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

[WillNy29]

No need to complicate 2C and look at having to trade and pay Rossi .

Ryan Donato is available as a UFA.

Offer him Domi’s deal and you have a UFA in place, no giving up scarce/non-existent assets, and you have a 2C with some good potential to be a good signing.

doesnt Donato give you a little pause? he changed his skating style a little this year and blew up but a part of me feels like its bad team effect (someone has to score) and he's 29 so a little late for a breakout.

I dont know the player at all so any insight would be nice

 

[Americanadian]

if he could be had for cheap, you give it a shot. teams like florida keep filling out their roster with these kinds of players and everyone else is like wtf?

though my concern is how much did Covid actually destroy his body.

Who on Florida is anything like Rossi?

 

[WTFMAN99]

4 guys from the West playing right now are targets for the off-season in Brown, E.Kane, Marchment and Granlund.

 

[WillNy29]

Who on Florida is anything like Rossi?

a speed demon who does nothing else really but skate hard and score? Jesper boqvist

a player wanting out or reclamation/castoff or buy low candidate?

Miko Nikkola
Seth Jones
Sam Bennett
Sam Reinhart
Gustav Forsling
Matthew tkachuk
Carter verhaege
Evan rodrigues
Dmitry Kulikov

 

[Fogelhund]

Knies Matthews Ehlers
McMann Karlsson Nylander
Patches JT Steeves/Cowan
Laughton Krebs Jeannot
Comtois Holmberg

Notes... Patches might retire... and he has durability issues for certain. If he wants to play again, you'd have some sort of backup plan. He was a very good contributor when he could play though, so I'd be willing to take a chance... Maybe you sign a guy like Comtois, who might be looking for a NHL comeback, and run some sort of platoon.

If Patches isn't coming back, I think you want someone who can play that style... Good along the boards, physical, defensively responsible, but not an offensive blackhole. Maybe you bring in Bjugstad... and he and JT can share C duties... or maybe a Brandon Saad... or maybe Utah decides that Crouse needs a change of scenery after an off year... basically look for other options. Maybe Dallas is looking to move Marchment... All those guys might fit beside JT, and give you plenty of shopping options.

 

[Americanadian]

a speed demon who does nothing else really but skate hard and score? Jesper boqvist

The difference here is Boqvist was a UFA that they signed for league minimum. Not a young C coming off a career year who will cost multiple A assets and is looking for 7M+.

a player wanting out or reclamation/castoff or buy low candidate?

Miko Nikkola
Seth Jones
Sam Bennett
Sam Reinhart
Gustav Forsling
Matthew tkachuk
Carter verhaege
Evan rodrigues
Dmitry Kulikov

Is Rossi similar, in style, to any of these players? Maybe Rodrigues who was a UFA signing and far from a reclamation project.

 

[WillNy29]

The difference here is Boqvist was a UFA that they signed for league minimum. Not a young C coming off a career year who will cost multiple A assets and is looking for 7M+.

Is Rossi similar, in style, to any of these players? Maybe Rodrigues who was a UFA signing and far from a reclamation project.

he is a two-way center with speed and built weighs 185 lbs at his short frame so he's got all of that going for him.

if he's an expensive player then sure but the leafs should be all over players like this that become available due to circumstances of their teams.

There was no reason we shouldn't have been in on a player like Devon Toews or Dylan Cozens for example.

 

[TMLAM34]

If Rossi is willing to sign a 6.5 million short term deal, I’d be more than fine with that as our second line center.

McMann - Rossi - Nylander

I think I would be okay with moving Cowan in a deal for Rossi, you won’t get a young potential 2nd line center for cheap. Just don’t know if that’s a piece Minny is looking to acquire atm.

 

[mydnyte]

Boeser should be high on our list if Marner walks, but, rumors have him going elsewhere.

Granlund has actually impressed me all season, I watched quite a few SJ games, and he was a play driver, and is also for Dallas, and not shy on contact/physicality despite his stature.

 

[Americanadian]

he is a two-way center with speed and built weighs 185 lbs at his short frame so he's got all of that going for him.

Guerin continues to re-sign Zuccarello and play him a ton despite him being smaller than Rossi. Kaprizov is barely bigger than him at 5'10. If he played bigger than his size they'd probably be looking to keep him.

if he's an expensive player then sure but the leafs should be all over players like this that become available due to circumstances of their teams.

I don't foresee him being a cheap player though and the Leafs don't have any assets on top of that.

There was no reason we shouldn't have been in on a player like Devon Toews or Dylan Cozens for example.

I completely agree - given the cost.

 

[Legion34]

I still think mavrik Bourque could be an option.

Our head scout drafted him. He isn’t getting played in Dallas. We have room. Need a 2c. We could groom him to take over. 5’11 so not big

 

[Fogelhund]

Boeser should be high on our list if Marner walks, but, rumors have him going elsewhere.

