Trades and UFA’s - Trade Deadline Edition

[WTFMAN99]

The same is true of the Avalanche, it's just a few guys in the top 6 that drive that style of play.

Leafs roster construction is interesting in that I believe the centre on the top 2 lines is the best shooting option, Matthews / JT are "good" passers but a lot of the time, the centre is more of a playmaker/distributor of the puck. The fact we have 2 centres like that is different.

Kind of like Sundin, felt he was a great finisher and needed more of a playmaking winger.

The lines you put over the board I feel shouldn't be too similar either, they should have different elements, kind of like a pitching rotation / bullpen.

Our top 6 though is largely average speed, best shooter is usually in the middle, good/okay defensively, not incredibly physical etc.

 

[Sypher04]

What?

It's got nothing to do with leverage. If you ask them, and they say no, then fine. You can then try to find other ways around it, and in Tavares' case, because of his age and there not being a great deal of trade value, a buy-out is an option if you feel after another playoff exit, that change may be for the best.

Also, Cap space, I'm told, isn't an issue this summer anyway, so whether it's less than a league min. is almost irrelevant.

There are 0 viable ways around it, and he will say no 100%. Why even ask the question and upset the relationship with the player, when everyone knows what the answer will be.

Suggestion of a buyout is utter nonsense. Yeah. Let’s remove a productive player from our team in favour of 10.4M in dead cap space and no replacement for the sake of change. And let’s do all that in the same year the two highest AAV contracts in franchise history come on the books…

 

[LeafSteel]

It would help if the philosophy used to select players to sign as UFAs or trade for be what they stand to bring to us vs. what they have already accomplished somewhere else.

Their merit has to be what they stand to bring to us now and in the future.

 

[LeafParade]

Leafs roster construction is interesting in that I believe the centre on the top 2 lines is the best shooting option, Matthews / JT are "good" passers but a lot of the time, the centre is more of a playmaker/distributor of the puck. The fact we have 2 centres like that is different.

When the Leafs signed Domi, a kind of assumed that Marner would play with one of them and Domi would play with the other. Basically, giving Matthews and Tavares each a playmaker. Then throw a 2 way winger (Knies/Jarnkrok) on the other side of each of them.

If that somehow worked, Nylander could get his own line. The problem is by moving Domi to the wing, it opens a hole in the 3C slot. When the season started, I assumed that would be Minten or Holmberg.

 

[WTFMAN99]

When the Leafs signed Domi, a kind of assumed that Marner would play with one of them and Domi would play with the other. Basically, giving Matthews and Tavares each a playmaker. Then throw a 2 way winger (Knies/Jarnkrok) on the other side of each of them.

If that somehow worked, Nylander could get his own line. The problem is by moving Domi to the wing, it opens a hole in the 3C slot. When the season started, I assumed that would be Minten or Holmberg.

Domi has been really good at centre all things considered, night and day with what he's given us. Domi was largely invisible at wing.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Friedman on the Leafs (32TP): "Should this team really be buying? Is this the year to buy? ... They have to be asking themselves, with the limited amount of stuff that we have to trade, is this really the year to buy? And I would be asking myself that question again this weekend"

My 2 cents is if we're borderline playoff team by the TDL or wild card, I would probably sell some pieces like Bertuzzi and Brodie etc...if you can get a 1st or some 2nds etc, stock up.

Maybe you can pull a Vancouver and parlay the newly acquired assets at the TDL or in the off-season for a piece that will fit in long term like Vancouver did with getting Hronek.

I know some people would be upset of not continually going for it but you also need to be real with yourself.

 

[MarMarSab3]

Friedman on the Leafs (32TP): "Should this team really be buying? Is this the year to buy? ... They have to be asking themselves, with the limited amount of stuff that we have to trade, is this really the year to buy? And I would be asking myself that question again this weekend"

My 2 cents is if we're borderline playoff team by the TDL or wild card, I would probably sell some pieces like Bertuzzi and Brodie etc...if you can get a 1st or some 2nds etc, stock up.

Maybe you can pull a Vancouver and parlay the newly acquired assets at the TDL or in the off-season for a piece that will fit in long term like Vancouver did with getting Hronek.

I know some people would be upset of not continually going for it but you also need to be real with yourself.

