Proposal: Tavares for Kopitar

[Michael HOMERUNing]

Why the Leafs do it: save some cap space, while maintaining or even bettering their roster for today. With all due respect to Tavares, Kopitar’s playing style is more playoff friendly, and something the Leafs terribly need.
Since Kopitar’s contract ends in 2024, while Tavares’s ends the next year, it also greatly increases the chance of being able to re-sign Matthews and Nylander, both 2024 free agents.

Why the Kings do it: they are on the brink of being a powerhouse, but after suffering major long term losses on the blue line, are likely to once again struggle to contend this season. There is no guarantee that Kopitar, who is 34, will be able to hold down the fort beyond this season. At 31, JT isn’t too young himself, but he likely still has enough gas in the tank to last a few more years.
By replacing Kopitar with Tavares, the Kings ensure that they have a number 1 center to help shelter their young studs as they come into their own, and can still be an impact player when this team is ready to contend.

Click to read more...

 

[Groo]

Oof!

 

[member 334057]

Can't say i follow the Kings at all, but Kopitar strikes me as a player who might very likely retire a King. He also plays a great 2 way game, where as Tavares always struck me as a little more 1 dimensional. Can't see the Kings or their fans wanting any part of this. Also there's that whole Tavares NMC and Kopitars 7 team NTC.

 

[SI90]

Kings say no thank you

 

[Ronnie Residue]

Kings would never do this in a million years.

 

[BlueOil]

i can't imagine why the kings would agree with your assessment, but i get why the leafs would...

 

[Kupo]

Rob Blake after receiving the offer:

 

[koyvoo]

The premise is that Tavares would serve the Kings resurgence better because he’s 3 years younger than Kopitar, but I still think Kopitar ages better, more gradual. The Tavares decline will be swifter, more abrupt.

 

[Guelkey]

Oof!

perfect response. Made the same noise when I read the OP.

I’d take Kopitar age and all over JT

 

[cwede]

BUT why would Tavares agree?
he came home to Toronto and he has control

 

[Michael HOMERUNing]

The premise is that Tavares would serve the Kings resurgence better because he’s 3 years younger than Kopitar, but I still think Kopitar ages better, more gradual. The Tavares decline will be swifter, more abrupt.

Yeah that was the premise. Why do you believe Tavares will age worse? Kopitar’s game is a lot tougher on the body.

 

[KingTech]

lol no thanks Kopitar retires in la. I don't see a counter

 

[koyvoo]

Yeah that was the premise. Why do you believe Tavares will age worse? Kopitar’s game is a lot tougher on the body.

Tavares will remain effective from the circles in, because his hands are elite, but he already struggles to keep up with quick team rushes from the defensive or neutral zone. If he has to turn, to catch up the play, forget it. Kopitar, while not fast per se, is still a more fluid skater.

The biggest issue with this as an aging Center is that your defensive acumen would compensate, for declining offensive ability, but Tavares was never great defensively, and is never gonna touch Kopitar’s value there, regardless of whatever age the two players here would be.

 

[YP44]

Isn't kopitar like one of three players to ever win the Selke and put up 1,000 points?
This deal is not worth getting three years younger for LA IMO.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Kopitar is better, cheaper, signed for a year less. What am I missing here? He's older? OK, then

 

[KingsCourt]

Nope!

 

[Evergreen]

Kings wouldn't do this.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Isn't kopitar like one of three players to ever win the Selke and put up 1,000 points?
This deal is not worth getting three years younger for LA IMO.

Brind'Amour, Yzerman, Fedorov, Francis, Gilmour, Clarke would also join him on that.

Datsyuk was close at 918 and pretty clearly could have hit that mark. Bergeron is at 920 so he's gonna get there. Toews *probably* gets there as he's at 821 but who knows. Maybe the guy is cooked? ROR has a ways to go but if he plays for a while he could get close. Couturier is unlikely. Barkov will probably do it.

Anyway, there's been 7.

 

[Perennial]

I think the Kings would be wise to keep their cap space open for the summer of 2024 when Matthews could potentially hit UFA...

L.A. seems like it would be one of the preferred destinations for a player like Matthews

 

[AvroArrow]

Can people stop making Tavares trade threads ? He has a NMC and plans to retire in Toronto, we couldn't move him in a deal if we wanted to. Leafs could offer Tavares + Matthews + 1st, the guy is not going to waive it. It's pointless.

 

[Yog S'loth]

Isn't kopitar like one of three players to ever win the Selke and put up 1,000 points?
This deal is not worth getting three years younger for LA IMO.

He's one of three players to win multiple Selkes and put up 1000 points.

By the time he's done, he'll be the only player to win multiple Selkes and put up 1200 points.

 

[redcard]

Yeah that was the premise. Why do you believe Tavares will age worse? Kopitar’s game is a lot tougher on the body.

That's not true at all, Kopitar is built for longevity. He's very rarely injured, missing only 1 game in the last 5 seasons and only 29 in his career, all the while always near the top in ice time. His defensive game is built on his positioning, strength, reach, and awareness. He doesn't throw hits and he rarely gets hit. Everything about his game indicates he'll be around for a while.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Can people stop making Tavares trade threads ? He has a NMC and plans to retire in Toronto, we couldn't move him in a deal if we wanted to. Leafs could offer Tavares + Matthews + 1st, the guy is not going to waive it. It's pointless.

And he is our captain, has become a great defensive center in his one right, our best faceoff center, etc. People compare him to Matthews which isn't fair. Matthews is a top 5 center, likely top 3.

Plus... He is still going to be near PPG. Only 3 years left on this deal, people act like it's year 1 and he is in heavy decline.

 

[Byron Bitz]

Both teams say no

 

[YP44]

Brind'Amour, Yzerman, Fedorov, Francis, Gilmour, Clarke would also join him on that.

Datsyuk was close at 918 and pretty clearly could have hit that mark. Bergeron is at 920 so he's gonna get there. Toews *probably* gets there as he's at 821 but who knows. Maybe the guy is cooked? ROR has a ways to go but if he plays for a while he could get close. Couturier is unlikely. Barkov will probably do it.

Anyway, there's been 7.

pretty good company there.