Granlund has actually impressed me all season, I watched quite a few SJ games, and he was a play driver, and is also for Dallas, and not shy on contact/physicality despite his stature.

Boeser is decent, but is kind of slow as a skater. I think we'd be well served to look for speed, like Ehlers for Matthews line.

Granlund would be a good addition for 2C, and my first choice, if we don't pull off a sign and trade of Marner to Vegas for Karlsson.

 

[Americanadian]

I still think mavrik Bourque could be an option.

Our head scout drafted him. He isn’t getting played in Dallas. We have room. Need a 2c. We could groom him to take over. 5’11 so not big

Dallas will be in a cap bind this summer. I foresee a situation where they attach Bourque to Dumba to move off that money. Does Toronto take that kind of deal? Maybe. I can see Dubas being all over that.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Boeser is decent, but is kind of slow as a skater. I think we'd be well served to look for speed, like Ehlers for Matthews line.

Granlund would be a good addition for 2C, and my first choice, if we don't pull off a sign and trade of Marner to Vegas for Karlsson.

Knies-Matthews-88 (if we bring back JT, don't force that again)
Marchment/E.Kane-Karlsson-Granlund
Domi-JT-Cowan
Laughton-X-C.Brown

4C - Toews, Quillan, Kuraly or Faksa

Toews - Is he an NHLer?
Quillan - Lacks experience
Kuraly and Faksa have durability questions

I'd like both of Marchment and E.Kane but really think we won't be able to move on from Domi.

 

[Fogelhund]

Dallas will be in a cap bind this summer. I foresee a situation where they attach Bourque to Dumba to move off that money. Does Toronto take that kind of deal? Maybe. I can see Dubas being all over that.

Dubas being all over that? For Toronto?

Dumba is all kinds of terrible.

 

[Americanadian]

Dubas being all over that? For Toronto?

Dumba is all kinds of terrible.

No - Dubas making that trade for Pittsburgh.

 

[Fogelhund]

Knies-Matthews-88 (if we bring back JT, don't force that again)
Marchment/E.Kane-Karlsson-Granlund
Domi-JT-Cowan
Laughton-X-C.Brown

4C - Toews, Quillan, Kuraly or Faksa

Toews - Is he an NHLer?
Quillan - Lacks experience
Kuraly and Faksa have durability questions

I'd like both of Marchment and E.Kane but really think we won't be able to move on from Domi.

I just don't see Matthews and Nylander together as being optimal.

Connor Brown is too small for me for the fourth line... maybe an option on the third line, if we don't think Cowan or Steeves is it... and you can sign him for cheap. The contract projection is $3 million per... so that's a no for me to pay a fourth line guy. Around a mil... I'd have no issue signing him... but I'm not paying Connor Brown Three mil.

I see..

Knies Matthews X
XX XX Nylander
XXX JT XXX
Laughton XXXX XXXX

I see X RW as Ehlers best suited.
I see XX LW as Marchment, E. Kane, McMann..
I can see XX C as Granlund or Karlsson ideally.. either works for me... Granlund is better, but will be in demand and expensive.
I can see XXX LW, as Marchment, E Kane, McMann, Patches, Bjugstad, Saad, Crouse as options, noting some are interchangeable options with XX LW. @Torontonian suggested Mantha
XXX RW, I see as Cowan or Steeves... I'd try and extend Steeves, with the notation that if he doesn't make opening day, we'd move him with his input. I don't think Cowan is ready, but I also don't want to spend the money on a UFA, and block him, just in case he is ready.
XXXX C... Toews, Quillan, Holmberg, Krebs, Laughton, Haymes, McBain (but I doubt Utah moves him)
XXXX Wing.. Jeannot, Comtois, Lorentz, Sherwood (If we could move Rielly), Bastian, Tanev (but might be priced out) Koepke

 

[WTFMAN99]

I just don't see Matthews and Nylander together as being optimal.

Connor Brown is too small for me for the fourth line... maybe an option on the third line, if we don't think Cowan or Steeves is it... and you can sign him for cheap. The contract projection is $3 million per... so that's a no for me to pay a fourth line guy. Around a mil... I'd have no issue signing him... but I'm not paying Connor Brown Three mil.

I see..

Knies Matthews X
XX XX Nylander
XXX JT XXX
Laughton XXXX XXXX

I see X RW as Ehlers best suited.
I see XX LW as Marchment, E. Kane, McMann..
I can see XX C as Granlund or Karlsson ideally.. either works for me... Granlund is better, but will be in demand and expensive.
I can see XXX LW, as Marchment, E Kane, McMann, Patches, Bjugstad, Saad, Crouse as options, noting some are interchangeable options with XX LW.
XXX RW, I see as Cowan or Steeves... I'd try and extend Steeves, with the notation that if he doesn't make opening day, we'd move him with his input. I don't think Cowan is ready, but I also don't want to spend the money on a UFA, and block him, just in case he is ready.
XXXX C... Toews, Quillan, Holmberg, Krebs, Laughton, Haymes, McBain (but I doubt Utah moves him)
XXXX Wing.. Jeannot, Comtois, Lorentz, Sherwood (If we could move Rielly), Bastian, Tanev (but might be priced out) Koepke

I just don't want them to force JT-88 again, it produces because they're talented but they don't really have chemistry.

