Roster Building/Team Building/Future Trade/Drafting thread. | Page 171 | HFBoards - NHL Message Board and Forum for National Hockey League

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

If this team once again fails to proceed very far in the playoffs, what would you want them to do?

  • Do nothing, run it back

    Votes: 20 10.4%
  • Make changes to the offense, top 6 forward, better bottom six, but keep the core

    Votes: 12 6.3%
  • Make changes to the offense, including moving core players

    Votes: 76 39.6%
  • Make changes to the defense

    Votes: 12 6.3%
  • Do a retool, including moving core players

    Votes: 90 46.9%
  • Ban the guy who keeps making jinx prediction posts.

    Votes: 23 12.0%

  • Total voters
    192

Toronto Maple Leafs

Without a first-round pick until 2028 (!) and not much in the prospect pool, it’s going to be difficult for GM Brad Treliving to make a huge splash in the trade market. But he needs to find a way to shed some of his bad contracts (Calle Järnkrok, David Kämpf and, maybe, Max Domi) and then spend that windfall into better three-line depth up front.

Looking at this free agent class, that’s going to be a tough ask.

The Leafs would also like to bring in a playmaker on D, but that feels more like a want than a must-have at this point, especially with seven NHL blueliners already signed. More importantly, they would like to upgrade at center, but with Brock Nelson reupped in Colorado and Bennett likely to do the same in Florida, there really aren’t many UFA options to pursue.

One piece of good news over the past few days is that UFA Max Pacioretty is leaning toward a return after the Leafs expressed considerable interest in keeping him following a terrific postseason, according to a league source. And the Leafs remain confident they will get Matthew Knies inked to a reasonable second contract without any offer-sheet drama.

Assuming John Tavares re-signs on a hometown discount (i.e., $5 million or less AAV), Treliving needs to then turn the rest of his $15 million or so cap space into some real help up front or Toronto could take a step back without Marner.

Would a big run at Marchand make sense, even with his age and sky-high asking price? It certainly looks like a real option, especially considering his ability to rise to the occasion in the playoffs — and the alternatives.
 
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Trades:

Jarnkrok+Robertson+25 3rd for Eberle
Benoit for Pospisil
McMann+Marner for Karlsson
Domi for Kreider
Kampf for future considerations

UFA:
Perbix 2.5Mx4
Tavares 3.75Mx6
Kane 4M (2M PB)x1
Lorentz 1.15Mx8
Bastian 1.15Mx7

RFA:
Knies 6.5Mx3
Holmberg 1.25Mx2

Knies-Matthews-Kane
Kreider-Karlsson-Nylander
Pospisil-Tavares-Eberle
Lorentz-Laughton-Bastian
Holmberg

McCabe-Tanev
Rielly-Carlo
OEL-Perbix
Myers

Stolarz
Woll

Cap space with 22 man roster: 1.35M
 
OEL for Moore retained $1 mill

Knies-Matthews-Domi
Marchand-Bennett-Nylander
McMann-Karlsson-Moore
Lorentz-Laughton-Bastian

McCabe-Tanev
Rielly-Carlo
Benoit-Villeneuve
Myers
 
OEL for Moore retained $1 mill

Knies-Matthews-Domi
Marchand-Bennett-Nylander
McMann-Karlsson-Moore
Lorentz-Laughton-Bastian

McCabe-Tanev
Rielly-Carlo
Benoit-Villeneuve
Myers
I don't know if the cap works and I'm too lazy to look. But I'd almost prefer signing Tavares and sticking him at 3C and using the rest of the cap to get a better bottom pairing, imo
 
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Max Pacioretty is reportedly leaning towards inking an extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs sometime before July 1st. According to The Athletic’s James Mirtle, who was at the NHL’s Scouting Combine in Buffalo, there is mutual interest on both sides to get a new contract signed.

“One piece of good news over the past few days is that UFA Max Pacioretty is leaning toward a return after the Leafs expressed considerable interest in keeping him following a terrific postseason, according to a league source,” Mirtle wrote.

 
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Danault would be my guy. Relatively decent contract, played in MTL. Allows Matthews to get more OZ starts and less time on the PK.

