Trade and Free Agency Thread - 2021/22 - Post Deadline

[Warden of the North]

Mrazek is unquestionably Dubas' biggest blunder.

He's completely thrown any goalie discussion out the window. Literally anybody can say "I want more then that guy. A LOT more". He needs to be priority #1 to move this off season

 

[Nylanderthal]

I completely agree - I think the M. Petterson full contract 3.5Mx6 would be perfect for Liljegren. I just don't think the Leafs can afford it right now.

They can do that and move pieces around easily

 

[4thline]

We can definitely win a Nylander for a package trade. Even if it's 3 quarts and a dime.

For ex. 10th/23rd + Comtois + 2nd, then sign Strome/Rakell/Copp/Palat/Neidereiter for for 5-6million.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Mrazek is unquestionably Dubas' biggest blunder.

He's completely thrown any goalie discussion out the window. Literally anybody can say "I want more then that guy. A LOT more". He needs to be priority #1 to move this off season

We will see what happens. I think the positive thing about Mrazek is that we are not "forced" to move him, and even with the injury-filled year with some poor performances against bad teams, he is a guy who can still be realistically relied upon to do what he was brought in to do in the first place (be a 1B who can handle half of the starts).

If we want to get a legit headlining starting goalie who isn't splitting 50/50, it will have to come through trade anyways, and in that case, I imagine we will see Mrazek treated like Bernier was when we brought in Andersen.

 

[WTFMAN99]

We can definitely win a Nylander for a package trade. Even if it's 3 quarts and a dime.

For ex. 10th/23rd + Comtois + 2nd, then sign Strome/Rakell/Copp/Palat/Neidereiter for for 5-6million.

Don't think Anaheim is moving their top 10 pick.

I was hoping Devils wouldn't be picking so low because I figured they'd be a team to trade their 1st.

NYI may be willing to.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

We can definitely win a Nylander for a package trade. Even if it's 3 quarts and a dime.

For ex. 10th/23rd + Comtois + 2nd, then sign Strome/Rakell/Copp/Palat/Neidereiter for for 5-6million.

Would you get both 10 and 23, or just one of them?

 

[nuck]

We can definitely win a Nylander for a package trade. Even if it's 3 quarts and a dime.

For ex. 10th/23rd + Comtois + 2nd, then sign Strome/Rakell/Copp/Palat/Neidereiter for for 5-6million.

There are a number of UFA forwards available this year that offer a different look than Willie. Not sure how cheap they will be but odds are most of your list as well as Kane and Domi for the risk takers will be getable for well under Willie's cap hit.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Some guys who may be cheap options for us to fill spots next year.

Forwards
Potentially Leaving: RW Colin Blackwell, LW Pierre Engvall, LW/RW Ilya Mikheyev, RW Ondrej Kase, LW/C Alex Kerfoot
C Chris Tierney: Two-way forward. PP/PK option. Can provide some depth scoring on the non-Kampf line.
C Victor Rask: Depth scorer. Limited defensive/PK value. May rebound in a more skill, possession-based system similar to Carolina's and can play 2PP.
LW/C Johan Larsson: Defensive forward with some grit and versatility. PK option. No PP value.
C/RW Curtis Lazar: Defensive forward with some grit and versatility. PK option. No PP value.
C/RW Noel Acciari: Defensive forward with some grit and versatility. PK option. No PP value.
C Nico Sturm: Defensive forward more similar to Kampf. PK option. No PP value.
LW Nick Cousins: 4th line pest. Provides some defensive value but mostly just a guy who provides some energy and a bit of depth scoring. Dubas-connection.
LW/RW Zach-Aston Reese: 4th line pest. Provides some defensive value but mostly just a guy who provides some energy and a bit of depth scoring.
LW Tyler Motte: Defensive forward with some grit. PK option. No PP value.
LW Michael Raffl: Defensive forward with some grit. PK option. No PP value.
LW Zach Sanford: Bottom 6 Power forward with some upside. May not be the best fit for our system given his speed, but could work on both a PK and a PP.
LW Mattias Janmark: Depth scorer. Fairly vanilla in many regards, but could effectively fill a bottom 6 role and both PP/PK for the right price.
LW/RW Vladislav Namestnikov: Depth scorer. PP and PK value, and decent defensively. Has shown an edge in the past, but it is inconsistent.

