Trade Deadline day approaches (quarantine reduced)

[Kurtz]

Am I the only one who thinks Hall would be a terrible fit on the Leafs first line with Matthews-Marner?

Why?

 

[Dreakmur]

Am I the only one who thinks Hall would be a terrible fit on the Leafs first line with Matthews-Marner? Could only see him playing with JT-Willie or a 3rd line of his own; likely no defensive line if that's the case.

I’m not a fan of acquiring Hall, but if we did, I’d play him on the third line.

The idea of the shut-down third line is dead isn’t it? Use Hyman-Matthews-Marner to just overpower opposing tip lines.

 

[VanW27]

I’m not a fan of acquiring Hall, but if we did, I’d play him on the third line.

The idea of the shut-down third line is dead isn’t it? Use Hyman-Matthews-Marner to just overpower opposing tip lines.

I'd have him on the 2nd line to load it up as much as possible and try to convince teams to take their best d off of Matthews.

 

[123offtheglass]

Why?

Primarily Marner but Matthews as well drives play on that line where the puck is almost always on their stick, part of the reason why a Zach Hyman type player works so well on that line, he compliments them with his play in the dirty areas, forechecking & play off the puck; that's not Taylor Hall, his strength is driving play himself with the puck on his stick, he's not great off the puck so you just wouldn't get nearly as much out of him, or you may just get less out of Marner and/or Matthews. As Babcock would say "there's not enough puck to go around"; this is an extremely prominent concept if you watch basketball, but it very much exists in hockey as well.

Craig Button or Ray Ferraro probably explains more clearly than I do:

 

[Cor]

I’m not a fan of acquiring Hall, but if we did, I’d play him on the third line.

The idea of the shut-down third line is dead isn’t it? Use Hyman-Matthews-Marner to just overpower opposing tip lines.

Hyman - Matthews - Marner
Galchenyuk - Tavares - Nylander
Hall - Engvall/Kerfoot - Mikheyev
Simmonds/Thornton - Kerfoot/Engvall/Spezza. - Spezza/Simmonds

Not bad

 

[123offtheglass]

I’m not a fan of acquiring Hall, but if we did, I’d play him on the third line.

The idea of the shut-down third line is dead isn’t it? Use Hyman-Matthews-Marner to just overpower opposing tip lines.

I wouldn't say so somebody has to play against opposing teams top lines and take responsibility for D-zone draws, even if it's split between multiple lines. That HEM line is great if they can find a way to keep Hyman on that third line as his primary line.

 

[X66]

Boys lol, there is zero chance Thornton, Spezza and/or Simmonds are coming out.

It might not be the right move but they ain’t going to do the vets like that.

Only one player is coming out and that’s Engvall, which sucks because he’s solid but that’s how the game goes sometimes.

 

[123offtheglass]

Hyman - Matthews - Marner
Galchenyuk - Tavares - Nylander
Hall - Engvall/Kerfoot - Mikheyev
Simmonds/Thornton - Kerfoot/Engvall/Spezza. - Spezza/Simmonds

Not bad

Simmonds - Matthews - Marner
Galchenyuk - Tavares - Nylander
Hall - Kerfoot - Spezza
Mikheyev - Engvall - Hyman

Or even this, have Hall take a lot of shifts off Galchenyuk & Hyman takes a lot of shifts off Simmonds.

Keeps the HEM line to take on a lot of defensive responsibility/assignments & D-zone draws, with the top line taking some d-zone draws and matchups (mostly with Hyman) & the third line even taking the odd d-zone draw as Spezza is a faceoff specialist & Hall even has the ability to burn guys up the ice.

I like yours too but I prefer this personally not ideal, it has its flaws (obviously with Simmonds up there) but so will any combination here

 

[123offtheglass]

If the Leafs trade for Taylor Hall without moving anyone out, or waiving Galchenyuk they have to do it by Wednesday (before Habs-Leafs puck drop); that's where Galchenyuk's 10 game limit will be (where he becomes unexempt to waivers). That's 32 days left in the season, where I believe he could fill in for Hall as an emergency exemption for 7 days. After those 7 days or so once Hall is eligible to play, the earliest he could be recalled to play again is with 13 days left in the season, according to my math using the trade machine: Trade Machine - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

 

[Stephen]

Palmieri feels like a very Boston or Islanders type pick up

And I think that would be a good reason why Toronto should want a player like that over a "name" like Taylor Hall.

