Trade and Free Agency Thread - 2022 - Off-season

[Mess]

There are going to be goaltenders looking for spots.
They might be on their last legs but they might have enough left to platoon.

To be honest I'd kind of like to see how the team reacts to that.

As a long time Leafs fan my friend you certainly are not afraid of a little glutton for punishment.

Heck one could say it almost comes with the job, when the you wait 50+ years and counting between Cups.

A little organized chaos cound't hurt for some entertainment on the side.

 

[LeafSteel]

Haven’t seen it posted yet but does a goalie tandem of Campbell and Blackwood do anything for you, with Kallgren as the 3rd?

Is it even feasible?

Thoughts…….

 

[DougGilmour93]

Haven’t seen it posted yet but does a goalie tandem of Campbell and Blackwood do anything for you, with Kallgren as the 3rd?

Is it even feasible?

Thoughts…….

Probably too expensive. Campbell will command a time least 5, and Blackwood makes 2.8.

 

[Buds17]

Haven’t seen it posted yet but does a goalie tandem of Campbell and Blackwood do anything for you, with Kallgren as the 3rd?

Is it even feasible?

Thoughts…….

It'd potentially be a good tandem that probably couldn't last beyond the one season as Campbell figures to sign for term now and Blackwood would be RFA eligible after the season. That said, you might be onto something if Kallgren looked primed to ascend to the backup role for the following season.

 

[Dreakmur]

Haven’t seen it posted yet but does a goalie tandem of Campbell and Blackwood do anything for you, with Kallgren as the 3rd?

Is it even feasible?

Thoughts…….

Likely too expensive. If we go with Campbell, we're probably stuck with a very cheap back-up.

 

[TheKrebsCycle]

A Varlamov /Blackwood tandem might be interesting if it can be done relatively cheaply.

 

[Dreakmur]

A Varlamov /Blackwood tandem might be interesting if it can be done relatively cheaply.

They're both already signed to contracts. 7.8 million bucks for that tandem isn't cheap.

 

[TheKrebsCycle]

They're both already signed to contracts. 7.8 million bucks for that tandem isn't cheap.

I meant from an acquisition cost standpoint rather than cap hit

 

[Torontonian]

Likely too expensive. If we go with Campbell, we're probably stuck with a very cheap back-up.

It appears we already plan on going with a cheap back-up. Dubas has said he’s fine with letting Kallgren or Woll battle for the backup, which is fine if the number one guy is playing 60-65 games.

If we use a lesser option as the number one goalie and either one of Kallgren Or Woll play 30-32 games for us, we are in trouble. It’s fine running a cheap backup as long as your number one is legit.

If someone like Jones, Blackwood, Holtby, Griess, Murray (I want nothing to do with him), tandemed with Woll or Kallgren this season as our goalies, we are in big trouble and Dubas has royally messed up.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Maple Leafs GM set to work on top-to-bottom changes

torontosun.com

While the very bottom of the Maple Leafs depth chart changed a bit after this week’s draft, the top tier is a work in a progress.

Right up to the start of free agency this Wednesday, general manager Kyle Dubas will be trying to set the table for a run at a goaltender, either retaining Jack Campbell, getting in on the shrinking number that will hit the open market, namely Colorado’s Darcy Kuemper or pursuing a trade.

If the ‘sacrificial lamb’ theory has any validation – that the Leafs can no longer count on ending their first round playoff hex unless their core four is broken up – the next few days will determine if Dubas actually gets bold enough to move William Nylander’s palatable $6.96 million US cap hit for space, defence or prospects. The downside is the loss of both Nylander and Ilya Mikheyev as a pending UFA would drain goals from the NHL’s second highest offence.

Another Leaf forward Alex Kerfoot, who will face renewed comparisons to Nazem Kadri now that the latter has won a Cup after they were swapped for each other, is also trade bait. As with Nylander, he does not lack for contributions as a Leaf, but poses an attractive deal for a team, especially one near the cap floor that could handle his $3.5 million on their books, yet pay him just $750,000 in real dollars.

No matter how it’s accomplished, Dubas must get a goalie of consequence, either out-bid teams such as Washington and Edmonton for Kuemper or deal for a proven stopper such as Anaheim’s John Gibson.

