Sportsnet: Steve Valiquette on the Leafs going into the trade deadline. (Kyper Podcast).

[ITM]

This is his Shanahan's last year hopefully. The next guy will have some huge decisions to make to rectify all the mistakes Shanny/Dubas made in their team building approach. Should Treliving trade the few assets they have for one more run at it with this core group ? With a weaker Atlantic division this year it’s worth considering. I would give up Minten and a second for Brayden Schenn or Kadri and a lower pick for a RD. I want no part of Ryan O’Rielly who’s slower than Tavares. As for the off season, Tavares is apparently asking for $8M x 3 and Marner will be looking for $13M+ so no savings there to pay Knies and bring in the type of players they need as depth scoring a help and on the back end. Unless they go to at least the Conference Final I would let Marner walk and not pay Tavares more than $4M x 4 to play 3C and use the $18M left over to bring in the players they need to build a cup contender.

I think he has one more after this, if things don't change. It fits with the exit and entry of GMs and the mark in time with renewed (or not) contracts in Tavares and Marner and whoever else. Even then you could argue two years post-July 1 2025 to allow for whatever chemistry is newly introduced.

By the by...I wouldn't be surprised if in the end, if success comes as a result of a pantheon level display of goaltending, solely or in the tandem, by Stolarz and/or Woll in spite of who our leaders are supposed to be.

 

[ITM]

We haven't been healthy and we do need more out of our bottom 6.

Defensively, Rielly hasn't been good 98% of the year and we probably need one more guy back there.

I think we need three and upgrades all around.

I'd try to upgrade our LW: Move out Robertson and whatever for Fabian Zetterlund. See if Walman makes sense.

Talk to Utah and kick tires on Hayton and Kesselring, McBain and Maata. I think the latter two would be low-hanging fruit for us.

+++

Maybe RHD, Adam Larsson in Seattle? He's signed to a good deal. As the cap rises, looks even better.

And look into a Seeler type. I think having more than a couple of big bruising defensive types will be important in the playoffs.

+++

At any rate, use assets like our 1sts/top-tier prospects in the top half where we'll have longevity and control of the assets, and roster pieces/mid-level prospects on the lower half pursuits that have a shorter time of value for us.

 

[pspot]

honestly at this point i'd rather see them give Minten, Cowen , Niemela a run in the playoffs, get them experience on what its going to take instead of thinning out the prospect pool further to maybe maybe the second round.

Then next season have the cap flexibility to really build a more balanced team

 

[WTFMAN99]

I think we need three and upgrades all around.

I'd try to upgrade our LW: Move out Robertson and whatever for Fabian Zetterlund. See if Walman makes sense.

Talk to Utah and kick tires on Hayton and Kesselring, McBain and Maata. I think the latter two would be low-hanging fruit for us.

+++

Maybe RHD, Adam Larsson in Seattle? He's signed to a good deal. As the cap rises, looks even better.

And look into a Seeler type. I think having more than a couple of big bruising defensive types will be important in the playoffs.

+++

At any rate, use assets like our 1sts/top-tier prospects in the top half where we'll have longevity and control of the assets, and roster pieces/mid-level prospects on the lower half pursuits that have a shorter time of value for us.

I think if you get a defenseman to go into the top 4...it likely results in an improved bottom pair because OEL will be there, ideally on his strong side.

 

[ITM]

I think if you get a defenseman to go into the top 4...it likely results in an improved bottom pair because OEL will be there, ideally on his strong side.

True enough. I guess the intuitive inclination is to backfill as much as possible.

Those LA Kings teams made an impression on me, lol.

 

[WTFMAN99]

True enough. I guess the intuitive inclination is to backfill as much as possible.

Those LA Kings teams made an impression on me, lol.

I would have preferred to add sooner to let the guys integrate into the team sooner but I believe it was Luke Fox on the radio yesterday they said from conversations it sounds like the Leafs are waiting to see if more sellers emerge in the next couple of weeks.

 

[thewave]

I would have preferred to add sooner to let the guys integrate into the team sooner but I believe it was Luke Fox on the radio yesterday they said from conversations it sounds like the Leafs are waiting to see if more sellers emerge in the next couple of weeks.

They need a Sid Crosby. Little dinky moves won't push the needle on this team.