Trade and Free Agency Thread - 2022 - Off-season

[stickty111]

Will put this here too

Okay now that some time has passed, here are my rational thoughts.
It's still a bad deal and you can't get around that. The sweetner to take on 75% of the contract isn't enough. My main issue with this really is making Ottawa retain only 25% and that really hinders our ability to improve the other areas. Thats my concern. You have 6 million to get another goalie and get a new 4th line. If Holl is moved which is a given, and Kerfoot unlikely IMO than it gives you room. However the problem with moving Kerfoot is you than need to find a replacement for him. Complain all you want about him, but the guy is a good top 9 player who can do a bit of everything.

You could move Muzzin and I have been against that, but could you find someone for less who can as good as him? It's possible but tough. I don't think they will and I get it. As much as Rielly is the heartbeat of the defence, Muzzin is the engine, and I think they value him as they should.

I'm actually confident Murray will perform well here assuming health which is risky with him. The issue is again do we have enough room to improve the holes? I will wait to fully judge until the full picture is clear, but just looking at the deal alone, Dubas messed up and even a big fan of his can say that.

 

[Menzinger]

Other intriguing wingers who were not qualified:

- Rem Pitlick
- Danton Heinen
- Ryan Donato
- Nicholas Aube-Kubel

They could be nice fliers who could either step up, or provide Robertson and Knies opportunities to beat in the season.

Donato could be an intriguing candidate on a cheap 1 year "show me" deal

 

[Knies iT]

Value wise it sucks

But it's a deal that let's us basically have a starting caliber goalie for the next 2 years of the AM34 era

Murray when healthy and playing for a solid d-core isn't a bad goalie. I think he can provide us with .915 goal tending.

We need a solid #2 who gets 30ish starts and can realistically take over in case Murray is out in the playoffs or is stinking

I don't see this as a deal we made to win a trade.

Dubas obviously thinks Murray is different than Jack, and Fred were.

Murray was awesome from 2016 to 2019. Sucked after that.

This deal isn't a long-term commitment so if we are retooling in case things don't work in the next two years we aren't burdened with a 5M goalie who sucks

I get wanting to contend and have elite players at most key positions. However our cap situation made it tough to get a quality 1G with a proven track record/youth/upside unless we sacrificed a core piece.

Dubas sticks with his team building philosophy, he knows what's on the line next playoffs. This is a move which doesn't ruin our future in the depressing scenario of a post Matthews timeline.

We didn't give Kuemper 6 years 6.5M fortunately or something crazy like that.

The moves a C right now, but if Murray bounces back it can become a B+. Have to see how he fits in our team and with our defensive system. If he flourishes who cares about trying to get more value on the deal, as

Value in performance >> value via a trade

It's a risk, one that could very well fail. We're in year 5 now, so I think this is the only move which was alright to make, getting a goalie with high playoff pedigree was needed imo very badly

I'm no dubas super fan. I think he's been solid in his 4 years here, and this is a make or break type move. However I don't think we should think of it as trash and a failure until we see Murray's performance

This dude was as touted as Vas, Shesty etc back from. 2014 to 2018

What trades do we win though? Kapanen?

The poor track record, injury risk, and cap hit are nuts to take on for a 3rd.

What I do like about this deal is that, like you say, it's make or break. If he played it safe and they get bounced in the 1st rd again, he may have been given another chance in the right context. This move will make it a do or die year for his job so i'll give him the UFA period to see if he can learn how to finally insulate our stars properly.

I've supported him for years but i'll call a spade a spade and he's honestly performed worse with more experience.

 

[CanHeDoIt99]

Johnston mentioned Reimer in his Murray column on Northstar bets.

Reimer/Comrie/Samsonov/Stolarz are all decent targets I think.

 

[hamzarocks]

What trades do we win though? Kapanen?

The poor track record, injury risk, and cap hit are nuts to take on for a 3rd.

What I do like about this deal is that, like you say, it's make or break. If he played it safe and they get bounced in the 1st rd again, he may have been given another chance in the right context. This move will make it a do or die year for his job so i'll give him the UFA period to see if he can learn how to finally insulate our stars properly.

I've supported him for years but i'll call a spade a spade and he's honestly performed worse with more experience.

We won kap, and muzzin, and Zaitsev deals

The Campbell deal was also a win in hindsight though we didn't exactly know he would become a solid 1A at the time and were thinking he'd be a 25 game backup only

We've lost some big trades, won some others

It's time to see what this team can do when the chips are starting to fall.

Murray hopefully is a big part of the solution rather than being a part of the problem next year

 

[stickty111]

Johnston mentioned Reimer in his Murray column on Northstar bets.

