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

[Americanadian]

Tavares may come in at 5 or less
Giroux
Suter
Roslovic

All 3 of these players are significantly better suited on the wing than at C. Suter can play C but he's not going to give you better minutes than Pageau at C. I see Roslovic as a cheap 1RW option with Matthews but Carolina can tell you first hand that if he's playing C you have an issue.

I'd take a few players over him though on the low pay scale to play 3 C though
Appleton (if he's still playing C)
Sturm
Gaudette
Faksa
Bjugstad

Unless Pageau comes at 1/2 price for Jarn/Kampf, I would not even consider him.

This is a wild take that you'd want any of these players at 3C over JGP. Genuinely none of these players should be playing beyond 4C, Appleton and Gaudette aren't even C's.

 

[uncleben]

Tbh I would rather have Pageau in that 3C spot than JT…

I would way rather a $5M for Tavares coming off of PPG versus $5M+assets for Pageau coming off 0.5PPG...

Tavares is the far superior player. If people are worried about paying him $5M, trading for Pageau should not be the backup...

 

[Americanadian]

I would way rather a $5M Tavares coming off of PPG versus $5M+assets Pageau coming of 0.5PPG...

Tavares is the far superior player. If people are worried about paying him $5M, trading for Pageau should not be the backup...

I agree that walking from Tavares at 5M just to pay assets to bring in Pageau isn't the right move. Bringing in Pageau and re-signing Tavares would be fine.

 

[Rare Jewel]

Tbh I would rather have Pageau in that 3C spot than JT…

If options like Karlsson are too expensive, he may actually have to be the #2C.

I also think any option outside of Karlsson will have too much term, and for me at least, I'd like to keep as much powder dry for the coming seasons as possible.

 

[Torontonian]

If options like Karlsson are too expensive, he may actually have to be the #2C.

I also think any option outside of Karlsson will have too much term, and for me at least, I'd like to keep as much powder dry for the coming seasons as possible.

I very easily can see Toronto running JT as 2C, and finding someone else to play 3C... Isn't the smart thing to do, but at this rate centers are a premium product now, used to be RHD.

 

[mydnyte]

Cowan is likely out the door along with McMann for Kadri.

first of all, Calgary will not deal with Treliving, else, Tanev and Zadorov would have been Leafs 2 seasons ago.
Kadri is the same age, and still less talented than JT. he is more feisty but he is at a 7 mil cap hit, and we just offered the better JT under 4 mil.

Kadri is still putting up decent points, but, still below JT.
Kadri was our #3C when we traded him, we certainly shouldnt trade more for him now, than we got so many years ago to get an older less productive version of him, and then bump him up in our lineup.

 

[Americanadian]

first of all, Calgary will not deal with Treliving, else, Tanev and Zadorov would have been Leafs 2 seasons ago.
Kadri is the same age, and still less talented than JT. he is more feisty but he is at a 7 mil cap hit, and we just offered the better JT under 4 mil.

Kadri is still putting up decent points, but, still below JT.
Kadri was our #3C when we traded him, we certainly shouldnt trade more for him now, than we got so many years ago to get an older less productive version of him, and then bump him up in our lineup.

Did I suggest that trading for Kadri would be a smart move or something I'd like to see?

I am in no way endorsing this trade. I was simply stating that those would be the required pieces to acquire Kadri.

 

[Rare Jewel]

I very easily can see Toronto running JT as 2C, and finding someone else to play 3C... Isn't the smart thing to do, but at this rate centers are a premium product now, used to be RHD.

If they sign JT at 6x4 or whatever it feels/sounds like they need to do to sign him, or even something close to the Nelson deal, then all the DNA change stuff was BS.

 

[TMLAM34]

I would way rather a $5M for Tavares coming off of PPG versus $5M+assets for Pageau coming off 0.5PPG...

Tavares is the far superior player. If people are worried about paying him $5M, trading for Pageau should not be the backup...

Between Tavares’ skating and defensive game, Pageau is better suited for the 3C slot IMO. However if we’re talking about 2C, Tavares is the better option there given his superior offensive abilities.

 

[mydnyte]

I think He’s a pretty solid player, he would be a great fit in the middle of the 3rd line, and no I don’t want a greedy JT back, sure a team friendly JT would be okay, but that doesn’t help fix the DNA…….

our biggest issue is scoring goals, and JT scores goals, and wins faceoffs.
the DNA can be fixed elsewhere, and JT being a life long Leafs fan and bleeding blue isnt a DNA issue either.
it would be near impossible to replace his production at #2C

Marner may be all the DNA change we need

I remember reading/hearing a few years back that McDavid would not sign with the Leafs as long as Marner was here. ...well, thats pretty much over now.

