Trade and Free Agency Thread - 2022 - Off-season

[Menzinger]

And Rakell.

Weird flex

If they let Malkin walk, they're not going to be competitive.....

Which seemingly has been the entire point of these other contracts.

Strange indeed.

 

[hamzarocks]

Fret not. We'll have Malgin feeding Engvall

Malgin feeding Ovichkinov

 

[supermann_98]

With Backstrom out that’s a big win for Washington

Definitely looks like Washington are gonna "Kucharov" Backstrom, who can blame them when the NHL buries its head in the sand over the situation

 

[WTFMAN99]

I think Malkin hasn't even hit 70 GP in any of the last 4-5 years right? A 3 year deal takes him to....39 and ends as Sid's does? I can see why they don't wanna go beyond that as that seems like the natural point to turn the page but who knows man.

 

[Buds17]

Fret not. We'll have Malgin feeding Engvall

The great Malkin/Malgin debate of 2022!

 

[BertCorbeau]

I think Malkin hasn't even hit 70 GP in any of the last 4-5 years right? A 3 year deal takes him to....39 and ends as Sid's does? I can see why they don't wanna go beyond that as that seems like the natural point to turn the page but who knows man.

Malkin’s a risk because of this. He produces when healthy, but he’s getting more injured as he ages and he’s not going to be a cheap AAV.

 

[kb]

All other GM's gotta be laughing at Dubas over Dorian schooling him. Grier could definitely do worse than to call Dubas with his first call as a GM

I mean.....he forced Dubas to take a goalie for free with 2 draft picks and 25% retention.

And them to top it off, he trades a 24 year old goalie for a mid 30s pending UFA making nearly $4 million in addition to the $1.6 million retention, all without making themselves better.

Yeah, I mean......what a schooling!

 

[WTFMAN99]

I mean.....he forced Dubas to take a goalie for free with 2 draft picks and 25% retention.

And them to top it off, he trades a 24 year old goalie for a mid 30s pending UFA making nearly $4 million in addition to the $1.6 million retention, all without making themselves better.

Yeah, I mean......what a schooling!

Maybe this is sarcasm but I can't fathom you actually believing a 3rd and 7th was enough to take Murray...what would you typically value the difference between 7th and 13th? We got a worse deal than Buffalo despite Ottawa having fewer options with Murray only willing to waive for EDM or TOR.

We already know EDM has tampered and we're gonna see Campbell sign something like 5x5 with Edmonton...so we were the only show in town and worse return then what was reported previously.

 

[nuck]

Just what they are missing He's a good AHL talent or a marginal bottom 6 guy. I estimate his chances to help the Leafs would be about the same as Arcobello or Didomenico. I could actually see him having a bit of success on a thin club that could given him some top 6 reps but he doesn't seem to have a bottom 6 skill set which is what they need. He isn't actually an NHL center and he doesn't pk.

I don't think I could justify playing him ahead of Steeves or Robertson who are likely to be the beneficiaries of Mik's departure so who could you possibly sit for him to play?

 

[LBloor]

Athanasiu-Tavares-Nylander

AA seriously ?

 

[hockeywiz542]

Maple Leafs Free Agency Preview: Needs, targets, bargains

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas appears ready to play moneyball again, in search of those second-tier (third-tier?) UFA diamonds in the rough.

www.sportsnet.ca

Salary cap space: $6.36 million
Roster size: 17/23
Salary committed to forwards: $48.91 million
Salary committed to defence: $22.32 million
Salary committed to goalies: $4.69 million

Potential UFA targets

Ilya Samsonov, G

With the big money going to Murray, the Maple Leafs have bowed out of the premium UFA goalie market — a class of two, Darcy Kuemper and Campbell — and will turn their attention to cost-effect support to round out their tandem.

Of that lot, Samsonov — left unqualified as a pending RFA by Kuemper-hunting Washington — is the youngest and best of the bunch.

He’s 25 coming off a winning record (23-12-3) in a shared-load season, and his best years are likely still ahead.

Counterpoint: Samsonov failed to steal the Captials’ crease outright, his save percentage was below league average (.891), and GM Brian MacLellan couldn’t find a buyer on the trade market.

Missing out on Murray, the Buffalo Sabres should be among the bidders for Samsonov, who will have multiple options.

Other UFA options include Martin Jones, Thomas Greiss, Dustin Tokarski, Eric Comrie and Charlie Lindgren. (The future of veterans Braden Holtby, 36, and Jaroslav Halak, 37, is undetermined.)

Price will be of utmost importance. Dubas’ fallback is to fill the job internally.

“I think I feel good about (Erik) Källgren and (Joseph) Woll battling there,” Dubas said.

Zach Aston-Reese, LW

The search for a middle-six Mikheyev replacement should be fascinating and far-reaching.