Reimer/Comrie/Samsonov/Stolarz are all decent targets I think.

He was the only one he mentioned so maybe there is something there.
I could sign up for Reimer Murray

 

[Fonzieleaf]

We did not extend a qualifying offer to Kase, Duszak, Rubins, Krys, and Scott. I guess they goooone.

 

[Martin Skoula]

What trades do we win though? Kapanen?

The poor track record, injury risk, and cap hit are nuts to take on for a 3rd.

What I do like about this deal is that, like you say, it's make or break. If he played it safe and they get bounced in the 1st rd again, he may have been given another chance in the right context. This move will make it a do or die year for his job so i'll give him the UFA period to see if he can learn how to finally insulate our stars properly.

I've supported him for years but i'll call a spade a spade and he's honestly performed worse with more experience.

Main issue is Simmonds and co somehow managed to get him to abandon his speed and skill build for a half assed no identity build.

 

[Rielly4]

I think Engvall-Kampf-Kubalik could be a decent 3rd line if we keep Muzzin. If we move Muzz I'd like to use the extra spcae to add a more playoff style grit+scoring 3rd line.

 

[Menzinger]

Johnston mentioned Reimer in his Murray column on Northstar bets.

Reimer/Comrie/Samsonov/Stolarz are all decent targets I think.

Reimer could fit in the sense of being a reliable 1b in the 1.5-2.5 mil range.

Curious if he'd agree to come back to Toronto given how things ended back in 2013.

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[stickty111]

Reimer could fit in the sense of being a reliable 1b in the 1.5-2.5 mil range.

Curious if he'd agree to come back to Toronto given how things ended back in 2013.

That was with a different management group and coach though. New management lead by Lou kept him before trading him because of where they were in the rebuild. I don't think Reimer should have any ill feelings here.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

That was with a different management group and coach though. New management lead by Lou kept him before trading him because of where they were in the rebuild. I don't think Reimer should have any ill feelings here.

It has more to do with the fans than anything... Death threats and all.

 

[Leaf Rocket]

Will put this here too

Pretty spot on IMO. I do agree the trade is abysmal, I am not happy with the fact it's at 25%. The only way this seems acceptable is if we find a trade-out for Holl or Kerfoot, and as you have stated, Kerfoot fits in all over the lineup very seamlessly so it would not be a good trade-out unless we find someone similar to that mold. I have a hard time finding a player of that caliber at the moment in the Free-agent market unless I am missing someone who has that capability if not more at a damn good deal.

I genuinely think there MUST be some trade or soft calls that we are waiting to drop, along with some signings we are looking at when the free-agent frenzy begins to make sense of this. Otherwise, holy shit Dubas has laid an egg bad, unless, come playoff time this move seems god-level by Murray's gameplay alone and us just being status-quo.

 

[stickty111]

It has more to do with the fans than anything... Death threats and all.

Right forgot about that. Still that would happen anywhere all though those were directed at his wife which is just bad, but still a few idiots shouldn't affect your decision but maybe it does and thats understandable.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Right forgot about that. Still that would happen anywhere all though those were directed at his wife which is just bad, but still a few idiots shouldn't affect your decision but maybe it does and thats understandable.

If I were him, I wouldn't trust the fans not to do it again (or worse).

 

[Menzinger]

That was with a different management group and coach though. New management lead by Lou kept him before trading him because of where they were in the rebuild. I don't think Reimer should have any ill feelings here.

It's not so much the front office that concerns me - has no reason to dislike Dubas' - I think the negative fan reactions/media got to him a bit near his end in Toronto (obviously speculation on my part though).

I'd be just fine bringing him back for a short term deal

 

[Leaf Rocket]

Donato could be an intriguing candidate on a cheap 1 year "show me" deal

Definitely along with steel as well IMO.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I think Engvall-Kampf-Kubalik could be a decent 3rd line if we keep Muzzin. If we move Muzz I'd like to use the extra spcae to add a more playoff style grit+scoring 3rd line.

Kubalik makes absolutely no sense for that line. He is not a defensive guy. He is a pure sniper/rush scorer, and nothing really else.

I am not really sure where Kubalik fits on this team. He is a nice piece, but we need a guy who can more than just score on the rush if he is on our 2nd line, and he will be too expensive for the 4th line.

Some team will give him a good opportunity, I just don't think it will be us.

Donato could be an intriguing candidate on a cheap 1 year "show me" deal

Wasn't that what he was just coming off of? I guess he didn't "show" enough to be worth the arb amount.

 

[Jmo89]

Reimer could fit in the sense of being a reliable 1b in the 1.5-2.5 mil range.

