Trades and Free Agency - 2022/2023 Trade Deadline Edition

[Dreakmur]

What I am trying to figure out is why is Nashville 12 in GA with their amazing D and all world G Jusse Saros, while the Leafs are somehow are 6th in GA with Muzzin out all year, plus Rielly, Brodie, and Liljegren all missing significant time with injuries. On top of that, in net the Leafs have an injury plagued Murray, an uneven Samsonov, plus 11 starts from their 3/4 stringers?

The centre ice position plays a very significant role in the defensive zone. As I said when we signed Tavares, adding him helped out defence more than it helped out offense. Our centres make our defensemen look better than they are.

Nashville is very weak at that position.

And somehow their 3rd best D (case for #2/3 arguably with McDonagh) would be the best D on the Leafs? Something just isn't adding up.

Nashville has a really good top-3.

Let's also not forget that Ekholm turns 33 in a couple of months, has 3 more years at $6.25 million, and acquiring him would absolutely mean saying goodbye to ROR in the summer.

Not sure he's the right target.

Chychrun is the right target, but we don't have the assets to make that deal.

Ekholm is the next best target, and he' very unlikely to decline by next year.

 

[BlueForever75]

I personally like McMann and what he did when he joined the team. He reminded me of Hyman and the way he played. With that being said I never understand why they are so hell bent on have Bunting on the first line when he is better suited on the 3rd. They give Kerfoot time in the top 6 all the time but never anyone else. They should have tried McMann with Matthews and Nylander. He's a big body, can skate, isnt afraid of going into the tough areas. See what you got until Knies comes up. This is what I would do:

McMann-Mathews-Nylander

I am telling you that kid is going to be a gem.

 

[BlueForever75]

If the Leafs have Muzzin, Murray, Mete and Robertson on LTIR until playoffs doesnt it mean that they can go over the cap their cap hits? So how is it that they only have 4 million in cap space? When in total those players make combined $11.8M? Yes you Benn taking Mete's number AND Andersen taking Robertson's number roughly. Then you have the additions of OReilly and Acciari cap numbers ($3.125 combined). My available cap space prior to deadline with those acquisitions and Muzzin/Murray on LTIR is $7.187M.

So how is capfriendly showing only 4.4m?

I would leave Murray where he is. Isnt needed right now. Keep Woll and Kjhallgren as our backups when needed. As for Muzzin he isnt coming back. Maybe just maybe he pulls a Kucherov and comes back for playoffs. Wouldnt that be nice on the bottom pairing and PK work.

But I think there is still space to acquire a legit top 6 forward moving everyone else down in the pecking order. One of Kane, Bertuzzi, JVR, Domi would be great, Goal should be to move OReilly to 3rd line C spot. Depending on acquisition it would determine whom players where. Example if Kane you would move Bunting with Tavares and Marner, then place Kane with Mathews and Nylander. If JVR you keep Matthews line intact and place JVR with Tavares and old linemate Marner.

 

[Sypher04]

I do not like the choice to take JT out of center. Last year, maybe, but this year he’s been excellent. Making the top 6 even more top heavy at the expense of being capable of having real depth is the wrong choice.

 

[WTFMAN99]

I do not like the choice to take JT out of center. Last year, maybe, but this year he’s been excellent. Making the top 6 even more top heavy at the expense of being capable of having real depth is the wrong choice.

Re-inventing the wheel for no reason.

 

[kb]

I do not like the choice to take JT out of center. Last year, maybe, but this year he’s been excellent. Making the top 6 even more top heavy at the expense of being capable of having real depth is the wrong choice.

I was like that initially, but paying a big price to have ROR play 15-16 minutes per night with Kerfoot and Engvall on the wings doesn't seem like a particularly good use of assets either.

And Acciari IMO upgrades Kampf at #3C.

 

[Peace Frog]

The centre ice position plays a very significant role in the defensive zone. As I said when we signed Tavares, adding him helped out defence more than it helped out offense. Our centres make our defensemen look better than they are.

Nashville is very weak at that position.



Nashville has a really good top-3.



Chychrun is the right target, but we don't have the assets to make that deal.

Ekholm is the next best target, and he' very unlikely to decline by next year.

I believe we absolutely have the assets to make the deal. It’s just a matter of how far Dubas is willing to take this. Also, does he want to go all in on a Dman like Chychrun, or a Lw’er like Meier?







Meier please!

 

[Sypher04]

I was like that initially, but paying a big price to have ROR play 15-16 minutes per night with Kerfoot and Engvall on the wings doesn't seem like a particularly good use of assets either.

And Acciari IMO upgrades Kampf at #3C.

I mean, sprinkle in some minutes on the wing with Tavares and Marner to get his ice time up, but he without question should be 3C imo. This has as good a chance of disrupting JTs game as anything good happening from it. And even IF they gel, the result still ends up being the third line isn’t good enough

 

[geo25]

Like which coach?

Gerard Gallant for instance....

 

[Menzinger]

Could be a trade or a personal issue

I have 2x2.75-3.00

Yep, a cheap two year deal works best for both sides.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Could be a trade or a personal issue




Yep, a cheap two year deal works best for both sides.

Dhaliwal says it is traded related but his wife was due to give birth around TDL.