There are not too many defensemen out there who can realistically replace or upgrade what we have for less than the guys we have. Lyubushkin could replace Holl if we decide to trade him, and then there are guys like Brown, Benning, Pysyk, Stecher, etc. who can be decent depth guys at RD to "replace" Lyubushkin. Gudbranson, Miller, Braun, Rutta, Cole, and Kulak are decent options, but Cole and Kulak are LD personally, and who knows if you are really saving much on cap vs. the quality of player. Maybe Stralman/Subban as veteran guys who are not great anymore but can still cheaply fill roles. In general, I think it will be Holl or Lyubushkin (if he re-signs for a reasonable price) and then we hope we can re-sign Giordano for cheap.

We don't need a cheap goalie.

 

[Brobust]

Some guys who may be cheap options for us to fill spots next year.

Forwards
Potentially Leaving: RW Colin Blackwell, LW Pierre Engvall, LW/RW Ilya Mikheyev, RW Ondrej Kase, LW/C Alex Kerfoot
C Chris Tierney: Two-way forward. PP/PK option. Can provide some depth scoring on the non-Kampf line.
C Victor Rask: Depth scorer. Limited defensive/PK value. May rebound in a more skill, possession-based system similar to Carolina's and can play 2PP.
LW/C Johan Larsson: Defensive forward with some grit and versatility. PK option. No PP value.
C/RW Curtis Lazar: Defensive forward with some grit and versatility. PK option. No PP value.
C/RW Noel Acciari: Defensive forward with some grit and versatility. PK option. No PP value.
C Nico Sturm: Defensive forward more similar to Kampf. PK option. No PP value.
LW Nick Cousins: 4th line pest. Provides some defensive value but mostly just a guy who provides some energy and a bit of depth scoring. Dubas-connection.
LW/RW Zach-Aston Reese: 4th line pest. Provides some defensive value but mostly just a guy who provides some energy and a bit of depth scoring.
LW Tyler Motte: Defensive forward with some grit. PK option. No PP value.
LW Michael Raffl: Defensive forward with some grit. PK option. No PP value.
LW Zach Sanford: Bottom 6 Power forward with some upside. May not be the best fit for our system given his speed, but could work on both a PK and a PP.
LW Mattias Janmark: Depth scorer. Fairly vanilla in many regards, but could effectively fill a bottom 6 role and both PP/PK for the right price.
LW/RW Vladislav Namestnikov: Depth scorer. PP and PK value, and decent defensively. Has shown an edge in the past, but it is inconsistent.

There are not too many defensemen out there who can realistically replace or upgrade what we have for less than the guys we have. Lyubushkin could replace Holl if we decide to trade him, and then there are guys like Brown, Benning, Pysyk, Stecher, etc. who can be decent depth guys at RD to "replace" Lyubushkin. Gudbranson, Miller, Braun, Rutta, Cole, and Kulak are decent options, but Cole and Kulak are LD personally, and who knows if you are really saving much on cap vs. the quality of player. Maybe Stralman/Subban as veteran guys who are not great anymore but can still cheaply fill roles. In general, I think it will be Holl or Lyubushkin (if he re-signs for a reasonable price) and then we hope we can re-sign Giordano for cheap.

We don't need a cheap goalie.

I think the leafs should restructure where they have an offensive 3rd line and move Kampf to 4th. So, outside of Namestnikov, none of these look very appealing.

 

[Warden of the North]

We will see what happens. I think the positive thing about Mrazek is that we are not "forced" to move him, and even with the injury-filled year with some poor performances against bad teams, he is a guy who can still be realistically relied upon to do what he was brought in to do in the first place (be a 1B who can handle half of the starts).

If we want to get a legit headlining starting goalie who isn't splitting 50/50, it will have to come through trade anyways, and in that case, I imagine we will see Mrazek treated like Bernier was when we brought in Andersen.