He's not wrong. This team looks worst then years past. First I replace the coach and see if that changes things, then if doesn't start selling off Brodie Bertuzzi Kampf Domi Jarnkrok hell even McCabe if the offer is worthwhile

 

[Fogelhund]

Friedman on the Leafs (32TP): "Should this team really be buying? Is this the year to buy? ... They have to be asking themselves, with the limited amount of stuff that we have to trade, is this really the year to buy? And I would be asking myself that question again this weekend"

My 2 cents is if we're borderline playoff team by the TDL or wild card, I would probably sell some pieces like Bertuzzi and Brodie etc...if you can get a 1st or some 2nds etc, stock up.

Maybe you can pull a Vancouver and parlay the newly acquired assets at the TDL or in the off-season for a piece that will fit in long term like Vancouver did with getting Hronek.

I know some people would be upset of not continually going for it but you also need to be real with yourself.

We are currently two points out of missing the playoffs entirely, with things not going particularly recently. Our last ten games record, is poorer than four of the five teams below us, Red Wings, Lightning, Devils and Penguins.

If this is where we are at the TDL, I'm certainly not a buyer. If they can't find a way to play better, or are out of it, I'd have no issue being a seller. Brodie, Bertuzzi, Marner, Giordano, Kampf would all be available. Yes, moving Marner could be tough.

 

[TheDoldrums]

We are currently two points out of missing the playoffs entirely, with things not going particularly recently. Our last ten games record, is poorer than four of the five teams below us, Red Wings, Lightning, Devils and Penguins.

If this is where we are at the TDL, I'm certainly not a buyer. If they can't find a way to play better, or are out of it, I'd have no issue being a seller. Brodie, Bertuzzi, Marner, Giordano, Kampf would all be available. Yes, moving Marner could be tough.

We're still over 80% to make the playoffs on every site/model I've seen.

We literally just saw the 8th seed in the East make the Finals last year. IMO you cannot throw in the towel on a year before Matthews/Nylanders new deals kick in.

also just an aside but we could not give Kampf away without a sweetener even if we wanted to (and I do!)

 

[pspot]

all the core guys are signed long term . Might be an interesting message to trade off pieces like bertuzzi and other expiring for picks and be like you want to win it’s on you but so far you haven’t shown us enough . See if they step up, lead a team

 

[notdoneyet]

I mean we're still over 80% to make the playoffs on every site/model I've seen.

We literally just saw the 8th seed in the East make the Finals last year. IMO you cannot throw in the towel on a year before Matthews/Nylanders new deals kick in.

What people forget that Florida had major injuries to Ella’s barking reinhart and a few others
They got them back a month or so before the playoffs
We are not built for the playoffs
Too much money for 4 guys

 

[TheDoldrums]

What people forget that Florida had major injuries to Ella’s barking reinhart and a few others
They got them back a month or so before the playoffs
We are not built for the playoffs
Too much money for 4 guys

we'll also get Woll back at some point

"too much money for 4 guys" isn't going to change anytime soon, are we giving up on next year before it starts?

 

[Menzinger]

Tre isn't going to sell, unless there's an immediate in house replacement for whomever gets sent out and Shanny likely even less inclined to want the team to sell.

It would be very embarrassing for both men to have a worse finish than last year. And they didn't extend Matthews to tread water, even for a season

 

[horner]

Tre isn't going to sell, unless there's an immediate in house replacement for whomever gets sent out and Shanny likely even less inclined to want the team to sell.

It would be very embarrassing for both men to have a worse finish than last year. And they didn't extend Matthews to tread water, even for a season

The next 8 games could be our season.
If we go 3 and 5 changes will be made
If that happens Keefe will be replaced hopefully by the fired St Louis coach.

TDL
Middleton for 3rd + Robertson

 

[Scion]

Friedman on the Leafs (32TP): "Should this team really be buying? Is this the year to buy? ... They have to be asking themselves, with the limited amount of stuff that we have to trade, is this really the year to buy? And I would be asking myself that question again this weekend"

My 2 cents is if we're borderline playoff team by the TDL or wild card, I would probably sell some pieces like Bertuzzi and Brodie etc...if you can get a 1st or some 2nds etc, stock up.

