Trades and UFA’s - Trade Deadline Edition

[Stephen]

While I’m not firmly against a Brodie return next year for cheap, our backend needs to get younger, faster and meaner.

Rielly is the only player I would definitively not look at upgrading on. I think Benoit and McCabe can play depth roles here well as well.

Still like Lijegren but if he needs to be a cap & asset casualty of getting upgrades on the backend, so be it.

I tend to agree with your plan of action. I think we need 2x top 4 guys and using the free agents available this similes it would look like this on the depth chart:

Rielly
Pesce
Hanifin
Liljegren
McCabe
Benoit

 

[Dreakmur]

What happened to the concept of sample size again? Five years vs 45 games of Treliving, where he inherited all of Rielly, Brodie, Liljegren, McCabe, Giordano from Dubas and brought in Benoit (success), Lagesson (serviceable depth) and Klingberg (abject failure).

Seems like 5/6 bodies the Leafs play on D are hold overs from the golden age. And yet somehow it’s the new GM who has spoiled the winning recipe after letting Holl and Schenn go.

I think the fact that both Holl and Schenn were staples here and can now barely get into the Detroit and Nashville lineups tells a pretty convincing tale of our former blueline’s strength.

 

[Dreakmur]

For me, On a good d McCabe Lily and Benoit are all third pair.
2 are LD and the one RD is not the ideal type for third pair.

I think Liljegren could be a decent #4 beside a good #3. McCabe could be a passable support #4 to a really good #3.

The can’t both be in the top-4, though, that’s for sure.

 

[Stephen]

I think Liljegren could be a decent #4 beside a good #3. McCabe could be a passable support #4 to a really good #3.

The can’t both be in the top-4, though, that’s for sure.

Yeah I think both Lily and McCabe could be the junior partner on a good second pairing, but you have a strong 3 or even a top pairing guy who anchors the pair with the opposite hand. They’re both 4-5’s.

McCabe-Pesce

Or

Hanifin-Liljegren

 

[arso40]

NO
[/QUOTE
You wouldn’t trade one of Cowan/Minten , timmins and abruzeeze ? I don’t see why

We don't even know the goaltending situation yet.
Need more than one dman
If mathews isn't scoring we aren't winning
Our bottom six is weak
We aren't set up for a deep run

Brodie post game comment I think he said there's more to like than hockey wow

If JT doesn't wake up we are screwd

We need these ELC contracts to build our D

Did Brodie really say that though?

 

[horner]

Did Brodie really say that though?

He was just talking about his confidence in his game and the reporter asked him what do upu do in those times and he said there is more to life than hockey , which is true it probably wasn't as bad as it sounded

 

[Gabriel426]

I know hindsight is 50/50 but if the Leafs signed Schenn(think he would sign 2mil with the Leafs if Leafs offered a year or two more) and Soucy(3.25mil/3 yrs) kept Lafferty(1.15mil) instead of signing Kampf and Klingberg-6.35mil. While getting saving some where else in the lineup.
The team would have been much much better.

Really think letting Lafferty and Schenn go were huge mistake.

 

[Leaffan1991]

He was just talking about his confidence in his game and the reporter asked him what do upu do in those times and he said there is more to life than hockey , which is true it probably wasn't as bad as it sounded

It really sounded off putting to be honest. Seemed like he didn't really care

 

[arso40]

It really sounded off putting to be honest. Seemed like he didn't really care

Trade him

 

[Ianturnedbull]

NHL Rumour Roundup: As Canucks look to buy, will Maple Leafs ‘reset’? - Sportsnet.ca

WHAT’S TORONTO’S MINDSET: BUY OR RESET THE ROSTER?

With a 4-3 win in Calgary Thursday night, the Toronto Maple Leafs moved back into third spot in the Atlantic and cooled the temperature around them for at least another day.

But, still, the conversation around this team centres around how good they really are compared to expectations. Should these Leafs be buyers once again at this deadline or are their roster holes and inconsistencies exposing them as a team that should instead take the season to reshape things?

“I think Toronto’s thinking bigger picture. I don’t think this is about this year anymore. I think they’re thinking about where they’re going. I really wonder if deep down the organization is saying ‘we’re not good enough to win this year, we are resetting and reshaping our roster,'” Friedman said. “The more I think about the Nylander negotiation, getting him signed, it was about ‘what does our structure look like so we can start to rebuild that roster.'”

