GDT: Trades & Free Agency -- Off-season edition

[Kiwi]

We don't have a starter. Woll's been great, but he hasn't ever been able to stay healthy or carry the load

You can get an experienced tandem goaltender who can take a starters workload in UFA for 2M or less

Talbot had an above average sv% and played over 50 games last season foe example

I think that's a good option, we don't have the resources to get into bidding wars

 

[Malachi Crunch]

Or alternatively, we should remember that he was hot to finish the year and still only managed 21 goals and 43 points playing with superstars in a top-six role while constantly messing up prime chances, being horrible defensively, undisciplined, and bringing pretty much nothing else to the table. Bertuzzi has paced for 30 goals once in his career, and paces 22.8 goals per 82 GP over his career. He'll be 30 next year, is injury prone, and has had his quality of play and shot noticeably decline since those injuries. He doesn't have any chemistry with Matthews. Domi maybe has a bit, but Bertuzzi was just there, mostly screwing things up.

If our solution this offseason is taking a bad, unnecessary winger signing from last offseason that failed and re-signing him to more term, this team is screwed.

A little extreme, lol.

I agree about the injuries and some of the reckless penalties, but I think you're downplaying his offensive potential and chemistry with Matthews.

Offense-wise, he wasn't exactly playing with superstars for most of his time in Detroit. How many goals can you get with a very young Larkin, Athanasiou, Nyquist, etc? When he got to Boston, you really saw him take off. Likewise, although it took some time, with Matthews, he really started scoring, and I expect that to continue next year. I think the chemistry is real. Matthews's insane goal scoring was, at least partially, influenced by his teammates. We've put a bunch of guys with Matthews over the years and, with the exception of the "stars" like Marner and Nylander, Bertuzzi and Domi are the best role players I've seen mesh with Matthews since this era began. Sounds like there's chemistry off the ice as well, which is important.

That said, I also have a limit to how much I'd pay Bertuzzi. I don't think in the early 5's is outrageous though, given how significantly the cap is going to rise in the next few years.

 

[Tony Romo]

We've also been linked to David Perron as well this offseason. 47 points playing 15:37 a game. Just looking at box score, seems to be pretty decent and shouldn't cost as much. Unless It's Jake, I'm really struggling with idea of paying a winger 5m+ on a long term salary.

The lack of contract talks on Domi, could be a good thing or means the reported ask of 5-6m is legit. Which is no bueno. If Domi comes back, I've always been pretty keen on the first line being:

Knies - Matthews - Domi.

Depending on what we trade Marner for, I would really enjoy having Tavares playing C in between Cowan/McMann as our third line. Maybe giving him less minutes may make Tavares more useful as the season goes on.

Cowan - Tavares - McMann

 

[Kiwi]

I wonder why we're being linked to every winger on the market when we lack a good middle 6C

That looks like an obvious hole to me unless there thinking Holmberg or Minten?

 

[Torontonian]

It's the Treliving way, building from the net and blue line out. It's no surprise that's his priority this off season. While we have loaded up on forwards in recent years, it's been clear to everyone for years that the goaltending and d-core simply hasn't been good enough.

Yes the d-core played fine against Boston this year, but you need to have just more then size on the back end, they need to be able to contribute breaking out of the zone and getting the pucks to the forwards, being a threat in the o-zone and being good in there own end defensively.

 

[The Masters]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1803767997858795596

 

[Torontonian]

I wonder why we're being linked to every winger on the market when we lack a good middle 6C

That looks like an obvious hole to me unless there thinking Holmberg or Minten?

I think Toronto is banking on Cowen and Minten being NHL ready to fill two holes in the lineup upfront for under 2m. That way they can spend on other spots.

 

[Evilhomer]

Don't sign either, both of them are going to be overpaid

**** UFA, all I see is landmines right now

This is the right answer. It's almost a guarantee that any contract given out on July 1 will be a bad one.

 

[BertCorbeau]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1803767997858795596

Hey that’s what I said

 

[Smif]

I think Toronto is banking on Cowen and Minten being NHL ready to fill two holes in the lineup upfront for under 2m. That way they can spend on other spots.

Ya, gimme Cowan and Minten in place of Kampf and Jarnkrok for half the cost, pls.

 

[Punch Drunk Loov]

We've been in on everybody every year since the beginning of time, at least according to the media.
Not sure where you got this weird idea about not checking in on options/not shopping around/slamming doors shut on players in the past.

We have quite literally made zero impactful changes for 8 straight years. You have witnessed not checking out options for nearly a decade.

When our GM mentioned trading someone he was fired immediately

 

[Amadeus]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1803516266147356974

Chychrun for?

Staois is trigger happy right now. If we are, in fact, trading Lily, Kampf or someone else, I hope Tre is talking with them. They have many interesting pieces.

He's looking to change the culture of that team which he should.

They should be a lot better next year if they can sort their goaltending.

 

[Kiwi]

He's looking to change the culture of that team which he should.

They should be a lot better next year if they can sort their goaltending.

Weren't Ottawa supposed to be looking for experienced 2-way forwards to help them out up front?

Jarnkrok wouldn't be a bad fit

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Tampering?

Is this not a thing?

It's not a thing. July 1st is filled with contracts that have dry ink on them.

