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

[JKG33]

He played 63 games. I guess Benoit provides everything that Dumba would with less dumb penalties and is a third the price.

Trying to find a way to make Kamf, Jarnkrok, Robertson disappear

They didnt play him in playoffs. Dumba is an AHLer at this point.

Robertson is waiver fodder.

Kampf and Jarnkrok would probably be taken by teams who missed out on their UFAs of choice

 

[WTFMAN99]

They didnt play him in playoffs. Dumba is an AHLer at this point.

Robertson is waiver fodder.

Kampf and Jarnkrok would probably be taken by teams who missed out on their UFAs of choice

I don't think Robertson is waiver fodder, he's young enough and scored 15 goals but I think draft pick value is a 3rd-4th range or another team's project they want to flip out.

Bergren in Detroit is a swap that might make sense for both teams.

 

[barilko05]

Haha yes that was one we’ll never forget

Belleville was within driving distance of TO, and I think one of the scouts lived there too, or somewhere close. Also, weak draft overall. The best talent in that draft was either European (Sundin, Holik, Lidstrom, Federov) American (Guerin) or French (Brisbois). No way Ballard taking any of those guys. Would have like to have gotten Adam Foote (Toronto kid, too). But he was playing in the Soo, which might as well have been the End Of The World, as far as our scouts were concerned.

 

[Pinkcat]

He is reliable. He's a Blues reporter. He really doesn't have anything to do with Leafs, but fact a credible reporter like him tweets this, it's likely true.

It makes sense really. The Marner Foundation and all it's staff would probably enjoy the lifestyle in SoCal, South Florida or Vegas.

 

[4thline]

If you didn't notice, Chief didn't like to play Nylander - Matthews together, that's the problem.

A Knies-Matthews pairing shouldnt need a "1RW" level player to round put a solid 1st line

 

[BallardEra]

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25205015-8-intriguing-2025-nhl-free-agents-no-one-talking-about

 

[Folignos Helmet]

I think our best chance of trading for a decent C is McCabe and McMann plus picks or prospects. They at least hold some value and on decent contracts.
Both would be bitter pills to swallow but need to pay to get.

Separate point.
We definitely need to scour league for young guys who could pop in a different situation.

Chicago have a bunch of D and even a few young forwards who have had middling starts mostly because Chicago stinks and they haven’t surrounded them with the right pieces to grow.

They even took a flier on Victor Soderstrom from Arizona/Utah and he is stil in Sweden. High draft pick who has nt played much. High offense potential but is smaller. Those are types of guys leafs need to harvest.

And the B’s grab Soderstrom. Watch him be this years Lane Hutson.

 

[Leaffan1991]

Jack Mcbain for Jarnkrok plus Robertson and a 2nd

Coyle for Hildeby
Marchment for Mcmann

Sign Marchand
Tanev
Jeannott

Knies Matthews Nylander
Marchand Coyle Cowan
Marchment McBain Domi
Jeannott Laughton Tanev

 

[Torontonian]

A Knies-Matthews pairing shouldnt need a "1RW" level player to round put a solid 1st line

It's not a need. But I wouldn't put Knies in the elite category yet.

 

[RuudeDog]

Pure speculation. But if the Leafs were to sign three 37 year olds in Kane; Marchand and Toews to fill out two top 6 F and 3rd line center. Are they better or worse than this years team? Certainly changes the DNA. But man would this team be old.

Knies Mathews. Kane
Marchand Tavares Nylander
McMann Toews. Cowan
Lorentz Laughton B Tanev

 

[leafsfan2point0]

Pure speculation. But if the Leafs were to sign three 37 year olds in Kane; Marchand and Toews to fill out two top 6 F and 3rd line center. Are they better or worse than this years team? Certainly changes the DNA. But man would this team be old.

Knies Mathews. Kane
Marchand Tavares Nylander
McMann Toews. Cowan
Lorentz Laughton B Tanev

That’s a deep forward group, even if they’re old. I’d prefer to go the “old” route and not back ourselves in any corners with bad contracts that have bit us in the past.

 

[Legion34]

just the fact they'll take less is mind boggling, guess to some winning is more important than money............

They rarely take less in take home money

 

[Brown Dog]

I don't understand the enjoyment of watching a good team that you know won't win.

It's not like the Leafs losing Marner means they are automatically in the Kessel/Bozak era. Nylander/Matthews/Knies are more exciting to watch than any player from the Kessel/Bozak era.

No, but it could go that way if they make a few wrong moves. And with so few decent UFAs (combined with the increasing cap driving up prices) and our lack of picks/prospects, the level of difficulty on improving the roster is high. This is going to be a very tough needle for Treliving to thread.

 

[Americanadian]

No, but it could go that way if they make a few wrong moves. And with so few decent UFAs (combined with the increasing cap driving up prices) and our lack of picks/prospects, the level of difficulty on improving the roster is high. This is going to be a very tough needle for Treliving to thread.