There's been so much hype attached to Hall over the past 1.5 years and he and his team have fallen flat on their faces every single time. New Jersey after Hughes was drafted. Arizona after they made their deal to rent Hall. Buffalo with Hall's one year experiment. I'm just concerned that we would bring in a guy who ultimately doesn't know how to win big games, doesn't fit in and has no chemistry.

 

[McSnypsky]

Simmonds - Matthews - Marner
Galchenyuk - Tavares - Nylander
Hall - Kerfoot - Spezza
Mikheyev - Engvall - Hyman

Or even this, have Hall take a lot of shifts off Galchenyuk & Hyman takes a lot of shifts off Simmonds.

Keeps the HEM line to take on a lot of defensive responsibility/assignments & D-zone draws, with the top line taking some d-zone draws and matchups (mostly with Hyman) & the third line even taking the odd d-zone draw as Spezza is a faceoff specialist & Hall even has the ability to burn guys up the ice.

I like yours too but I prefer this personally not ideal, it has its flaws (obviously with Simmonds up there) but so will any combination here

I think the HEM line will be a playoff line similar to Sami Pahlsson's line when Anaheim won the cup especially if there is a particular player or line that is really dangerous.

 

[McSnypsky]

Server error Double post sorry!

 

[willmma]

Thornton I'd hope
Hall Matthews Marner
Gally Tavares Nylander
Mikheyev Engvall Hyman
Simmonds Kerfoot Spezza

First two lines of first rounders. THREE of them first over all.

Add the HEM line to that.

And a fourth line with Spezza leading it.

Incredible.

 

[123offtheglass]

I think the HEM line will be a playoff line similar to Sami Pahlsson's line when Anaheim won the cup especially if there is a particular player or line that is really dangerous.

Honestly can't say I'm all the familiar of that line.

But I do think the HEM line is designed quite well to shutdown fast & dangerous lines especially because they can skate with them & have good reach & sticks & Hyman just brings everything you'd need & want; would be better if Engvall were more engaged physically & better on draws, hopefully that will come.

I think it's important that Engvall in particular is given a more specific assignment/focus/emphasis in trying to shutdown opposing lines/players; he isn't a natural like Mikheyev or Hyman yet in this particular role but does have the ability.

 

[hockeywiz542]

TSN Trade Bait: GMs gaming for prices to drop over next week - TSN.ca

Over the last five NHL trade deadlines, there has been an average of 13 trades of significance in the month leading up to Deadline Day.

Just one week away from TradeCentre, there have been exactly two this season. Eric Staal is scheduled to make his debut on Monday night for Montreal after his March 26 trade from Buffalo for third and fifth-round picks. The Rangers dealt Brendan Lemieux the next day to Los Angeles for a fourth-round pick.

That’s it.

There is no shortage of limiting factors: the flat salary cap; that a shortened schedule reduces an acquisition’s impact; that nearly half the NHL is operating in long-term injured reserve; diminished financial incentive to win an extra playoff round with arena capacity restrictions; tightened internal team budgets; a looming Expansion Draft.

Then there is the list of firm buyers, which seems to be way down compared to a typical season.

Given all that, market prices for players have not yet seemed to adapt to those factors.

“Teams would like me to pay full freight, essentially normal historical trade deadline prices, for what amounts to a half tank of gas,” one GM said last week.

Patience seems to be the play. This is a buyer’s market – there is no doubt about that. And if these buyers are game theorizing, the acquisition prices surely must come down by next Monday at 3 p.m. ET, right? Or else the sellers will be left playing and paying pending free agents who almost surely won’t be returning to their team next season.

There also may not be much overlap or intersection between the needs and wants of the buyers, which could work in their favour. Given all of that, let’s reexamine our shrinking list of firm buyers and their needs ahead of TradeCentre:

1. Toronto Maple Leafs: GM Kyle Dubas has not been shy about his willingness to make a deal. The Leafs are willing to trade a top prospect - and more - to land their targeted fit at forward. The preference is for a versatile left winger who can play all over the lineup. Mikael Granlund, Kyle Palmieri, Nick Foligno and even Tanner Pearson would make sense. That is, unless, the prices remain unpalatable and Alex Galchenyuk is Toronto’s deadline addition.

 

[Cor]

I don’t hate the idea of Tanner Pearson.

 

[BertCorbeau]

I don’t hate the idea of Tanner Pearson.

Isn't he injured? And Benning was more favourable to re-signing him?

 

[McSnypsky]

Honestly can't say I'm all the familiar of that line.