Maybe you can pull a Vancouver and parlay the newly acquired assets at the TDL or in the off-season for a piece that will fit in long term like Vancouver did with getting Hronek.

I know some people would be upset of not continually going for it but you also need to be real with yourself.

Nothing would make me happier than if we sold at the deadline to recoup some picks. The Leafs are an excellent drafting team but haven't had any bullets because of how often they buy at the deadline. This was never going to be the year anyway with our cap situation. As far as I'm concerned all the moves the front office makes should be with 2025-26 in mind because that is when they will have real money to play with.

 

[LeafalCrusader]

Friedman on the Leafs (32TP): "Should this team really be buying? Is this the year to buy? ... They have to be asking themselves, with the limited amount of stuff that we have to trade, is this really the year to buy? And I would be asking myself that question again this weekend"

My 2 cents is if we're borderline playoff team by the TDL or wild card, I would probably sell some pieces like Bertuzzi and Brodie etc...if you can get a 1st or some 2nds etc, stock up.

Maybe you can pull a Vancouver and parlay the newly acquired assets at the TDL or in the off-season for a piece that will fit in long term like Vancouver did with getting Hronek.

I know some people would be upset of not continually going for it but you also need to be real with yourself.

Be worth it to pick up some assets and honestly I don't even know how much of a drop off we'd see. Still be a bubble team living and dying by the core four.

 

[Joseph Nathan]

The next 8 games could be our season.
If we go 3 and 5 changes will be made
If that happens Keefe will be replaced hopefully by the fired St Louis coach.

TDL
Middleton for 3rd + Robertson

Minnesota says no. They have no need for Robertson and Middleton is worth more than. 3rd

 

[Americanadian]

We are currently two points out of missing the playoffs entirely, with things not going particularly recently. Our last ten games record, is poorer than four of the five teams below us, Red Wings, Lightning, Devils and Penguins.

If this is where we are at the TDL, I'm certainly not a buyer. If they can't find a way to play better, or are out of it, I'd have no issue being a seller. Brodie, Bertuzzi, Marner, Giordano, Kampf would all be available. Yes, moving Marner could be tough.

Do you think Treliving is capable of making a logical decision though? I could see him not spending assets but I don't see him admitting defeat and selling off assets.

 

[andora]

The next 8 games could be our season.
If we go 3 and 5 changes will be made
If that happens Keefe will be replaced hopefully by the fired St Louis coach.

TDL
Middleton for 3rd + Robertson

Minnesota says no. They have no need for Robertson and Middleton is worth more than. 3rd

Middletone gets a 1st rounder at minimum

But minnesota doesnt move him unless stupid offer

 

[Jacquestrapless]

 

[BertCorbeau]

That’s the best news I’ve heard all day.

 

[Kiwi]

That’s the best news I’ve heard all day.

We fired a ton of bullets last year, we're pretty limited in what we can do without emptying the pool in a big way

 

[Stephen]

That’s the best news I’ve heard all day.

The runway of the Big 4 group has been extended with Matthews and Nylander re-signing. So really the pressure point of Dubas’ contract running out and the possible free agent Armageddon of Matthews, Nylander leaving this summer has been turned all the way down. Don’t need to chase if it feels like wasting good assets while the team isn’t on a good footing.

 

[Evilhomer]

The runway of the Big 4 group has been extended with Matthews and Nylander re-signing. So really the pressure point of Dubas’ contract running out and the possible free agent Armageddon of Matthews, Nylander leaving this summer has been turned all the way down. Don’t need to chase if it feels like wasting good assets while the team isn’t on a good footing.

Their Cup window will be open for at least the next 4 or 5 years. Like it or not, they are going to resign Marner, so the only point of curiosity will be the cost of Tavares' extension.

 

[Stephen]

Their Cup window will be open for at least the next 4 or 5 years. Like it or not, they are going to resign Marner, so the only point of curiosity will be the cost of Tavares' extension.

I don't mind if the focus is on restocking the cupboards, clearing out some contracts where possible and setting the table for a strong offseason. Or just standing pat. Ultimately, I don't mind if Minten, Cowan and picks are traded to bring in prime age core pieces, but it's all about timing, fit, opportunity and really making those correct investments rather than spending premium assets on Foligno and friends year and year.