His injury list seems to say he can't be relied for much at all.

 

[Dreakmur]

Some guys who may be cheap options for us to fill spots next year.

Forwards
Potentially Leaving: RW Colin Blackwell, LW Pierre Engvall, LW/RW Ilya Mikheyev, RW Ondrej Kase, LW/C Alex Kerfoot
C Chris Tierney: Two-way forward. PP/PK option. Can provide some depth scoring on the non-Kampf line.
C Victor Rask: Depth scorer. Limited defensive/PK value. May rebound in a more skill, possession-based system similar to Carolina's and can play 2PP.
LW/C Johan Larsson: Defensive forward with some grit and versatility. PK option. No PP value.
C/RW Curtis Lazar: Defensive forward with some grit and versatility. PK option. No PP value.
C/RW Noel Acciari: Defensive forward with some grit and versatility. PK option. No PP value.
C Nico Sturm: Defensive forward more similar to Kampf. PK option. No PP value.
LW Nick Cousins: 4th line pest. Provides some defensive value but mostly just a guy who provides some energy and a bit of depth scoring. Dubas-connection.
LW/RW Zach-Aston Reese: 4th line pest. Provides some defensive value but mostly just a guy who provides some energy and a bit of depth scoring.
LW Tyler Motte: Defensive forward with some grit. PK option. No PP value.
LW Michael Raffl: Defensive forward with some grit. PK option. No PP value.
LW Zach Sanford: Bottom 6 Power forward with some upside. May not be the best fit for our system given his speed, but could work on both a PK and a PP.
LW Mattias Janmark: Depth scorer. Fairly vanilla in many regards, but could effectively fill a bottom 6 role and both PP/PK for the right price.
LW/RW Vladislav Namestnikov: Depth scorer. PP and PK value, and decent defensively. Has shown an edge in the past, but it is inconsistent.

There are not too many defensemen out there who can realistically replace or upgrade what we have for less than the guys we have. Lyubushkin could replace Holl if we decide to trade him, and then there are guys like Brown, Benning, Pysyk, Stecher, etc. who can be decent depth guys at RD to "replace" Lyubushkin. Gudbranson, Miller, Braun, Rutta, Cole, and Kulak are decent options, but Cole and Kulak are LD personally, and who knows if you are really saving much on cap vs. the quality of player. Maybe Stralman/Subban as veteran guys who are not great anymore but can still cheaply fill roles. In general, I think it will be Holl or Lyubushkin (if he re-signs for a reasonable price) and then we hope we can re-sign Giordano for cheap.

We don't need a cheap goalie.

Seems like it will be a lot more productive to acquire our new bottom 6 through trade, since those UFAs are just more of the same.

Kerfoot and Engvall so have some value, even if they aren't what we need.

Engvall to Arizona for Christian Fischer would be a move to acquire a different player who plays a similar role in a different way. Minnesota could use some speed and salary cap savings, so maybe they'd be willing to swap Greenway for Engvall for half the cap hit.

Kerfoot makes just 750k after we pay his bonus, so maybe Arizona find that appealing enough to send Lawson Crouse back.

Vegas is over the cap next season, and has Nicolas Roy and Keegan Kolesar as RFAs they likely can't sign.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Some guys who may be cheap options for us to fill spots next year.

