Should Toronto trade away their 1st and 2nd picks in 2022?

[080]

No. The team is on their own.

Every year they dump picks into the ether and nothing comes of it. In some ways, I feel like if the team says as-is they will likely get through a round or two; if we trade for someone for a run, it's a guaranteed first-round loss.

 

[IrishInOntario]

The problem with trading away the remaining draft picks, IMO, is that I would only want players with term coming back the other way. Sure, a retained Rakell for a playoff run would be nice, but it's short sighted use of Draft capital... That said, this team still has major financial hurdles ahead of it, with the cap likely stagnating fairly significantly over the next 3-4 years. In fact, the prediction for next year is that it will rise by 1 million dollars. I'd expect those kind of conservative raises for several years to come.

In 2022 Reilly's contract kicks in and Campbell needs a new one (which won't be cheap). Toronto will likely lose Mikheyev, Engvall and have to trade one of Ritchie or Kerfoot to come up with the money needed to make that work. The following year you have Nylander and Bunting coming up. If you intend to extend Nylander, that probably costs you not re-signing whichever of Kerfoot or Ritchie remains and likely moving a guy like Muzzin or Mrazek as well... Then comes Matthews and you'll want to make sure you have at least 3-4 million on hand to prepare yourself for that bidding war.

The point is that Toronto can't really afford to add term right now, and I don't really want to move our only two picks for rentals. There are about 6-7 guys in the system that I see being eventual contributors to a winning Leafs roster. I'd like to add a couple more.

 

[Martin Skoula]

What does it matter, Dubas is going to either draft another midget or waste the picks on a rental, am I right fellow boomers? The picks are already wasted, why stress.

 

[HellasLEAF]

Masai Ujiri controversially traded Demar Derozan for 1 year of Kawai Leonard.

The team was already 'very good' and 'could have won' without that trade. Maybe, we'll never know. What we do know is they are champions for all time through the histories. Heralded for being bold.

No I don't think it's exactly the same situation. But there are similarities are there. The risk/reward in sports is real there can only be one winner every year.

The only thing I know for sure it the Leafs D is one Muzzin injury away from looking kind of thin and young come playoff time. I will go one further and say there is no chance at a Stanley Cup without a healthy Muzzin on the team. I am in the camp of trade future assets to bolster the D. That is the right move for this team that is proving they are worthy of risk. The mistakes were the Leafs/Dubas trading picks on previous runs thinking they were good enough and they weren't.

 

[deprw]

I'd lean to not to. It might change depending of situation on deadline, if we lose key players or some good option presents itself, but I think we traded future last year and wouldn't do it now. If we're playing like this I wouldn't mess with the chemistry, but we'll see.

 

[Magic Man]

I think it's too early to say. If the team is relatively healthy and there are no glaring holes on the roster and they are winning at a top-10 league wide clip, I wouldn't touch it. Not at the cost of heavy futures. Just pick up depth for cheap. So far it appears that everyone has a role and there aren't many weaknesses, if they could go deep without sacrificing that youth it could pay off in a couple years and keep them contending instead of burning through their cup window. I also think there is legit chemistry right now, you move pieces around close to the playoffs and they don't fit that could throw the team out of sync. If it ain't broke..

 

[ACC1224]

Masai Ujiri controversially traded Demar Derozan for 1 year of Kawai Leonard.

The team was already 'very good' and 'could have won' without that trade. Maybe, we'll never know. What we do know is they are champions for all time through the histories. Heralded for being bold.

No I don't think it's exactly the same situation. But there are similarities are there. The risk/reward in sports is real there can only be one winner every year.

The only thing I know for sure it the Leafs D is one Muzzin injury away from looking kind of thin and young come playoff time. I will go one further and say there is no chance at a Stanley Cup without a healthy Muzzin on the team. I am in the camp of trade future assets to bolster the D. That is the right move for this team that is proving they are worthy of risk. The mistakes were the Leafs/Dubas trading picks on previous runs thinking they were good enough and they weren't.

Who is your Derozan comparable that you would move and who is the Leonard comparable that you're eyeing?

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

I’m pretty sick of trading our first round picks for diminishing returns, i.e. not getting out of the first round. Blowing through all of our picks for yet another playoff failure last year really soured me on the concept, especially since personally I felt the Leafs targeted the wrong player to acquire for their 1st.