Matthews
Danault
Tavares

down the middle would be very nice
Kadri, Danault....both great options. I wouldn't sleep on Zacha either! A bit cheaper than the other guys but decent 2C production (59 points 2 years ago). He can be greasy and physical too.
 
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Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects says that there’s real smoke that the Florida Panthers could be gearing up to make a run at Mitch Marner.

================================

$15 mil for Mitch? Seriously.. This is crazy talk.

And Mitch to Florida... for how much? That would suggest they don't extend Bennett or Ekblad.... I think I'd rather have Bennett AND Ekblad for about the same $ Thanks.

Anaheim?

Maybe he could revive Zegras career?

In the meantime maybe someone in California will ask,
 
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Tavares will likely cost between Pageau’s 5M and Colton’s 4M. For the record - I’d be happy with both players but ideally both on a 3rd line.

If Tavares comes in under 5, that’s great, but I think the Brock Nelson contract put an end to that possibility.

If Domi is expected to produce the same offense as Marner I believe you’re setting yourself up for disappointment.

He doesn’t have to put up 100 points for that line to score the same 89 goals it did last year.

The 3rd line is better but you’re still going to be struggling for offense. Marchand will be forced to drive any and all offense, which he can do, but can he do it for a whole season? Unlikely, given what we saw this past season. McMann-Domi-Robertson scored 43 goals as the 3rd line more or less. Do we really think that 3rd line scores ~65 goals?

Not quite 65, no. Marchand and Colton score 20 pretty reasonably. Brown scores 15.

Not sure why you’re counting McMann’s 20 here, but if you do, that means Pacioretty’s 5 go up to the second line, and that line would maintain pace from last year too.

That 4th line is not scoring 10 more goals than Lorentz-Kampf-Holmberg’s combined 20. Laughton can score 15 but not with those wingers. We just saw what Laughton's offense looks like without play-driving wingers: 2 goals, 4 assists in 33 games. Jeannot is a shoe-in for 7, Tanev the same.

Yeah, they combine for 30.
 
If Tavares comes in under 5, that’s great, but I think the Brock Nelson contract put an end to that possibility.
I’ll guarantee you he comes in under 5!
He doesn’t have to put up 100 points for that line to score the same 89 goals it did last year.
They combined for 98 with Matthews being injured all year.
Not quite 65, no. Marchand and Colton score 20 pretty reasonably. Brown scores 15.
That’s asking a lot considering Colton hasn’t scored 20 in the last 3 seasons and Brown hasn’t done it in 5. Both of those players saw increased production last year because they were playing with MacKinnon and McDavid. I doubt Marchand has the same effect on that line.
Not sure why you’re counting McMann’s 20 here, but if you do, that means Pacioretty’s 5 go up to the second line, and that line would maintain pace from last year too.
I count Pacioretty on the 2nd line but we know it was all over the place.
Yeah, they combine for 30.
This absolutely could happen but it’s not the most likely outcome given Laughton’s reduced offense in a non-offensive role that we’ve seen so far with the Leafs.

You basically said best case scenario is this forward group outscores the previous forward group by 10 goals, with a return to health for Matthews, and then proceeded to say it’s the best pre-deadline forward group of the Matthews era. Does that mean the previous best was the team we saw last year? It certainly didn’t look like it in real time.
 
I think the Panthers acquiring Seth Jones kinda gave you an idea on what they will be doing with Ekblad, imo
I think it more so means they regretted having to let Montour go, and with the rising cap can now afford to have 3 top pairing D-men again.

If Ekblad walks, which I doubt, they'll just go out and find the next Seth Jones
 
I think it more so means they regretted having to let Montour go, and with the rising cap can now afford to have 3 top pairing D-men again.

If Ekblad walks, which I doubt, they'll just go out and find the next Seth Jones
I could see them bringing in Severson to play alongside Forsling.
 
I could see them bringing in Severson to play alongside Forsling.
I dont see that. Contrary to what the spreadsheet jockeys thought, the Seth Jones contract was never bad. Getting retention on that is why they gave up such a valuable piece in Knight.

Severson meanwhile is a middle pairing guy that doesn't make much less than Jones. Not the kind of piece Florida goes after
 
I would guess that Briere is very interested in Cowan. He probably wants as many members of that Knights team as he can get.