Curious if he'd agree to come back to Toronto given how things ended back in 2013.

It's about time Toronto has one of those annoying fairytale stories. Reimer was the goalie when it was 4-1 and the Leafs haven't won a series since. It would be kind of nice to have him on the team when they break it.

We thought we had one of those stories for a second with Galchenyuk and then he did what he did in OT.

 

[stickty111]

If I were him, I wouldn't trust the fans not to do it again (or worse).

Thats fair

It's not so much the front office that concerns me - has no reason to dislike Dubas' - I think the negative fan reactions/media got to him a bit near his end in Toronto (obviously speculation on my part though).

I'd be just fine bringing him back for a short term deal

Riemer isn't a FA.

 

[Leaf Rocket]

Our Chips I think we are likely playing with...Holl, Kerfoot, Sandin (?), and maybe Robertson (for an expedited version of him ?)

Potential Targets:
Priotize goalies (obviously?)
-Samsonov
-Comrie
-Anyone you can think of via trade?
-Harri Sateri (for the memes)

Forwards:
-Mason Marchemant (feels like he's the sandpaper winger we'd want)
-Sam Steel (Bottom 6 center fill?)
-Ryan Donato (Sizeable try winger bottom 6?)
-Mark Jankowski (for memes/red kelly relative etc etc for AHL?)
-Copp (would he be available?)

Defense:
-Still might need to re-sign BOOSH?
-Haydn Fleury/Robert Hagg for LHD ? (Anyone know what happened?)
-Kale Clague (reclamation project?)

Thats all I can think of atm

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Our Chips I think we are likely playing with...Holl, Kerfoot, Sandin (?), and maybe Robertson (for an expedited version of him ?)

Potential Targets:
Priotize goalies (obviously?)
-Samsonov
-Comrie
-Anyone you can think of via trade?
-Harri Sateri (for the memes)

Forwards:
-Mason Marchemant (feels like he's the sandpaper winger we'd want)
-Sam Steel (Bottom 6 center fill?)
-Ryan Donato (Sizeable try winger bottom 6?)
-Mark Jankowski (for memes/red kelly relative etc etc for AHL?)
-Copp (would he be available?)

Defense:
-Still might need to re-sign BOOSH?
-Haydn Fleury/Robert Hagg for LHD ? (Anyone know what happened?)
-Kale Clague (reclamation project?)

Thats all I can think of atm

Comrie and Samsonov in net would be ideal at this point.

There are too many forward options to mention really.

Defense, if we move Holl, you can maybe do Boosh but it would have to be cheap and I can see him getting overpaid. Josh Brown could be somewhat similar but cheaper. Mark Pysyk, Colin Miller, Troy Stetcher, Matt Benning, and Justin Braun are other options I have considered as either top 4 RD for the Marlies or to replace Holl as a bottom 4 RD. I also have had a soft spot for Nic Meloche since his draft year and I think there are a lot of people who would like him for his physicality. For the Marlies, who could use a solid defensive presence, he would be a nice addition to that right side and I would trust him as a depth option for the Leafs. If he can find some more of an offensive game with our development staff, we could have a nice late blooming option on that right side. Fleury could also make sense for the RD on the Marlies too.

I think everyone more or less knows what we need for the Leafs (3 4th liners, one shutdown 3rd liner, a 2LW, a bottom pairing RD, and a backup goalie if we are assuming that Holl and Kerfoot are moved), but for the Marlies, we need 2 (AHL caliber) top 4 RD and 2 top 9 forwards (preferably one guy who knows how to play center too) through UFA. We also need an enforcer to replace Clune (or re-sign him), a depth LD to replace Rubins, and a few depth forwards who can fill out the bottom of the Marlies depth chart and the top end of the Growlers depth chart, but I imagine all of these are AHL contracts.

 

[Rielly4]

I think there is 4 things we definitely need.
Top 6 forward
Backup goalie
3rd line RW
4th line C.

Right now those are things we definitely need. The rest can be filled out internally.
Although we are likely going to have to clear out space to get these pieces. Holl/Kerfoot most likely to be moved out.

 

[Rielly4]

This is the way I see it. And excuse my hot take of JT moving to wing I just hate him up the middle and think Mitch has all the makings of a good C.

JT-AM-Nylander
Bunting-Marner-???
Engvall-Kampf-???
Competition-???-Competition

I wanna leave that 4LW open because you want Knies or Robertson to be able to dethrown Engvall at 3LW and bump Pierre to the 4th line. 4RW is likely Joey Andersons to lose but we will sign cheap guys to compete with him.

Kerfoot has gotta be dumped imo.