The pending Mitch Marner and John Tavares extensions, which can be signed as soon as July 1, loom large. Marner figures to get a raise on his $10.9 million AAV, but how much? Tavares would be 35 whenever his next contract kicks in, so would he consider a discount from his $11 million rate and, again, by how much?

But it’s not just that. The Leafs have to consider their entire defence corps, where Morgan Rielly is the only blueliner signed past next season. And then there is the goaltending. Joseph Woll is still hopefully the No. 1 and proves it when he returns from a high ankle sprain, but if that happens he too will be due a healthy raise on his $766,667 rate when his contract expires after next season.

“I think before they committed to signing Nylander they went everywhere in the league and said ‘is there a defenceman making Nylander’s money or close to it that we can replace him with’ and those players are not available,” said Friedman.

So what does that mean? Will Toronto try to address its defence in-season? Could they explore moving out any pending UFAs, from TJ Brodie, to Max Domi or Tyler Bertuzzi?

After years of buying, it’s suddenly not clear how this year’s Maple Leafs will approach the trade deadline.

There are little to no answers here. Only questions. Qualifying almost anyone (even my pet goldfish) as an NHL Insider.

 

[WTFMAN99]

It really sounded off putting to be honest. Seemed like he didn't really care

His dad died in the summer and his wife is battling MS, I'm not surprised he's not 100% mentally all there with hockey.

 

[TMLAM34]

For me, On a good d McCabe Lily and Benoit are all third pair.
2 are LD and the one RD is not the ideal type for third pair.

I see McCabe and Liljegren as #4 defencemen. Having both together gives you a pretty weak 2nd pair but having one of them paired with a stronger defenceman would definitely be fine. Benoit is a #6.

 

[TMLAM34]

His dad died in the summer and his wife is battling MS, I'm not surprised he's not 100% mentally all there with hockey.

Yeah I’m sure his mind is not on hockey right now. And given the circumstances, I don’t blame him. Unfortunately the NHL is a business and you need to produce which he is not. I’d be ready to move on from him for the right deal, it would probably have to be a team in Canada given what he is going through off ice and our health care system even though it’s really shitty.

 

[Nineteen67]

I think Liljegren could be a decent #4 beside a good #3. McCabe could be a passable support #4 to a really good #3.

The can’t both be in the top-4, though, that’s for sure.

Yes Liljegren will never have the foot speed and isn’t physical enough, but he’s young and home grown so I’d lean on keeping him.

 

[Nineteen67]

His dad died in the summer and his wife is battling MS, I'm not surprised he's not 100% mentally all there with hockey.

I didn’t know his wife has MS.

 

[4thline]

I'd look at re-signing Brodie. But the idea is to reduce his minutes and play him in a lesser role. I think less big minutes and fresh off-season will help. He's had a tough year with his dad's passing and I think that's partially affected him. But at the end of the day he is aging as well, but him in a depth role wouldn't be bad.

In a vacuum I agree. He's currently playing 22min a night in a matchup role. He's clearly not up to that- but in a second or third pairing role he probably brings a lot. And calling back to the offseason comments by Tre- he's the poster for someone that "defends" rather than "checks".

But the problem is fit- if we pencil in McCabe and Benoit as 2 and 3 LD- roles they can do with the right partner- is Brodie a good partner for either? I worry about this version of Brodie's ability to be the primary puck mover on a pair- even in a lesser role.

I see McCabe and Liljegren as #4 defencemen. Having both together gives you a pretty weak 2nd pair but having one of them paired with a stronger defenceman would definitely be fine. Benoit is a #6.

My caveat to that is that at 24 there's a good chance Liljegren is not a finished product.

 

[Nineteen67]

There are little to no answers here. Only questions. Qualifying almost anyone (even my pet goldfish) as an NHL Insider.

It’s an opinion piece, not reporting.

 

[Dekes For Days]

What happened to the concept of sample size again?

Nothing happened. In what context are you attempting to apply sample size concerns? About what? We have a massive multi-year sample that shows you to be wrong about our defense in past years.

Five years vs 45 games of Treliving

What does the length of their respective tenures have to do with anything? It would be more accurate to say that our previous GM was already adding a top pairing defenseman 40 games in. Shed defensive cap anchors, consistently and effectively replaced departing pieces, and added new pieces on defense and forward to turn us from a bad defensive team to a top defensive team within 2 years. He never oversaw a defensive drop off like this, despite more difficult circumstances.