 

[mydnyte]

All 3 of these players are significantly better suited on the wing than at C. Suter can play C but he's not going to give you better minutes than Pageau at C. I see Roslovic as a cheap 1RW option with Matthews but Carolina can tell you first hand that if he's playing C you have an issue.

This is a wild take that you'd want any of these players at 3C over JGP. Genuinely none of these players should be playing beyond 4C, Appleton and Gaudette aren't even C's.

Pageau is at $5 MILLION ...thats why I take the 'lesser' players.

they are either a lot cheaper, or tougher to play against because of their size, which seems to be the teams new direction.

Pageau fits the old team mold; he doesnt up his game in the playoffs, will never get bigger or stronger.

I may be harsher than I should be, because of his salary, its too high, and if he was a leafs player, people on these boards would be bemoaning how we need to add a 1st or Cowen (ala Marleau) to him just for another team to take his contract off our hands. ...and I dare you to tell me this isnt true!

 

[Americanadian]

The reporting early on in the off-season was Boston is looking to move one of Geekie or Zacha. I would be all over Geekie and he should be talked about more as a C solution. His physical traits are exactly what this team needs (6'3, RS, 84th percentile skating speed). He exploded for 33 goals this year playing LW with Pastrnak and Zacha. I'm not sure what Boston would be looking for in return given his surge in production is an outlier for his career and he will probably want to be paid as a 30+ goal scorer, not as a guy whose averaged 46P/82GP the last 3 years.

For the record I was shot down heavily on here for proposing Cowan+1st for Geekie+Carlo at the deadline. The Leafs instead gave up Minten, Grebenkin and 2 1sts for Laughton+Carlo.

 

[mydnyte]

I agree that walking from Tavares at 5M just to pay assets to bring in Pageau isn't the right move. Bringing in Pageau and re-signing Tavares would be fine.

Pageau at 3 mil for Jarn/Kamf then sure... but, at 5 mil for a real asset, no thanks.

 

[WillNy29]

rumour has it Glass won't be qualified. Any interest in picking him up. Seems like the type florida would pick up and turn into a stud?

 

[Americanadian]

Pageau is at $5 MILLION ...thats why I take the 'lesser' players.

they are either a lot cheaper, or tougher to play against because of their size, which seems to be the teams new direction.

Of the actual C's you listed (Sturm, Bjugstad, Faksa) you're lucky to get 20 points out of any of them. Kampf is probably legitimately better than all 3 at this point (maybe not Bjugstad depending on how real his fall off was).

Pageau fits the old team mold; he doesnt up his game in the playoffs, will never get bigger or stronger.

Pageau has a higher career points per game and goals per game pace in the playoffs vs regular season.

I may be harsher than I should be, because of his salary, its too high, and if he was a leafs player, people on these boards would be bemoaning how we need to add a 1st or Cowen (ala Marleau) to him just for another team to take his contract off our hands. ...and I dare you to tell me this isnt true!

This isn't true. People on this board defend the Domi contract to this day. People on this board think Rielly has positive value.

 

[Dreakmur]

Tavares may come in at 5 or less
Giroux
Suter
Roslovic
I'd take a few players over him though on the low pay scale to play 3 C though
Appleton (if he's still playing C)
Sturm
Gaudette
Faksa
Bjugstad

Unless Pageau comes at 1/2 price for Jarn/Kampf, I would not even consider him.

Only guy in that list that’s even close to Pageau is Giroux.

You’re not even close in your evaluation of this player.

 

[Rare Jewel]

our biggest issue is scoring goals, and JT scores goals, and wins faceoffs.
the DNA can be fixed elsewhere, and JT being a life long Leafs fan and bleeding blue isnt a DNA issue either.
it would be near impossible to replace his production at #2C

Tavares, to me, at this stage of his career, seems like a product of his environment. Playing with Nylander 5v5 and playing on a stacked PP with five forwards, no less, has really flattered his stat line IMO.

if you were to give him the same roles on a Utah or Seattle, I think he's a 50 point player

For me, I'd rather go with Pageau and give him that role, ice time, and line mates, and turn his 40 points into 60, rather than committing to a player we should be moving on from.

Interestingly, I see people not wanting to go for Marchand, who's only two years older and has a much better track record in the postseason and is actually a genuine attempt to change the identity of this team.

 

[JKG33]

Glass would a good post-hype addition who it could finally click for like a Morgan Geekie, Dylan Strome, or even a Sam Bennett.