 

[kb]

I mean, sprinkle in some minutes on the wing with Tavares and Marner to get his ice time up, but he without question should be 3C imo. This has as good a chance of disrupting JTs game as anything good happening from it. And even IF they gel, the result still ends up being the third line isn’t good enough

I think Engvall/Kerfoot - Acciari - Jarnkrok is a very good 2-way 3rd line. Elite? No....but ROR in for Acciari there and still doesn't look elite either.

But I agree....I am watching JT closely here, because if this neuters his play then it's not a wise move either.

Right now I am looking at it like the Leafs acquired JT for #2LW plus Acciari as an upgrade at #3C - pushing Kampf down to the 4th line.

 

[Sypher04]

I think Engvall/Kerfoot - Acciari - Jarnkrok is a very good 2-way 3rd line. Elite? No....but ROR in for Acciari there and still doesn't look elite either.

But I agree....I am watching JT closely here, because if this neuters his play then it's not a wise move either.

Right now I am looking at it like the Leafs acquired JT for #2LW plus Acciari as an upgrade at #3C - pushing Kampf down to the 4th line.

I think Engvall is the definition of a regular season player. I thought he was awful last year when the games actually mattered. He played with some aggression/tenacity down the stretch last year, and I was encouraged, and then the playoffs came and he wilted like 10 mins in. I think going into the playoffs with him being your best offensive weapon in the bottom 6 is a recipe for disappointment

I still think we need another forward who can put a puck in the net. Someone capable of lining up with Matthews and Bunting and thus letting us push Nylander and ROR to the third line together. Matthews, Marner and Nylander can all drive a line. That’s why I’m creating duos

 

[Dreakmur]

I do not like the choice to take JT out of center. Last year, maybe, but this year he’s been excellent. Making the top 6 even more top heavy at the expense of being capable of having real depth is the wrong choice.

Yup. Matthews-Tavares-O’Reilly-Kampf is easy.

On PPs and the odd offensive zone draw, it makes sense to throw out two centres, but it shouldn’t be a regular line.

 

[acrobaticgoalie]

I wonder if Nashville would consider moving Tomasino. Seems to have fallen out of favour in Nashville.

He's only 21. Can't see them giving up on him already. Had 32 pts in the NHL last year as a 20 yr old and is close to ppg in the AHL.

 

[Fogelhund]

Dhaliwal says it is traded related but his wife was due to give birth around TDL.

""

 

[the real Fox mulder]

I still think we need another Acciari type player. Hathaway is a player i have in mind but would cost around a 3rd pick. I would trade Kerfoot for a 3rd and use that third to acquire Hathaway. This move gains us 2 mill in cap space if Dubas is planning on any other trade.

 

[Stephen]

Penguins are making Jeff Petry available. That guy was recently almost a stud workhorse on D. Not sure what his contract situation is like or what the ask would be. But a rangy, versatile RHD who can move a puck and handle the playoff grind.

 

[Stephen]

I still think we need another Acciari type player. Hathaway is a player i have in mind but would cost around a 3rd pick. I would trade Kerfoot for a 3rd and use that third to acquire Hathaway. This move gains us 2 mill in cap space if Dubas is planning on any other trade.

I would have loved to grab Kuraly from CBJ but he makes an unreasonable amount of money at over $2 million.

 

[SprDaVE]

Penguins are making Jeff Petry available. That guy was recently almost a stud workhorse on D. Not sure what his contract situation is like or what the ask would be. But a rangy, versatile RHD who can move a puck and handle the playoff grind.

35 year old making 6.25M until 2025. Good luck with that, Pittsburgh.

 

[ER89]

I was like that initially, but paying a big price to have ROR play 15-16 minutes per night with Kerfoot and Engvall on the wings doesn't seem like a particularly good use of assets either.

And Acciari IMO upgrades Kampf at #3C.

I don't get why we wouldn't use this to our advantage and have three Cs. It boggles my mind.

 

[Kiwi]

I was like that initially, but paying a big price to have ROR play 15-16 minutes per night with Kerfoot and Engvall on the wings doesn't seem like a particularly good use of assets either.

And Acciari IMO upgrades Kampf at #3C.

I'd feel a lot better if one of Matthews, Tavares or ROR is on the ice at all times 5v5

You can still give ROR a few extra minutes by giving him some extra shifts in the top 6 but loading the top 6 up doesn't make our bottom 6 much better which is our most glaring issue imo

Also you can give ROR some decent wingers to work with, Engvall and/or Holmberg if you're looking for more defensive ability or Kerfoot if you want more scoring

I think it makes us a better deeper team and you can't just key in on two lines

 

[kb]

I don't get why we wouldn't use this to our advantage and have three Cs. It boggles my mind.

Because he'd be playing significantly less minutes with inferior linemates, and the Leafs wouldn't get the impact they need.

They still upgraded their #3C with Acciari. Kampf at #4.

And I don't think this is set in stone, but it will be given some run time. They can always put him back at #3C later on if this doesn't work.

 

[Stephen]

35 year old making 6.25M until 2025. Good luck with that, Pittsburgh.

Hear me out. Pittsburgh pays 50% of his contract and pays the freight on his retention to Team X and we get him for free.

 

[LaPlante94]

Pulj and Ryan from Edmonton could really help the bottom 6. Think I suggested in another post that maybe Kerfoot and Kampf for Pulj, Ryan and a pick good be a good swap for both teams.