Open to Ehlers
Would Love Karlsson and/or Granund

Steeves might be open to staying for real money, just offer him 775k but make it 1-way so if he gets demoted to the AHL again, at least he's getting paid.

I don't really want Bastian, Tanev or Jeannot, they produce pretty much zero offense which we lack.

I think Brown would be fine as a 4th liner if we got guys like Marchment or E.Kane and I saw the projection as 2 years 2.6M, maybe it changed.

 

[Fogelhund]

No - Dubas making that trade for Pittsburgh.

Your wording was confusing... thanks for clarification.

Pittsburgh... what the heck are they going to try and do this year? If Dubas has given up, and going to rebuild... what you suggest might make some sense. Dumba is only a one year commitment, and adding young players to Penguins would be a wise thing to do. They really one have two players at Forward, I would be insistent on keeping, in a full rebuild. McGroaty and Tomasino. Can the Penguins afford to be bad in that market though? Almost went bankrupt last time they weren't good...

 

[Torontonian]

I just don't see Matthews and Nylander together as being optimal.

Connor Brown is too small for me for the fourth line... maybe an option on the third line, if we don't think Cowan or Steeves is it... and you can sign him for cheap. The contract projection is $3 million per... so that's a no for me to pay a fourth line guy. Around a mil... I'd have no issue signing him... but I'm not paying Connor Brown Three mil.

I see..

Knies Matthews X
XX XX Nylander
XXX JT XXX
Laughton XXXX XXXX

I see X RW as Ehlers best suited.
I see XX LW as Marchment, E. Kane, McMann..
I can see XX C as Granlund or Karlsson ideally.. either works for me... Granlund is better, but will be in demand and expensive.
I can see XXX LW, as Marchment, E Kane, McMann, Patches, Bjugstad, Saad, Crouse as options, noting some are interchangeable options with XX LW.
XXX RW, I see as Cowan or Steeves... I'd try and extend Steeves, with the notation that if he doesn't make opening day, we'd move him with his input. I don't think Cowan is ready, but I also don't want to spend the money on a UFA, and block him, just in case he is ready.
XXXX C... Toews, Quillan, Holmberg, Krebs, Laughton, Haymes, McBain (but I doubt Utah moves him)
XXXX Wing.. Jeannot, Comtois, Lorentz, Sherwood (If we could move Rielly), Bastian, Tanev (but might be priced out) Koepke

Mantha is someone on the 3rd line I'd like to see.

 

[Americanadian]

Your wording was confusing... thanks for clarification.

Pittsburgh... what the heck are they going to try and do this year? If Dubas has given up, and going to rebuild... what you suggest might make some sense. Dumba is only a one year commitment, and adding young players to Penguins would be a wise thing to do. They really one have two players at Forward, I would be insistent on keeping, in a full rebuild. McGroaty and Tomasino. Can the Penguins afford to be bad in that market though? Almost went bankrupt last time they weren't good...

They’ll have money to spend, whether they rebuild or not. They don’t even need to play Dumba in the NHL. They’d probably take that bet for Bourque though. As would Chicago.

 

[Fogelhund]

Mantha is someone on the 3rd line I'd like to see.

I wonder how he will be after the ACL surgery. If his skating, and speed hasn't been affected, he would be worth taking a shot at. He's always had good speed and decent size... shame he isn't more physical with that size...

 

[ULF_55]

Countdown to Free Agent Frenzy: Mitch Marner, Sam Bennett headline TSN's Top 50 NHL free agent list | TSN

Mitch Marner and Sam Bennett represent the yin and yang of the 2025 free agent market. They are Nos. 1 and 2 in the TSN Free Agent rankings five weeks from Free Agent Frenzy on July 1.

www.tsn.ca

More at link

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Your wording was confusing... thanks for clarification.

Pittsburgh... what the heck are they going to try and do this year? If Dubas has given up, and going to rebuild... what you suggest might make some sense. Dumba is only a one year commitment, and adding young players to Penguins would be a wise thing to do. They really one have two players at Forward, I would be insistent on keeping, in a full rebuild. McGroaty and Tomasino. Can the Penguins afford to be bad in that market though? Almost went bankrupt last time they weren't good...

Dubas wants to rebuild but ownership doesn't. I'm pretty confident in that. FSG wants to ride the Crosby/Malkin/Letang train until it comes off the tracks.

 

[Fogelhund]

Dubas wants to rebuild but ownership doesn't. I'm pretty confident in that. FSG wants to ride the Crosby/Malkin/Letang train until it comes off the tracks.

I think it's already well fallen off the tracks, it's just the patient still has a slight heart beat... I'm not dead yet....