If he was willing to part with Foerster for Cowan that would be the type of deal the Leafs should be all over. Knies-Matthews-Foerster would be such a good line for the remainder of Matthews’ career in Toronto.
 
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I dont see that. Contrary to what the spreadsheet jockeys thought, the Seth Jones contract was never bad. Getting retention on that is why they gave up such a valuable piece in Knight.

Severson meanwhile is a middle pairing guy that doesn't make much less than Jones. Not the kind of piece Florida goes after
They have the ability to get the best out of players and I can see them doing the same with Severson if they lose Ekblad. They might even get retention on Severson.
 
The Leafs should be targeting two types of players this offseason, especially when it comes to the many holes at forward. Winners, and guys who will outproduce their cap hit.

In the latter category, Tavares and Pacioretty seem like no-brainer guys to bring back. If Tavares can be had for a fraction of his current hit he'll be a valuable piece. Pacioretty looks like a brand new man relative to his previous few years.

Regarding the former category, Marchand is the obvious fit. Friedman has speculated Marchand could be interested in the challenge of leading Toronto to the promise land in a way other players aren't. I'd rip the C off Matthews and give it to the rat in a heartbeat but thats another conversation.

Bennett and Ekblad are pipe dreams. I dont see either of them leaving Florida, and if they did Toronto is still probably at the bottom of the list. Now under that assumption, Marchand could be squeezed out of Florida.

Domi I think you get the most out of him next to Matthews. And Matthews is a big boy and a highly paid one at that. He doesnt need both Knies and Nylander, and if he does he can f*** off.

Knies-Matthews-Domi
Marchand-x-Nylander
Cowan-Tavares-Pacioretty
Tanev-Laughton-McMann

Problem is that X is going to be damn hard to fill this offseason with the demand for centers, and abundance of both cap space and buyers. Danault isnt going anywhere. I think Colorado after signing Nelson would rather move Coyle (no interest there from me) over Colton. It gets even worse since the Leafs have very few tradeable assets. And if you go out and sign a Granlund/Duchene type youre just as soft as before
 
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They have the ability to get the best out of players and I can see them doing the same with Severson if they lose Ekblad. They might even get retention on Severson.
Maybe. Severson was a bad contract signed by a bad GM. I think if they could move on from him they will. I just dont think they'd need to retain, because with the rising cap now that contract goes from looking bad at the time to now the new average going rate for that kind of D man in free agency. Problem for Florida is they dont tend to sign going rate UFA contracts and they dont have the assets left to buy retention
 
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The Leafs should be targeting two types of players this offseason, especially when it comes to the many holes at forward. Winners, and guys who will outproduce their cap hit.

In the latter category, Tavares and Pacioretty seem like no-brainer guys to bring back. If Tavares can be had for a fraction of his current hit he'll be a valuable piece. Pacioretty looks like a brand new man relative to his previous few years.

Regarding the former category, Marchand is the obvious fit. Friedman has speculated Marchand could be interested in the challenge of leading Toronto to the promise land in a way other players aren't. I'd rip the C off Matthews and give it to the rat in a heartbeat but thats another conversation.

Bennett and Ekblad are pipe dreams. I dont see either of them leaving Florida, and if they did Toronto is still probably at the bottom of the list. Now under that assumption, Marchand could be squeezed out of Florida.

Domi I think you get the most out of him next to Matthews. And Matthews is a big boy and a highly paid one at that. He doesnt need both Knies and Nylander, and if he does he can f*** off.

Knies-Matthews-Domi
Marchand-x-Nylander
Cowan-Tavares-Pacioretty
Tanev-Laughton-McMann

Problem is that X is going to be damn hard to fill this offseason with the demand for centers, and abundance of both cap space and buyers. Danault isnt going anywhere. I think Colorado after signing Nelson would rather move Coyle (no interest there from me) over Colton. It gets even worse since the Leafs have very few tradeable assets.

Not sold on Pacioretty due to his continuous health issues. He's a part-time player for years now.
If he'd do a part-time contract ...

Love to see a realistic signing for your 'x' above as I'm guessing you are.
 
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