Forwards
Potentially Leaving: RW Colin Blackwell, LW Pierre Engvall, LW/RW Ilya Mikheyev, RW Ondrej Kase, LW/C Alex Kerfoot
C Chris Tierney: Two-way forward. PP/PK option. Can provide some depth scoring on the non-Kampf line.
C Victor Rask: Depth scorer. Limited defensive/PK value. May rebound in a more skill, possession-based system similar to Carolina's and can play 2PP.
LW/C Johan Larsson: Defensive forward with some grit and versatility. PK option. No PP value.
C/RW Curtis Lazar: Defensive forward with some grit and versatility. PK option. No PP value.
C/RW Noel Acciari: Defensive forward with some grit and versatility. PK option. No PP value.
C Nico Sturm: Defensive forward more similar to Kampf. PK option. No PP value.
LW Nick Cousins: 4th line pest. Provides some defensive value but mostly just a guy who provides some energy and a bit of depth scoring. Dubas-connection.
LW/RW Zach-Aston Reese: 4th line pest. Provides some defensive value but mostly just a guy who provides some energy and a bit of depth scoring.
LW Tyler Motte: Defensive forward with some grit. PK option. No PP value.
LW Michael Raffl: Defensive forward with some grit. PK option. No PP value.
LW Zach Sanford: Bottom 6 Power forward with some upside. May not be the best fit for our system given his speed, but could work on both a PK and a PP.
LW Mattias Janmark: Depth scorer. Fairly vanilla in many regards, but could effectively fill a bottom 6 role and both PP/PK for the right price.
LW/RW Vladislav Namestnikov: Depth scorer. PP and PK value, and decent defensively. Has shown an edge in the past, but it is inconsistent.

There are not too many defensemen out there who can realistically replace or upgrade what we have for less than the guys we have. Lyubushkin could replace Holl if we decide to trade him, and then there are guys like Brown, Benning, Pysyk, Stecher, etc. who can be decent depth guys at RD to "replace" Lyubushkin. Gudbranson, Miller, Braun, Rutta, Cole, and Kulak are decent options, but Cole and Kulak are LD personally, and who knows if you are really saving much on cap vs. the quality of player. Maybe Stralman/Subban as veteran guys who are not great anymore but can still cheaply fill roles. In general, I think it will be Holl or Lyubushkin (if he re-signs for a reasonable price) and then we hope we can re-sign Giordano for cheap.

We don't need a cheap goalie.

100% on the Tierney train.

Deslauriers over Simmonds, just waive Simmonds.

 

[JKG33]

Chris Johnston speculating that if the leafs don't bring Campbell back, they'll go with cheap and young goalies next season hoping for another breakout.

Samsonov, Georgiev, Comrie etc.

Yikes. If those are the guys thats a downgrade on Campbell. I doubt Samsonov is available after the playoffs he had but Vanecek should be, for the reason that Washington wants an upgrade. So that sounds perfect for Dubas.

Blackwood

Samsonov, Georgiev and Comrie all bad.

Grab Holtby as a mentor.

I'd really like Blackwood. Holtby is ok if he's healthy but idk that he can be relied upon all that much at this point in his career

We will see what happens. I think the positive thing about Mrazek is that we are not "forced" to move him, and even with the injury-filled year with some poor performances against bad teams, he is a guy who can still be realistically relied upon to do what he was brought in to do in the first place (be a 1B who can handle half of the starts).

If we want to get a legit headlining starting goalie who isn't splitting 50/50, it will have to come through trade anyways, and in that case, I imagine we will see Mrazek treated like Bernier was when we brought in Andersen.

He's always had injuries. All he can be relied upon for are injuries and poor play.

Some guys who may be cheap options for us to fill spots next year.

Forwards
Potentially Leaving: RW Colin Blackwell, LW Pierre Engvall, LW/RW Ilya Mikheyev, RW Ondrej Kase, LW/C Alex Kerfoot
C Chris Tierney: Two-way forward. PP/PK option. Can provide some depth scoring on the non-Kampf line.
C Victor Rask: Depth scorer. Limited defensive/PK value. May rebound in a more skill, possession-based system similar to Carolina's and can play 2PP.
LW/C Johan Larsson: Defensive forward with some grit and versatility. PK option. No PP value.
C/RW Curtis Lazar: Defensive forward with some grit and versatility. PK option. No PP value.
C/RW Noel Acciari: Defensive forward with some grit and versatility. PK option. No PP value.
C Nico Sturm: Defensive forward more similar to Kampf. PK option. No PP value.
LW Nick Cousins: 4th line pest. Provides some defensive value but mostly just a guy who provides some energy and a bit of depth scoring. Dubas-connection.
LW/RW Zach-Aston Reese: 4th line pest. Provides some defensive value but mostly just a guy who provides some energy and a bit of depth scoring.
LW Tyler Motte: Defensive forward with some grit. PK option. No PP value.
LW Michael Raffl: Defensive forward with some grit. PK option. No PP value.
LW Zach Sanford: Bottom 6 Power forward with some upside. May not be the best fit for our system given his speed, but could work on both a PK and a PP.
LW Mattias Janmark: Depth scorer. Fairly vanilla in many regards, but could effectively fill a bottom 6 role and both PP/PK for the right price.
LW/RW Vladislav Namestnikov: Depth scorer. PP and PK value, and decent defensively. Has shown an edge in the past, but it is inconsistent.

