Trades & Free Agency Thread: 2024-2025 - Deadline-ageddon

[dubplatepressure]

Love Tanev and Gourde, we'd love them here, but for that price - hilarious. In a buyers market too? Right.

If the top end of our bar is Risto + Laughton, for the prices being rumoured, I'd be extremely disappointed.

There's conflicting messaging occurring in the media - on the one hand, outrageous prices for depth players (at least as it relates to Toronto), and on the other, a buyer's market with many available players. If that's the case, prices will drop closer to the deadline.

 

[thusk]

Lol, i wouldnt pay a 5th for Gourde (the 5 foot NINE and injured, and 33 years old, pending UFA that i wouldnt sign as a UFA), and a 3rd for Tanev, so, yea, i'm sure you could get both for that insane price

The 5'9 player playing with more grit and determination than any actual leafs player.

 

[Phion Keneuf]

Minten + Timmins + 2026 3rd For Laughton + Ristolainen (50% retained)
Robertson for Tanev (50% retained)
Dewar + Holmberg for Kunin (50% retained)
Jarnkrok + 2025 2nd + B prospect for Crouse (50% retained)


Knies-Matthews-Marner
McMann-Tavares-Nylander
Crouse-Laughton-Domi
Tanev-Kampf-Kunin
/Lorentz

McCabe-Tanev
Rielly-OEL
Benoit-Ristolainen
/Myers

Stolarz
Woll

 

[mydnyte]

View attachment 987050

As far as depth defenseman go, Jokijarju should be cheap to acquire.

sure, but, is he 'better' than Myers or Timmins ...i'd like to see us get 2 RHD d-men to push Benoit and Timmins/Myers out also and run a proper LD/RD, but, at least 1 RHD then we can put one of Timmins/Myers next to OEL on the 3rd pairing. needs to be a minute muncher. Carrier would have been a great pickup, but the Habs grabbed him early (and relatively cheap).

 

[mydnyte]

The 5'9 player playing with more grit and determination than any actual leafs player.

is still a 5'9" player that isnt going to be more than a pest in our division, this isnt the Gourde from the TB cup winning teams, this is a 5'9" player with lots of miles on that tiny body. he's Robertson's size as a C. I'd much rather go the other direction and try to get Bjugstad, who should not really cost much to acquire either.

​

 

[JEI]

Leafs probably need depth, but they need upgrades on that depth. Benoit and Timmins are nice to have for depth, but they need to be upgraded on.

I think they need two forwards and two defense. Ideally a top-six, top-four, third line, third pairing. Everything should be on the table (talking picks, prospects of any value..) in some combination for the rumored names (according to recent CJ Trade Board 8.0): Rantanen, Byram, Tuch, Marchand, Cozens, Carlo, O'Rielly, Rakell.

Assuming heavy retention, lesser high-value deals targeting the likes of Oleksiak and Murphy would help the top-four. Wouldn't hate Dumoulin/Ferraro/Savard/Soucy as a depth piece (6/7d) (e.g. late pick or depth prospect trade). It's sort of the nature in these deadline games that they add a veteran depth defenseman.

Most of the forward names would require heavy retention on some of their deals. I wouldn't break the bank on any of them, but would be aggressive. On forward, Schenn would require heavy retention (multiple teams) to make it work/consider it. Gourde/Bjugstad/Donato would be solid 3C's assuming health on Gourde. Armia/Beauvillier/Tanev wouldn't be terrible depth forwards with some pop. If they want to try and land a player that can jump into a 2nd line role if needed, Bjorkstran/Palmieri/Smith/Middelstadt would be targets.

I think ultimately Tre will try to utilize a 1st round pick in a deal to acquire multiple players (forward and defense). Like, Donato/Murphy or a Gourde/Oleksiak type move. Probably use a 5th rounder to acquire a depth defender also (e.g. Dumoulin, Savard) and that'll be it if I'm reading the tea leaves correctly. I'd love to see more creativity, but I think Tre doesn't seem to want to do that in-season.

 

[Dion TheFluff]

been relatively quite outside of the really big trades like a month or month and a half ago compared to the last few years. Usually the trades really start to roll in 2 or so weeks before the deadline. Could be a fleury on the actual day.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Love Tanev and Gourde, we'd love them here, but for that price - hilarious. In a buyers market too? Right.

If the top end of our bar is Risto + Laughton, for the prices being rumoured, I'd be extremely disappointed.

There's conflicting messaging occurring in the media - on the one hand, outrageous prices for depth players (at least as it relates to Toronto), and on the other, a buyer's market with many available players. If that's the case, prices will drop closer to the deadline.

I somewhat agree. There's always a retention involved though. Toronto has to make the salaries work on their slim space. Yes I understand that a Leaf or two will have to move. We are talking about a long shopping list: 1. CENTER 2. WINGER 3. DEPTH D. Chicago's Salary Rention Shop is closed unfortunately.

 

[WTFMAN99]

sure, but, is he 'better' than Myers or Timmins ...i'd like to see us get 2 RHD d-men to push Benoit and Timmins/Myers out also and run a proper LD/RD, but, at least 1 RHD then we can put one of Timmins/Myers next to OEL on the 3rd pairing. needs to be a minute muncher. Carrier would have been a great pickup, but the Habs grabbed him early (and relatively cheap).

Joker is better than them for sure.

Remember the one indisputable truth; anything that leaves Buffalo improves.

 

[dubplatepressure]

I somewhat agree. There's always a retention involved though. Toronto has to make the salaries work on their slim space. Yes I understand that a Leaf or two will have to move. We are talking about a long shopping list: 1. CENTER 2. WINGER 3. DEPTH D. Chicago's Salary Rention Shop is closed unfortunately.

At the same time, we really don't need these pieces. I agree with another poster in that an upgrade over Timmons / Benoit would be handy, and a depth forward, but neither of these will break the bank to acquire.

 

[leafsfan5]

I agree, but where did Domi go?

hopefully on a trip somewhere far, far away

Love Tanev and Gourde, we'd love them here, but for that price - hilarious. In a buyers market too? Right.

If the top end of our bar is Risto + Laughton, for the prices being rumoured, I'd be extremely disappointed.

There's conflicting messaging occurring in the media - on the one hand, outrageous prices for depth players (at least as it relates to Toronto), and on the other, a buyer's market with many available players. If that's the case, prices will drop closer to the deadline.

I don't think this is a buyers market at all, we're 2 days from the deadline and there are barely any defined sellers

 

[Roo]

Tanev and Gourde would be good adds, but that asking price is ridiculous given there is no term with either. If there was some term and Seattle was retaining, then it would be a more reasonable asking price.

 

[SprDaVE]

Tanev and Gourde would be good adds, but that asking price is ridiculous given there is no term with either. If there was some term and Seattle was retaining, then it would be a more reasonable asking price.

They'd be players you'd look at extending for obvious reasons. Neither would command large extensions, at least they shouldn't.

 

[WTFMAN99]

They'd be players you'd look at extending for obvious reasons. Neither would command large extensions, at least they shouldn't.

Wonder if you can sell Seattle on Dewar and Jarnkrok going back in the deal, