow group even then, Also, I have to be honest: Ekblad is going to get a contract that might age like milk as well.

You mean like Rielly’s current contract?

 

[Namikaze Minato]

Why not just get Morgan Rielly to do a bunch of steroids and take a 20 game suspension? Could have him in peak form for the playoffs, well rested and ready to crosscheck players faces through the boards.

 

[Dreakmur]

It’s working for the Panthers..lol

Because of Ekblad?

 

[Rare Jewel]

You mean like Rielly’s current contract?

Maybe. But Rielly will still get 50 points if you have him on the main PP unit. Positionally, he has issues, but I don't want to get another anchor contract if we presumably trade Rielly.

I still think it's a shame that the coach has this idea that he needs two defensive Dmen to pair as a "shut down" unit as if he still has the four guys from STL, but alas...


For me, there's only one UFA D man worth going for, and that's Gavrikov

 

[rumman]

Bennett is a no go for me. The contract will be stupid.

Rielly, could go, but I'm alluding to McCabe and Carlo. It likely won't happen because they're Tre's guys, but have fun getting pounded by forechecks and having no offensive production.

Lets see what Bennett’s price tag will be before ruling him out that is if he doesn’t resign with the Panthers which imo is the likely scenario………