There are not too many defensemen out there who can realistically replace or upgrade what we have for less than the guys we have. Lyubushkin could replace Holl if we decide to trade him, and then there are guys like Brown, Benning, Pysyk, Stecher, etc. who can be decent depth guys at RD to "replace" Lyubushkin. Gudbranson, Miller, Braun, Rutta, Cole, and Kulak are decent options, but Cole and Kulak are LD personally, and who knows if you are really saving much on cap vs. the quality of player. Maybe Stralman/Subban as veteran guys who are not great anymore but can still cheaply fill roles. In general, I think it will be Holl or Lyubushkin (if he re-signs for a reasonable price) and then we hope we can re-sign Giordano for cheap.

We don't need a cheap goalie.

Motte, Raffl, and Sanford interest me from that list. Those are the kinds of players the bottom 6 needs

 

[WTFMAN99]

Yikes. If those are the guys thats a downgrade on Campbell. I doubt Samsonov is available after the playoffs he had but Vanecek should be, for the reason that Washington wants an upgrade. So that sounds perfect for Dubas.


I'd really like Blackwood. Holtby is ok if he's healthy but idk that he can be relied upon all that much at this point in his career


He's always had injuries. All he can be relied upon for are injuries and poor play.


Motte, Raffl, and Sanford interest me from that list. Those are the kinds of players the bottom 6 needs

Holtby was pretty solid for Dallas this year, he's obviously not Oettinger but I happily give him 2M to play behind Blackwood at 2.8M, 4.8M total and you have a solid tandem.

 

[JKG33]

Holtby was pretty solid for Dallas this year, he's obviously not Oettinger but I happily give him 2M to play behind Blackwood at 2.8M, 4.8M total and you have a solid tandem.

Oh yea I'd take him as a backup, just not as a starter.

Blackwood's cap hit is a big reason why I'd want him. He's shown before his injury that he can be a stud in net, and that cap hit for one more year is the type of move a cup contender makes.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Oh yea I'd take him as a backup, just not as a starter.

Blackwood's cap hit is a big reason why I'd want him. He's shown before his injury that he can be a stud in net, and that cap hit for one more year is the type of move a cup contender makes.

I'm super high on him. Devils were a tire fire this year all around and likely being slow to get vaccinated didn't help him get in a proper rhythm.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

His injury list seems to say he can't be relied for much at all.

He has been healthy for much of his career. He suffered a freak thumb injury last year, and returned just fine from it after surgery. It is the groin that is more concerning. He apparently had a lower-body injury with the Canes last year near the end of the season, but he didn't really miss any time with it either (if it was even groin-related).

Then this year he suffers three separate groin injuries which made him miss a combined 12 weeks. I guess the groin is the main concern. I don't think they are concerned about his ability to perform or bounce back if his groin holds up.

At the same time, whoever is responsible for dealing with goalie injuries in this organization needs to be fired. Scott hasn't played for 3 years due to hip injuries. Woll has been off and on the LTIR with injuries all year. Andersen dealt with groin injuries which made him borderline unplayable. Now Mrazek suffers three groin injuries in a year when he has a mostly clean bill of health in the 7 years he has played in the NHL previously? And he suffered the first one after like the first 2 games... It is not even like he was overworked.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

He's always had injuries. All he can be relied upon for are injuries and poor play.

May want to fact check there. He has played 40+ games in a season 5 times, and split a 6th between the AHL and NHL (only 29 at the NHL level, but another 13 at the AHL level).