Defenceman Ilya Lyubushkin and forward Colin Blackwell are also pending UFAs, though the $3.8 million gained for this year and next when Dubas wrote off goalie Petr Mrazek in a trade to Chicago can be partly used to keep them in house.

Dubas is also negotiating with restricted free agents, first trying to assure defenceman Rasmus Sandin he’s still part of the long term plan, settling with winger Pierre Engvall once the club submits a qualifying offer of $1.25 million on Monday. But they could lose winger Ondrej Kase, their Bill Masterton Trophy nominee, in the same manner he was made available by Boston. His concussion history makes him questionable to bring back as an RFA, with arbitration rights that could drive up his price.

The Leafs will soon announce details of their development camp with a few of this week’s draft picks, previous selections, young members of the AHL Marlies and some invitees not picked at the draft whom Toronto expressed interest.

 

[Dreakmur]

It appears we already plan on going with a cheap back-up. Dubas has said he’s fine with letting Kallgren or Woll battle for the backup, which is fine if the number one guy is playing 60-65 games.

If we use a lesser option as the number one goalie and either one of Kallgren Or Woll play 30-32 games for us, we are in trouble. It’s fine running a cheap backup as long as your number one is legit.

If someone like Jones, Blackwood, Holtby, Griess, Murray (I want nothing to do with him), tandemed with Woll or Kallgren this season as our goalies, we are in big trouble and Dubas has royally messed up.

He also said they were fine going with Mrazek as the starter just before they paid somebody else to take him.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Free agents can be hometown heroes with the Leafs, for the right price

Local players aren’t avoiding their local team anymore. And some, like Giordano and Bunting, have accepted less to be in Toronto.

www.thestar.com

Dubas acknowledged the lure of the hometown — whether it’s for family or for playing for the team the player grew up rooting for — can only help in negotiations.

“Hopefully that’s the case,” said Dubas, adding the team is “right up against (the salary cap), so anything helps.”

Here’s a look at some of the top pending unrestricted free agents from the GTA with the various historic links to their hometown team.

Max Domi The Winnipeg-born, Toronto-raised winger is the son of Tie Domi, and basically grew up at the Air Canada Centre admiring the Mats Sundin-era Leafs. Once Mitch Marner’s linemate in London, Domi has bounced around (Montreal, Columbus, Carolina) since Arizona took him 12th overall in 2013. Never quite having lived up to his promise, the 27-year-old is probably looking at a pay cut from his $5.3-million cap hit. Toronto might just be the place where he could get his career back on track.

Mason Marchment Marchment, from Uxbridge, is six-foot-four and coming off an 18-goal season in Florida. And he’s an ex-Leaf (four games in 2019-20). Dubas could right the wrong he created when he traded Marchment for Denis Malgin. Marchment is coming off a cap hit of $800,000 and will be looking for a raise, but probably not a crazy deal. He has 20 goals in 91 career games, and will be 27 when the 2022-23 season starts.

Mark Jankowski The 27-year-old Dundas native has to bleed a little blue and white because his grand uncle is Hall of Famer Red Kelly. Jankowski was limited, by injuries and COVID, to 19 games for the Sabres last season. He had a bigger role with Calgary, who drafted him in the first round in 2012. The centre is six-foot-four and would fit in on the Leafs’ fourth line. He’s coming off a cap hit of $750,000.

Ryan Strome The 28-year-old right-winger from Mississauga had a career year with the Rangers (21 goals), and knows John Tavares well, growing up close by and having played with the Islanders together. He’d have to take a pay cut from the $5 million he earned this season to fit into the Leafs’ precarious cap situation.

Evan Rodrigues From Toronto, Rodrigues was briefly a Leaf though it was a paper transaction and only in an off-season. The 28-year-old right-winger has never had a big payday and might think he's due one after a 19-goal season in Pittsburgh, his first full season in the NHL. He has proven to be versatile and could be good fourth-line fit. He earned $1 million last year.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Letting Hyman walk then signing Palat to a very similar contract seems like a bad idea to me

If it was a bad idea last season it's still a bad idea this season

Friedman on 32 thoughts had the Holtby information and if we give Campbell 5*5 it's going to be a mistake

An extremely large one imo

Palat doesn't play similar style to Hyman, should age okay but definitely don't wanna get stupid with term.

 

[613Leafer]

Haven’t seen it posted yet but does a goalie tandem of Campbell and Blackwood do anything for you, with Kallgren as the 3rd?