The defensive-minded Aston-Reese plays with an edge and forechecks aggressively. Looking to join his third franchise at age 27, the undrafted winger could provide an energy jolt.

Other options include brief Leaf Evan Rodrigues and 18-goal left wing Danton Heinen, pricing out of Pittsburgh; Chicago’s unqualified head-scratchers Dominik Kubalik and Dylan Strome; skillsy Sonny Milano, not qualified by Anaheim; and late-bloomer Dakota Joshua, who may not be long for St. Louis.

Dubas dipped into the unqualified pool twice last summer, taking flyers on Nick Ritichie and Kase, so no one would be shocked to see him go that route again.

Justin Braun, D

Toronto needs an experienced, defensive-minded, right-shot blueliner. Trouble is, the UFA landscape isn’t exactly rife with them.

Maybe they stick it out with Holl in the final year of his deal. Maybe not.

Because Josh Manson, in whom Toronto has expressed interest in the past, is likely to fall out of the Leafs’ price range (Anaheim is exploring a return), Braun is an option. He plays a safe and simple meat-and-potatoes game but can eat up minutes, aid on the penalty kill, and his underlying metrics are positive. Dubas kicked tires on Braun at the deadline and could reinvestigate.

Braun registered a plus-3 rating in Philadelphia last season despite playing with horrendous Flyers team (minus-87 goal differential). He should be inspired to join a contender.

Another route would be simply reupping Ilya Lyubushkin, making the Russian Bear more than a rental. He was a decent fit, well-liked by his teammates, and Dubas has kept a door open — for the right price.

Darren Helm, C

Jason Spezza’s retirement and Wayne Simmonds’ string of healthy scratches signal a need for a refreshed bottom six. A gritty veteran presence could do wonders here.

The 35-year-old Helm is durable, can play left wing or centre, and has the whole more-rings-in-the-room angle working for him. He never sacrifices offence for defence and can kill penalties.

Helm shouldn’t command a huge commitment in terms of dollars or term.

We also wonder if John Tavares’ boyhood bestie and onetime Marlie, Sam Gagner, could make sense here on a six-figure deal.

“You are probably not going to be able to spend as much as you want on those depth pieces,” Dubas said. “You are really going to have to do a great job of finding value, whether that is someone that is coming off of injury, someone who hasn’t been given great opportunities, or someone coming off of a bad year that you think you see something in and is a fit with your team.”

 

[nuck]

Regardless of his flaws, as a 6'3 25 year old former 3rd OA pick centre with 154 points in his last 225 games (56 point pace), I'm just assuming some team out there is going to offer him ~4.5M and that he'll be out of our price range. So I don't think we'll need to debate him much.

Not sure how much the size matters, his hits per 60 last season were less than my cat. I think you have to judge him strictly on the offense and he did get a bit of pp time to produce that. The one stat that does jump out a bit is the Gva to Tka numbers which are really good, as though he avoids contact to stay on the puck and that is the reverse of Kerfoot who is also worse on the dot.

I am not going to bother creeping old Hawks posts to see what their sages take is on his intangibles unless they actually trade for him. With Kerf gone that is most of the cost to acquire this guy so maybe there could be something.

 

[The Podium]

Is this lineup possible?

Bunting - Matthews - Marner
Tavares - Copp - Nylander
Milano/Heinen - Kampf - Engvall
Balcers/Donato - Helm - Robertson


Reilly - Brodie
Muzzin - Sandin
Gio - Lilly
Fleury

Murray
Comrie

 

[Warden of the North]

I still feel like there's some trades coming.

One of Holl or Sandin, and Kerfoot

 

[WTFMAN99]

Is this lineup possible?

Bunting - Matthews - Marner
Tavares - Copp - Nylander
Milano/Heinen - Kampf - Engvall
Balcers/Donato - Helm - Robertson


Reilly - Brodie
Muzzin - Sandin
Gio - Lilly
Fleury

Murray
Comrie

Not really

Sandin isn't a RD...despite their wanting him to play his off side, he doesn't want to.

Copp may as well go LW over JT, JT is the better centre.

Heinen makes more sense than Milano for a defensive line.

OCD but Robertson is mostly LW....think he caught some AHL games at RW but think he's gonna play LW in Toronto in the NHL, Balcers or Donato can play RW anyway.

I still feel like there's some trades coming.

One of Holl or Sandin, and Kerfoot

With Dach gone....kinda wonder what to even trade Sandin for if they're gonna do it. Prefer to keep him over Muzzin just because of cap now and more tread on the tires

 

[Stephen]

If they let Malkin walk, they're not going to be competitive.....

Which seemingly has been the entire point of these other contracts.

Strange indeed.