Last year, he only played 12 mostly due to a thumb injury which required surgery. Nothing to do with what hurt him this year.

Then this year, he only played 20 games due to his groin.

He has a career save percentage hovering around .910 as a tandem starter both in the regular season and playoffs over a sample size of over 300 NHL games. A 20 game stretch marred by injuries and some inconsistent play against weak teams (something that marred the entire team this year) does not override the rest of his resume; especially when he still went 4-0 with a .931 save percentage in starts against playoff teams this year. Small sample size of course, but it is still 20% of his overall sample size (higher if we just include starts) and that is a larger percentage than the amount of games you want to use to judge Mrazek's career going forward.

Short of concerns from the medical staff regarding his groin or wanting to completely restructure the net in a manner which would have happened regardless of Mrazek's performance this year (i.e. having a cheap backup and a better full time starter), I don't think Leafs are concerned about his contract or what happened this past year.

 

[OVO16]

Engvall for Greenway is intriguing.

Minnesota gets Cap-savings which they need badly and gets a potentially better offensive player with speed (albeit not by a lot), which they're missing as well.

Leafs get a heavier version of Engvall with more grit

 

[Duke16]

I feel like there is a difficult conversation coming regarding Simmonds.

If there are tweaks coming to that middle/bottom six, I dont see how he factors in at all really.

Quite a feel internal players ready to be of more impact than him as is.

Courtesy trade coming? I wouldnt doubt it

 

[OVO16]

100% on the Tierney train.

Deslauriers over Simmonds, just waive Simmonds.

No interest in Deslaueriers. The only difference between him and Simmonds is that Deslauriers is willing to fight more.

I don't care for just goons on the 4th line. We need playable players with grit and speed. Deslauriers was a non-factor in the playoffs.

I feel like there is a difficult conversation coming regarding Simmonds.

If there are tweaks coming to that middle/bottom six, I dont see how he factors in at all really.

Quite a feel internal players ready to be of more impact than him as is.

Courtesy trade coming? I wouldnt doubt it

Simmonds will most likely be kept as a 13th forward. If not waived.

 

[Apex Predator]

I wonder what the cost on Vanecek. He would be an interesting pick up.

 

[nuck]

I think the leafs should restructure where they have an offensive 3rd line and move Kampf to 4th. So, outside of Namestnikov, none of these look very appealing.

Those are the moves you can make if you don't free up some serious cap room. I would trade Willie, move JT to the wing and add Strome as a JT replacement. Kampf to the 4th is likely his fate after next season if he even returns then, but not sure it makes the club a lot better to drop him right away unless this season is not repeatable. He will need a new Mik to have the same results though.

The wild card then is what would Willie bring back? I hesitate to move Muzzin because the D corps is soft , but maybe WN gets you a younger, cheaper Muzz, and Jake just moves on. I like Chychrun, but he has a lot more in common with Reilly than Muzzin, and Reilly and Brodie already play almost no-contact hockey. I would really like them to add a physical top 4 RD that can keep Lily down until Brodie expires. Gio's cost to retain will determine what possibilities are there for the D though.

It make be just Kerf , Spezza, and Mikheyv out and not much in though and some guys off of Sea's cheap fill ins list.

 

[WTFMAN99]

No interest in Deslaueriers. The only difference between him and Simmonds is that Deslauriers is willing to fight more.

I don't care for just goons on the 4th line. We need playable players with grit and speed. Deslauriers was a non-factor in the playoffs.


Simmonds will most likely be kept as a 13th forward. If not waived.

Deslauriers had 13 hits in 5 GP in playoffs, 9 goals in regular season...263 hits in regular season...that's an element I don't mind.

 

[OVO16]

Deslauriers had 13 hits in 5 GP in playoffs, 9 goals in regular season...263 hits in regular season...that's an element I don't mind.

I'd rather guys like Curtis Lazar or Zac Aston-Reese. More speed and agitation. Lazar led the Bruins in hits this past year.

Deslauriers just seems like a player who's destined to get scratched in a playoff game, under Keefe's system

Deslauriers would have been a target if we brought in Trotz