But I do think the HEM line is designed quite well to shutdown fast & dangerous lines especially because they can skate with them & have good reach & sticks & Hyman just brings everything you'd need & want; would be better if Engvall were more engaged physically & better on draws, hopefully that will come.

I think it's important that Engvall in particular is given a more specific assignment/focus/emphasis in trying to shutdown opposing lines/players; he isn't a natural like Mikheyev or Hyman yet in this particular role but does have the ability.

The Pahlsson line was a shutdown line that Carlyle used and at one point can't remember which game, they actually had more TOI than the first line, I don't think the HEM line will be leading TOI but I think they can be used anywhere, which is why I believe is the main reason the are looking at a Forward at trade Deadline

 

[Dreakmur]

I wouldn't say so somebody has to play against opposing teams top lines and take responsibility for D-zone draws, even if it's split between multiple lines. That HEM line is great if they can find a way to keep Hyman on that third line as his primary line.

Bergeron, Kopitar, and Toews did the checking for those elite teams. No reason Matthews can't do that. Flanked with Hyman and Marner, that's a pretty good defensive line.

 

[Stephen]

I don’t hate the idea of Tanner Pearson.

Depends on what the Covid situation is like in Vancouver... not sure what the thought process is with acquiring a player if they potentially get the Coronavirus so close to the playoffs.

 

[Budz]

With Hall:

Gally Matthews Marner
Hall JT Willie
Soup Pierre Hyman
Kerfoot Spezza Simmons

Thornton

 

[hockeywiz542]

The Maple Leafs have Adrian Kempe and Mikael Granlund on their trade deadline radar | The Star

Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas appears to be shopping in a buyers’ market with the NHL trade deadline just a week away.

There haven’t been any big, splashy deals so far and while that could change, it suggests the bulk of the moves made by next Monday at 3 p.m. will involve depth players and draft picks at a reasonable cost.

The Leafs have been linked to several names in recent reports — including Devils forward Kyle Palmieri, Flames centre Sam Bennett and Predators defenceman Mattias Ekholm.

One name that hasn’t been mentioned is Kings right winger Adrian Kempe. According to an industry source who requested anonymity, the 24-year-old Kempe has been heavily scouted by the Leafs. At six-foot-two and 200 pounds, he would come with a $2-million (U.S.) salary-cap hit this year and next before restricted free agency.

Another name prominent in the Leafs’ deadline prep is Predators forward Mikael Granlund, who’d be a rental — at what’s left of his $3.75-million cap hit — before hitting unrestricted free agency in the summer.

Cap space is a major consideration for most NHL teams as they look to deal. According to the Cap Friendly website, 14 teams are currently using long-term injured reserve to manage their cap space. Ten teams are projected to have zero room, nine others (including the Leafs) less than $1 million.

In addition, the asking price for players such as Palmieri, Bennett, Ekholm and Canucks forward Tanner Pearson is said to include a first-round draft pick. As of Monday, every team except Pittsburgh and Arizona still had its first-rounder.

All of that suggests GMs will wait until the final hours to get what they want and drive down the price. Dubas has said “everything is on the table” when it comes to the Leafs’ trade pursuits and that he’d rather make a deal early, but the fact that the Leafs haven’t so far appears to be a reflection of the current high asking prices.

 

[123offtheglass]

Bergeron, Kopitar, and Toews did the checking for those elite teams. No reason Matthews can't do that. Flanked with Hyman and Marner, that's a pretty good defensive line.

Very true but I'd ideally I hope they could at least split a good chunk of that with another line so that they could get some easier matchups themselves.

 

[Fogelhund]

If you're using just this year sure, he's faced what 80 shots total?

But for their NHL careers Gibson has averaged about 4 HD shots against per 60 mins. Stolarz is over 10.5 HD SA/60 and for his career is still over .800 in terms of SV%. It's important to look at volume vs average workload when looking at these numbers.

Also I'm not saying trade for Stolarz to be an elite goalie. I'm saying to add depth. Stolarz behind this defense is likely better than Hutch.

His career?

He has 19 career starts. TWO this year. THREE in the last two years.

He isn't even near a full time NHL goalie. Hutch at least is a NHL goalie, has played games, is ready, and has better stats NOW, even did pretty well last year in the playoffs.

If we are going to upgrade/depth it's going to be a guy like Ullmark, who isn't a complete gamble. Heck, I can guarantee that if we trade for a goalie, it won't be for a guy with three starts in the last two years.

 

[Fogelhund]