Burke's hard line on not re-signing Malkin echos what happened here with Sundin when he was a UFA, though I'm sure this is driven more by Fenway Sports Group and how they value star players.

 

[nuck]

Malgin feeding Ovichkinov

In the ECHL!

 

[al secord]

I still feel like there's some trades coming.

One of Holl or Sandin, and Kerfoot

Last night took the wind outta my common trades sail

 

[Stephen]

I still feel like there's some trades coming.

One of Holl or Sandin, and Kerfoot

So many good, decent unqualified RFA's and UFA's to restock the cupboards, if only $5.5 million of Holl and Kerfoot can be liquidated. $5.5 + $6 million + or whatever it is give or take.

 

[supermann_98]

I mean.....he forced Dubas to take a goalie for free with 2 draft picks and 25% retention.

And them to top it off, he trades a 24 year old goalie for a mid 30s pending UFA making nearly $4 million in addition to the $1.6 million retention, all without making themselves better.

Yeah, I mean......what a schooling!

Is that how you want to spin it? An almost $5M cap hit on a .899 sv% goalie with a significant injury history is "free" huh?

That's cool tho, we'll just fill out our bottom two lines with guys making 800k, that's shown to be a surefire recipe for success

 

[Stephen]

Just what they are missing He's a good AHL talent or a marginal bottom 6 guy. I estimate his chances to help the Leafs would be about the same as Arcobello or Didomenico. I could actually see him having a bit of success on a thin club that could given him some top 6 reps but he doesn't seem to have a bottom 6 skill set which is what they need. He isn't actually an NHL center and he doesn't pk.

I don't think I could justify playing him ahead of Steeves or Robertson who are likely to be the beneficiaries of Mik's departure so who could you possibly sit for him to play?

I'm skeptical Malgin, Abruzzese, Robertson will be the kind of bottom 6 you want in a 7 game playoff series, so whomever makes to the NHL level probably needs to be sandwiched in a sidekick role on the top 2 lines.

To spread the wealth around, you may need to commit to having Matthews, Marner, Tavares all on separate lines, with Nylander as the spare who can pair up with one of them. Try to get some value UFA's from the unqualified pile and sneak one of the smurfs onto a top 6 role.

 

[The Podium]

Not really

Sandin isn't a RD...despite their wanting him to play his off side, he doesn't want to.

Copp may as well go LW over JT, JT is the better centre.

Heinen makes more sense than Milano for a defensive line.

OCD but Robertson is mostly LW....think he caught some AHL games at RW but think he's gonna play LW in Toronto in the NHL, Balcers or Donato can play RW anyway.



With Dach gone....kinda wonder what to even trade Sandin for if they're gonna do it. Prefer to keep him over Muzzin just because of cap now and more tread on the tires

You basically said yes it’s possible, but the handedness/positions might be off despite them being flexible and playing either side.

I have Copp as a C only because he still has the mobility to be a two-way player. JT may be effective defensively, but can’t transition to offense well anymore. Would be worth exploring an option that allows him to move away from the defensive side of the position.

I meant more, can we get that to fit in the cap, and does it make us a better team going into next year

 

[rocketman588]

Weren't we publicly shopping miks rights lol

How is that coming along

Probably should have done so with Jack as well and possibly sandin

 

[WTFMAN99]

I'm skeptical Malgin, Abruzzese, Robertson will be the kind of bottom 6 you want in a 7 game playoff series, so whomever makes to the NHL level probably needs to be sandwiched in a sidekick role on the top 2 lines.

To spread the wealth around, you may need to commit to having Matthews, Marner, Tavares all on separate lines, with Nylander as the spare who can pair up with one of them. Try to get some value UFA's from the unqualified pile and sneak one of the smurfs onto a top 6 role.

That's why I liked the idea of a sheltered Robertson-Strome-88 line

 

[Coachcorner]

Not really

Sandin isn't a RD...despite their wanting him to play his off side, he doesn't want to.

Copp may as well go LW over JT, JT is the better centre.

Heinen makes more sense than Milano for a defensive line.

OCD but Robertson is mostly LW....think he caught some AHL games at RW but think he's gonna play LW in Toronto in the NHL, Balcers or Donato can play RW anyway.



With Dach gone....kinda wonder what to even trade Sandin for if they're gonna do it. Prefer to keep him over Muzzin just because of cap now and more tread on the tires

JT was one of the top 5 faceoff men last season in the whole NHL. Only JT miller would possibly push tavares on the wing. Nobody else. And miller is only a couple inches better than tavares on the draw, percentically only too. Tavares is a killer on the circle.

Also uh, tsn is all over our goaltending department now. Johnston is saying we are in for another gezoalie tomorrow. TSN just added TWO arcticles and videos of the goaltending/johnston saying situation in our goaltending. Its getting fun sire.