45 games into Treliving's tenure, and he hasn't done anything except make our defensive play significantly worse. He failed to replace our big defenseman loss from last year, and while it admittedly isn't always easy to bring in an equal quality player in this time frame, it's not hard to mitigate those impacts like our previous GM did. Instead, he didn't replace that defensive hole at all with even something lesser, he got rid of players that were brought in to support defensively last year after we lost Muzzin, got rid of players that were already supporting defensively prior to losing Muzzin, and replaced them all with rookies and a collection of the worst defensive players in the league. While doing nothing about potential age-related decline that you claim was obvious.

This wasn't some big surprise. This was widely predicted and expected based on his moves. This was an active choice to sacrifice our defensive results in the pursuit of extra offense that we haven't gotten and didn't need, and our defensive drop off should be concerning for every Leaf fan.

Seems like 5/6 bodies the Leafs play on D are hold overs from the golden age. And yet somehow it’s the new GM who has spoiled the winning recipe after letting Holl and Schenn go.

Again, we didn't just let Holl and Schenn go. We lost Muzzin to injury in-season, and then we lost Holl, Schenn, Sandin, Gustafsson, Benn, O'Rielly, Kerfoot, Engvall, Acciari, Lafferty, and ZAR. And again, defensive play is not just about the defensemen, and you're ignoring both Treliving's choice to go with this setup, and the impacts of increasing the role and responsibilities of remaining players by leaving a big hole in the defense and taking away all surrounding support.

 

[TheShape]

Vancouver will be lucky if he commits 8 years.

I could see him hitting them with a big money short term deal, especially after how his other rfa negotiations have gone

It's an interesting one, Vancouver were a tire fire with no direction when Petterson made those comments. They've turned it around since, if he's made the highest paid player + 8 years I think he will stay. He could take the Matthews deal, but not every player out there is comfortable betting on themselves.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Yeah I’m sure his mind is not on hockey right now. And given the circumstances, I don’t blame him. Unfortunately the NHL is a business and you need to produce which he is not. I’d be ready to move on from him for the right deal, it would probably have to be a team in Canada given what he is going through off ice and our health care system even though it’s really shitty.

I think we're probably riding out his deal, his deal is backloaded so he's making 7.5M real cash this year, not a lot of appetite for that most likely via trade.

I didn’t know his wife has MS.

Yes unfortunately, it got worse around the playoffs I believe.

 

[-DeMo-]

I tend to agree with your plan of action. I think we need 2x top 4 guys and using the free agents available this similes it would look like this on the depth chart:

Rielly
Pesce
Hanifin
Liljegren
McCabe
Benoit

this is how I'm spending my money in the summer, I'm hoping to be able to trade for one guy and then sign one. but we need 1 quality stay at home guy whose physical and one guy whose a more two way guy who can skate and produce offensively, not like Rielly level offense but like a 40-50 guy.

pretty similar to the two you mention in Hanifin and Pesce. imo we have around 13-14 million if need to be to spend on two Dmen.

 

[ULF_55]

I tend to agree with your plan of action. I think we need 2x top 4 guys and using the free agents available this similes it would look like this on the depth chart:

Rielly
Pesce
Hanifin
Liljegren
McCabe
Benoit

So what is projected Cap Hit there?

I don't see either coming in under 7.5mm.

 

[rumman]

Did Brodie really say that though?

Brodie can’t handle bottom pairing duties anymore, can’t wait till he’s gone, or are they going to overpay him to stay, I got to believe even Tre isn’t that stupid……..

Trade him

Not worth the plane fair, guy’s pathetic………

 

[ULF_55]

My caveat to that is that at 24 there's a good chance Liljegren is not a finished product.

Benoit and Liljegren have both played the same number of games around 165ish each.
IIRC Benoit is about 6-7 months older.

Neither are finished products, but both appear to be legitimate NHL defensemen.

They should both have remaining upside, but I think you'd be best to pair them with experienced defenders.

Liljegren has played several game at the 20 minute mark, and Benoit played 19 and 20 the past 2 games.

In a couple years, they could be the 2nd. pairing as they should both have over 200 games played.

Both are RFA this year, it would be great to have a 2nd. pairing for combined total of $6mm for a few years.

 

[rumman]

His dad died in the summer and his wife is battling MS, I'm not surprised he's not 100% mentally all there with hockey.

Two reasons he shouldn’t be playing, NHL needs some kind of compassion leave that doesn’t effect the cap…….