I have full faith that Treliving will screw it up.

I also have full faith that the Leafs were never going to win a cup with 16/88/34 together.

 

[Dreakmur]

I have full faith that Treliving will screw it up.

The best thing to do is punt this offseason, but I’m not sure that’s the plan.

Losing Marner gives us the opportunity to build a better team, but throwing piles of cash at the wrong replacements will get us in trouble.

I also have full faith that the Leafs were never going to win a cup with 16/88/34 together.

100%

It’s looking like we’ll be worse next year, but I’d rather that than the same old guaranteed choke by Marner.

 

[Americanadian]

The best thing to do is punt this offseason, but I’m not sure that’s the plan.

Losing Marner gives us the opportunity to build a better team, but throwing piles of cash at the wrong replacements will get us in trouble.

There are plenty of intriguing pending UFAs that should be available for cheap in the trade market (Eberle, Coyle, Marchment, Sissons) and plenty of interesting offer sheet scenarios (assuming they can get their 2026 2nd back).

They also have some decent assets that are worth more to teams in cap troubles than they are to the Leafs like McMann and Laughton and Benoit.

Tre can get creative, I’m just not sure if he’s capable of that.

 

[Americanadian]

Nick Alberga said that Laughton's name was coming up in trade circles yesterday. Take it for what it's worth given the source. Alberga was a big Laughton guy at the deadline so he doesn't strike me as someone who would be making up that rumor to drive conversation around Laughton.

I do wonder if Toronto and Colorado want a mulligan on their deadline 3C additions and a swap of Laughton and Coyle makes sense for both.

 

[Dreakmur]

There are plenty of intriguing pending UFAs that should be available for cheap in the trade market (Eberle, Coyle, Marchment, Sissons) and plenty of interesting offer sheet scenarios (assuming they can get their 2026 2nd back).

They also have some decent assets that are worth more to teams in cap troubles than they are to the Leafs like McMann and Laughton and Benoit.

Tre can get creative, I’m just not sure if he’s capable of that.

With so much cap space, offer sheets are basically non-options the next few years.

I agree there’s some interesting possibilities, but when you’re listing Laughton and Benoit as our best trade assets, that’s pretty scary.

I do agree we can do some creative things to move us along.

Tyler Bertuzzi - not sure I believe the buy-out talk, but if they’re desperate to deal him, we should take advantage. He’s at 5.5 for 3 years, which is reasonable for a 20+ goal middle six winger. How cheap can we get him? We dump David Kampf in a 1-1 deal? I’d do that in a millisecond.

Charlie Coyle / Ross Colton - Colorado needs to shed some salary, and these two make the most sense.

Jake McCabe - if we want to improve the puck moving on the blueline, I think this might be the move. It’s a bit ruthless to trade a guy before the NMC that you gave him kicks in. A package with McCabe might interest Utah enough to send us Michael Kesselring and Jack McBain.

 

[Punch Drunk Loov]

I miss Bertuzzi. He was our full time Marchand repellent last year.

 

[Americanadian]

With so much cap space, offer sheets are basically non-options the next few years.

Did Montreal walk away from Kotkaniemi because they didn't have the cap space? No. Did Edmonton walk away from Broberg and Holloway because they didn't have the cap space? No.

Offer sheets are about more than cap space. Sometimes the team just doesn't value the player at the salary they are offer sheeted at. Speaking of cap space though - can Tampa match a 2.34M offer sheet on Goncalves after they spend on July 1st? Unlikely. Can Florida match a 4.68M offer sheet on Samoskevich after they spend on July 1st? Unlikely.

I agree there’s some interesting possibilities, but when you’re listing Laughton and Benoit as our best trade assets, that’s pretty scary.

Agree - but they have value to cap strapped teams, which still exist.

I do agree we can do some creative things to move us along.

Tyler Bertuzzi - not sure I believe the buy-out talk, but if they’re desperate to deal him, we should take advantage. He’s at 5.5 for 3 years, which is reasonable for a 20+ goal middle six winger. How cheap can we get him? We dump David Kampf in a 1-1 deal? I’d do that in a millisecond.

The desperation to move him is from the fans. There is no reason that Kyle Davidson needs to move off Bertuzzi unless he's deemed to be a huge locker room cancer.

Charlie Coyle / Ross Colton - Colorado needs to shed some salary, and these two make the most sense.

My #1 targets.

Jake McCabe - if we want to improve the puck moving on the blueline, I think this might be the move. It’s a bit ruthless to trade a guy before the NMC that you gave him kicks in. A package with McCabe might interest Utah enough to send us Michael Kesselring and Jack McBain.

I doubt they move McBain but Kesselring+ for McCabe makes sense. Unfortunately the market for a 2LD is always going to be weak given they're so abundant. How many teams are going to offer more for McCabe than K'Andre Miller? How many teams make a move for McCabe before exploring Provorov Gavrikov and Orlov? Maybe LAK like McCabe as a cheap Gavrikov replacement and send back Danault.