However, we do need to consider the fact that the team is in “win now” mode and a few of our core guys, while still very good, aren’t getting any younger. Not to mention this team (currently) is at the top of the league standings and battling for the President’s Trophy. If the team can keep up this level of play into late January/early February I could see an argument for trading a pick to upgrade the roster. That’s if this team can continue its pace, and the past two FULL seasons were similar to this, hot first halves of the season into December, then middling out from January and beyond. Perhaps the team is more mature now and can continue the winning ways though, in which case fine, go for it again.

 

[NinjaKick]

if it's a fair trade and improves the team... I'm all for it

 

[ACC1224]

What's preferable, moving a 1st or one of the top Prospects?

 

[NinjaKick]

What's preferable, moving a 1st or one of the top Prospects?

personally, I dangle the 1st at the trade deadline and keep the prospects. draft picks can take years to develop. whereas our top prospects might have an impact sooner.
who knows what players will be available. we shall see.

 

[Buds17]

What's preferable, moving a 1st or one of the top Prospects?

Would depend on the standings at the time of the move, and also the prospect in question (how close to NHL ready he is; the team's depth at his position). I'd like to say the 1st at the moment.

 

[Gallagbi]

I'd say the first is off limits this year for a rental. May be in play for a long term option upfront, but I don't see that happening.

 

[Judas Tavares]

What's preferable, moving a 1st or one of the top Prospects?

For me in terms of value/importance of asset it goes:

Amirov/Knies/Niemela/Robertson
1st
Everyone else

 

[TheScandal89]

If there gonna trade it I'd prefer it be for a guy with another season on his contract. I.E JT Miller at 50% would be pretty great. It'd be what 2.8 cap hit for 2 playoff runs.

I would have liked to do that last year with Rakell over Foglino.

 

[Pinto]

I’m fine with trading either, for the right player. Not a guy who’s good in the room, or was a star and has the “experience” but isn’t very good anymore. An actual difference maker.

Also no to trading the 1st and 2nd in the same year.

 

[therealkoho]

First priority in any trade is to make yourself better by filling a specific need in furtherance to attaining the teams ultimate goal.

In this cap world you also cannot put yourself in a position where you're having to shorten your bench to stay within limitations.

Taking the cap into consideration any money coming in has to be somewhat matched by money going out.

For all the talk about trading players like Engvall, Holl, Dermott or even Kerfoot or Mikheyev. These are all players who are necessary because of the nature of the Leafs salary structure. Even if coupled with a high pick or two there is still the cap that must be adhered to!

What it all means is that to get the kind of player who will make the kind of difference you're looking for means you have to create a hole and then fill it ++.
So money has to go out.

I've played a little poker in my life, and there are some unbreakable rules such as never try to draw to an inside straight.

I think the Leafs have every piece necessary, the only reason that they don't have the "hero" sheen is because they haven't yet been there.

They'll have plenty of moves to make come summer, with some contracts coming due with players you want to keep, and that's when it will be best to move the lower end players, they're going to be worth more with some playoff success under their belts, not to mention what one of the big contracts is then going to be worth.

 

[al secord]

What's the context?

 

[MagicalRazor]

Tired of trading away our 1st round picks .

honestly are team has played well, and I don’t know how well a roster move will work. Leafs have the chemistry going on all lines . I would say keep the picks don’t mess up whats not broken . Draft a player and hope he can contribute in the future

 

[Nineteen67]

And that was wrong. The Leafs last year had the 5th highest point total in the league, they convincingly won their division, they put up top-5 offensive and defensive results, and they had a solid goalie. They had a legitimate chance at the cup, and even played quite well in the playoffs through significant adversity. Just because they barely lost to a team that by your definition was one of biggest contenders in the league last year, it doesn't change the fact that Leafs were one of the best teams in the league, and expenditure of assets at the deadline was justified.

You must be watching on Netflix., or something. Wait until you get to the Dubas yrs and you’ll see what we mean. Oh, and don’t skip through the playoffs. I don’t want to give you any spoilers, but it’ll be quite obvious when you compare the teams that won the Cup, to the Leafs.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Please no.

 

[TGB]

The current management has done good with their high picks lately, but still generally struggle with getting anything out of low picks. I say no.

 

[Jozay]

Sure, but maybe for a good player this time.

 

[cyris]

The current management has done good with their high picks lately, but still generally struggle with getting anything out of low picks. I say no.

How can you say they have struggled with late picks?
The current management group has only been in charge of the draft for 4 drafts. First and second round picks from that draft are just starting in the league now.
They drafted quite a few kids past the first 2 rounds that are showing some promise.

 

[Niagara Bill]

Of course you trade it if your team is really close.
A number 1 for a rental number 1 D man. Don't need another salary cap problem but add a Pietrangelo for 60 days, yes yes yes. 54 flippin years has got to stop