 

[Dekes For Days]

I agree about the injuries and some of the reckless penalties, but I think you're downplaying his offensive potential and chemistry with Matthews.

Offense-wise, he wasn't exactly playing with superstars for most of his time in Detroit. How many goals can you get with a very young Larkin, Athanasiou, Nyquist, etc? When he got to Boston, you really saw him take off. Likewise, although it took some time, with Matthews, he really started scoring, and I expect that to continue next year. I think the chemistry is real. Matthews's insane goal scoring was, at least partially, influenced by his teammates. We've put a bunch of guys with Matthews over the years and, with the exception of the "stars" like Marner and Nylander, Bertuzzi and Domi are the best role players I've seen mesh with Matthews since this era began.

He was playing with Larkin and Raymond in Detroit. Those aren't bums. And frankly, what he did prior to his injuries isn't all that relevant anyway, because he's a different player now. Fact is, he was playing with superstars here, and failed. I'm not sure where you got the idea that he was good in Boston. He continued struggling to score, and then got some fluke points in the playoffs - mostly on the PP that he's never been good at - which deflected attention away from how poorly he was actually playing.

I'm also not sure where you got the idea that he has chemistry with Matthews. He's been the most disjointed of any regular linemate, by far. They barely interact on the ice, and Bertuzzi's approach to offense doesn't really benefit Matthews' way of scoring. It just puts more defensive responsibility on him. I see no reason to think that Bertuzzi's unsustainable hot streak for a month or two is more likely to continue than what he's shown to be over the past two years. Marner, Nylander, Bunting, Hyman, and Knies have all been better and had more chemistry. Matthews has insane goal-scoring because he is an insane goal-scorer. If any lesser linemate helped him at all, it was Domi, not Bertuzzi.

We have quite literally made zero impactful changes for 8 straight years.

Not only is that hilariously untrue, but your comment was about us being linked to things and us looking at options. Those are both things that have been happening forever. In fact, so far we've made zero impactful changes this year, despite finally being past the flat cap, the cap rising massively, and having so many more roster spots to fill and areas to fix.

 

[TheDoldrums]

It's the Treliving way, building from the net and blue line out. It's no surprise that's his priority this off season. While we have loaded up on forwards in recent years, it's been clear to everyone for years that the goaltending and d-core simply hasn't been good enough.

what evidence is there that we are prioritizing goaltending right now? The strongest link so far has been to Brossoit. If I were betting I think we sign him or Talbot. Which I'm not totally against, but I hardly think it's making the position any more of a focus than in the past.

 

[mapleleafs34]

I think Toronto is banking on Cowen and Minten being NHL ready to fill two holes in the lineup upfront for under 2m. That way they can spend on other spots.

100%. Let the kids play. If they're not good enough, trade for depth guys in season.

 

[Dekes For Days]

what evidence is there that we are prioritizing goaltending right now? The strongest link so far has been to Brossoit. If I were betting I think we sign him or Talbot. Which I'm not totally against, but I hardly think it's making the position any more of a focus than in the past.

The "Treliving way" is building from the net and blueline out, which is why last year, when that matched our biggest needs, he invested into forwards, and we were worse defensively and in goal. There are sure some weird perceptions of GMs and their "ways".

 

[Mess]

The Blue Jackets are open for business regarding their fourth overall pick in next week’s draft, GM and president of hockey operations Don Waddell said today (via Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch). They wouldn’t be looking at shopping the pick for an immediate roster upgrade, though.

Moving back in the draft is the only option if they’re parting with the pick, Waddell implied. He said “the price is high” to get them to do it, citing multiple other teams in the top 10 are also listening to offers to swap their picks.

Leafs have a former 4th overall pick available as trade bait and the 23rd overall in this draft.

 

[TheDoldrums]

I don't see literally any case for Bertuzzi over DeBrusk. DeBrusk is younger, better skater, more physical, better defensively, similarly productive. If DeBrusk is interested that's a no-brainer, he'd be a great add. I'd also easily prioritize him over Domi, though at least Domi has the x-factor as a fill-in centre.

 

[Mess]

I think Toronto is banking on Cowen and Minten being NHL ready to fill two holes in the lineup upfront for under 2m. That way they can spend on other spots.

That is what I've been saying "Play the Kids"

Knies --- Minten --- Cowan

Rather then dumpster diving for useless vets on cheap contracts to fill depth positions.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1803806675062657054

Montour has been usurped by OEL on the Panthers top PP on the biggest stage. Something to consider for anyone who wants to shell out the $7+ million he’ll command as a UFA to replace Rielly on the powerplay.

 

[LeafParade]

I don't think there is a point of signing players who will literally block the kids from playing in 2025.
Cowen/Grebs/Minten ... at least 2 of these players are on 2025 roster. Maybe all 3.

Spend the money on the D, which is a fix they need long term.

 

[LeafParade]

You can get an experienced tandem goaltender who can take a starters workload in UFA for 2M or less

Talbot had an above average sv% and played over 50 games last season foe example

I think that's a good option, we don't have the resources to get into bidding wars

Talbot allows you to evaluate Woll next year properly and then decide what to do.
It also buys you another year to see what Hildeby is with the Marlies.

He is local so it so signing him shouldn't be impossible.

 

[weems]

Some NHL edge stats DeBrusk vs Bertuzzi