Is it even feasible?

Thoughts…….

I think the point of bringing in a guy like Blackwood is that you're hoping he can turn into a legit #1, which makes sense if you're putting him in a tandem with a guy like Varlamov or Talbot (i.e. veteran serviceable starter but who only has 1 year left on his contract). The hope would be that Varlamov/Talbot can carry the load if needed, but that Blackwood has a chance to bounce back and steal the net.

If we sign Campbell to a ~5 year contract, then Blackwood doesn't make as much sense. In that scenario, we probably want more of a traditional 1B/backup (e.g. Reimer) to support him, or a young guy just breaking into the NHL but who's good enough to play ~35 games a season at a decent level (which I don't think we have internally).

 

[Folignos Helmet]

Seems NJ wants to keep Blackwood.

The goalie under contract to someone who might actually be possible could be Bobrovsky. Florida finds a third team to help with retention and pays the costs, and Leafs get him at 5 million for remainder of his deal with a small add.

Florida could really use the cap.

 

[The Podium]

Seems NJ wants to keep Blackwood.

The goalie under contract to someone who might actually be possible could be Bobrovsky. Florida finds a third team to help with retention and pays the costs, and Leafs get him at 5 million for remainder of his deal with a small add.

Florida could really use the cap.

NJ also has 3 NHL goalies in Blackwood, Vanecek and Bernier

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

NJ also has 3 NHL goalies in Blackwood, Vanecek and Bernier

Isn't Bernier done due to injury?

 

[The Podium]

Isn't Bernier done due to injury?

Had hip surgery, apparently plans for a comeback

 

[Nylander88]

Haven’t seen it posted yet but does a goalie tandem of Campbell and Blackwood do anything for you, with Kallgren as the 3rd?

Is it even feasible?

Thoughts…….

That would be a solid duo, but likely too much at Campbell's new pricetag and Blackwood making 2.8mil essentially as 1B or backup. Too much spent in the crease for a team that needs every dollar. Furthermore, if we have Campbell, he likely has 4+ years of term attached to his new deal....if you get Blackwood, you're hoping at 25yrs old on a better team, he regains his form and becomes your starter for now and the future. So doesn't make much sense in that regard either. If Blackwood plays like you hope, you're trying to trade Campbell already come next off-season to make room to resign Blackwood. The pairing doesn't make sense. If you get Blackwood, you want a Holtby type to put with him, on a cheap one year deal. Or a Talbot if he can be had, on a reasonable expiring deal.

 

[Folignos Helmet]

Had hip surgery, apparently plans for a comeback

Good luck. 33 year old goalie coming back from a hip injury that will have sidelined him over a year. Plus he is a pending UFA. Safe to say NJ won’t be relying on him.

 

[TheShape]

What about a deal for Varlamov and than sign Lankinen as backup?

Not sure what we have to give up for Varly? I can’t imagine much.

I don't think Lou will deal kindly with Dubas. If I'm Lou I'm pointing to the price Arizona got from Sakic for Kuemper. 1st + prospect (Timmins)

 

[The Podium]

I don't think Lou will deal kindly with Dubas. If I'm Lou I'm pointing to the price Arizona got from Sakic for Kuemper. 1st + prospect (Timmins)

Avs were in an even more desperate position than the leafs believe it or not. Not to mention Lou’s recent trade history doesn’t scream savvy anymore

Good luck. 33 year old goalie coming back from a hip injury that will have sidelined him over a year. Plus he is a pending UFA. Safe to say NJ won’t be relying on him.

Well, they’d be relying on Vanecek with Bernier as backup. They may not have a choice to play or trade Bernier if he’s ready to come back.

 

[stickty111]

I don't think Lou will deal kindly with Dubas. If I'm Lou I'm pointing to the price Arizona got from Sakic for Kuemper. 1st + prospect (Timmins)

Avs were in a desperation positiom and really overpaid. Lou's trade history is lackluster too so Dubas has a decent chance to fleece him.

 

[Leaf Rocket]

Definitely feels like the quiet before the storm...I think it's because of all the tasks going on and I'm good with it as it's best to take all the views and calls before actions but I'm greedy....I want it now

 

[BertCorbeau]

Should have some more action after the QO deadline tomorrow

Hope the Leafs can land Kubalik