This is the kind of reclamation project the Panthers have built their championship on (Verhaege, Bennett, Forsling). We would do well to pickup some young players that other teams have given up on considering our lack of picks and prospects.

I like Glass a lot (helps that a few of my buddies are good friends with him lol). Heard nothing but great things.

I think the speculation is NJ wants to keep him just not at the qualifying offer required to retain RFA status. But him making it to UFA obviously means theres a possibility he could go anywhere

 

[JKG33]

I don't see the hope for Robertson at all. I could be completely wrong here but he appears far more motivated by personal success than team success. It comes off in the way he plays and the way he speaks.

If they bring in Glass I'm stapling him to actual top 6 wingers to see if he can find any offense.

Yup. Put him on a Knies-Nylander line. He's exactly the type of discount C I'd be happy to see paired with those two. Matthews gets Domi and someone else cheap. Then some more money can be spent on the 3rd line

 

[WTFMAN99]

I like Glass a lot (helps that a few of my buddies are good friends with him lol). Heard nothing but great things.

I think the speculation is NJ wants to keep him just not at the qualifying offer required to retain RFA status. But him making it to UFA obviously means theres a possibility he could go anywhere

Kind of avoids contact/high traffic areas and has some durability concerns.

Maybe on like a 1 yr/1M deal for 3rd line but don't have high hopes.

 

[JKG33]

I wonder if Jason Robertson could be a cap dump acquisition and if a functional RHD like Carlo going back could get it close.

It would probably cost Cowan + Carlo + Laughton, and even that offer would easily get beaten by most teams around the league.

I just dont see any assets on the Leafs that would land a big fish. I also don't have a desire to pay a big fish winger, we're still a few days from the clock striking midnight on the overpaid fraud 4. I dont want to go back already

 

[JKG33]

Kind of avoids contact/high traffic areas and has some durability concerns.

Maybe on like a 1 yr/1M deal for 3rd line but don't have high hopes.

He'll fit right in lol.

In all seriousness, yea he's injury prone (the name is a funny coincidence) but if you slot him at 2C with talent he'll outproduce the cap hit for sure. He's not a guy I'd want in the bottom 6 for the reasons you listed

 

[JKG33]

Given our dearth of assets our cap space might be the best asset we can offer to teams trying to dump a contract they may not want. The Capitals were able to get PLD for Keumper's shorter contract. A lot of the names have been mentioned already:

Zibanejad (32) 8.5M x 5 years
Timo Meier (28) 8.8M x 6 years
Horvat (30) 8.5M x 6 years
Barzal (28) 9.15M x 6 years
Kadri (34) 7M x 4 years
Skjei (31) 7M x 6 years
Karlsson (35) 11.5M x 2 years
Couturier (32) 7.75M x 5 years
Lindholm (30) 7.75M x 6 years
Wilson (31) 6.5M x 6 years
Stephenson (31) 6.25M x 6 years

We can send Domi or Jarnkrok's smaller cap hits the other way.

Wilson is in no world a cap dump nor reclamation project. He's the next captain of the Caps. If he were made available every playoff hopeful team would be sending Washington an absurd offer and rightfully so

 

[Americanadian]

It would probably cost Cowan + Carlo + Laughton, and even that offer would easily get beaten by most teams around the league.

I just dont see any assets on the Leafs that would land a big fish. I also don't have a desire to pay a big fish winger, we're still a few days from the clock striking midnight on the overpaid fraud 4. I dont want to go back already

Let's say Glass is 2.5M and 12M combined for Marchand+Tavares. Then they trade Woll+Cowan for Tippett+Hathway.

Domi-Matthews-Tippett
Knies-Glass-Nylander
Marchand-Tavares-McMann
Tanev-Laughton-Hathaway

 

[ULF_55]

Given our dearth of assets our cap space might be the best asset we can offer to teams trying to dump a contract they may not want. The Capitals were able to get PLD for Keumper's shorter contract. A lot of the names have been mentioned already:

Zibanejad (32) 8.5M x 5 years
Timo Meier (28) 8.8M x 6 years
Horvat (30) 8.5M x 6 years
Barzal (28) 9.15M x 6 years
Kadri (34) 7M x 4 years
Skjei (31) 7M x 6 years
Karlsson (35) 11.5M x 2 years
Couturier (32) 7.75M x 5 years
Lindholm (30) 7.75M x 6 years
Wilson (31) 6.5M x 6 years
Stephenson (31) 6.25M x 6 years

We can send Domi or Jarnkrok's smaller cap hits the other way.

Leafs could act as a clearing house to facilitate trades.

3 retention spots open.

Just don't replace marner nor Tavares, just be a bottom feeder for a year.