 

[Dreakmur]

Did Montreal walk away from Kotkaniemi because they didn't have the cap space? No.

He was grossly overpaid out of spite. Do we want to acquire players that we deliberately overpay?

Did Edmonton walk away from Broberg and Holloway because they didn't have the cap space? No.

Yes they did.

Offer sheets are about more than cap space. Sometimes the team just doesn't value the player at the salary they are offer sheeted at. Speaking of cap space though - can Tampa match a 2.34M offer sheet on Goncalves after they spend on July 1st? Unlikely. Can Florida match a 4.68M offer sheet on Samoskevich after they spend on July 1st? Unlikely.

It’s either about cap space or overpays (at least in the view of their own teams). That’s it.

So with cap space not being a real problem at the moment, the only way to successfully use an offer sheet is to greatly overpay a player.

The desperation to move him is from the fans. There is no reason that Kyle Davidson needs to move off Bertuzzi unless he's deemed to be a huge locker room cancer.

That’s probably correct.

I doubt they move McBain but Kesselring+ for McCabe makes sense. Unfortunately the market for a 2LD is always going to be weak given they're so abundant. How many teams are going to offer more for McCabe than K'Andre Miller? How many teams make a move for McCabe before exploring Provorov Gavrikov and Orlov? Maybe LAK like McCabe as a cheap Gavrikov replacement and send back Danault.

McCabe at 4.5 is an attractive second pairing option, which is what Utah needs behind Sergachev.

Do they want two LDs making 7-8 million?

 

[Mess]

While fans and teams are gearing up for July's free agent window, there's one player in particular who is expected to make his decision prior to that time that has several contending teams waiting, including the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Former Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews, is attempting his comeback to the NHL after missing two years due to symptoms related to his bout with COVID-19. It was mentioned that he was likely to make his decision closer to the draft, and at this moment, the Leafs remain in the hunt, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.​

 

[Americanadian]

He was grossly overpaid out of spite. Do we want to acquire players that we deliberately overpay?

Yes they did.

It’s either about cap space or overpays (at least in the view of their own teams). That’s it.

So with cap space not being a real problem at the moment, the only way to successfully use an offer sheet is to greatly overpay a player.

Edmonton could have afforded to retain one of Broberg or Holloway, not both. All successful offer sheets are a gross overpay. Was Broberg worth 4.6M coming off 101 NHL games with 16 points and middling defense? Absolutely not.

Was Holloway worth 2.3M with 25 points in 116 GP? No.

The whole point of a successful offer sheet is to overpay the player in the eyes of the team that currently holds the player in hopes that the player outgrows it. That's why the Aho offer sheet was such a joke - 8.5M was never an overpay.

If I'm Toronto I'm packaging what's required to get back the 2026 2nd from Chicago (probably just the 25 2nd straight up or 25 3rd+Robertson) and I'm offer sheeting Samoskevich at 4.68Mx3.

That’s probably correct.

McCabe at 4.5 is an attractive second pairing option, which is what Utah needs behind Sergachev.

Do they want two LDs making 7-8 million?

Given Utah's salary structure I wouldn't be surprised if that's what they want to do. They currently have 3 LD under contract, 2 of which they signed in the last few months (Cole, Maata), they are probably content with their top 6 going into this season I'd think.

 

[Shanwhatplan]

I don't know what half of this post means -- but the core players have been alright -- some good series and good games, some not so much -- they haven't gotten much help from the other parts of the roster.

Toronto ability to do real damage and have a solid team with real good depth went down the drain when they signed Tavares, but I'll always have a soft spot for him because I remember fans of HFLeafs were hoping a Toronto born elite player would take the leap and come home.

Shanahan refusal& ego to make a change because he had to be right is going to be talked about for a long time.


It might not have been enjoyable for you because of the personal etc, but regardless of how you feel about the players -- they were a good team... and I'd rather watch a good team with some hope every year, then watch the Clarkson/Kessel/Bozak etc iteration of the Leafs.

I would just like to watch a team with competent people in management who don’t fall in love with certain players, and therefore ignore the obvious. Have a management team who draws a line in the sand and not budge when it’s time to negotiate on new deals. Sign players who not only want to be here, but be here because they put the team first, and are willing to make sacrifices for the sake of the team.
These are just my thoughts, but to me it seemed like Matthews’ and Marner’s motives were all about piling up points, worrying about their stats and making sure they were paid accordingly, rather than trying to have the team be successfull.
Shanahan coddled these two to the detriment of the team. I am so glad he’s finally gone!

 

[Menzinger]

Elias Lindholm out of Boston is an interesting option. Tre and him have a history and the Boston may even pay to dump him, or at least retain some salary.

There's a gamble he doesn't rebound of course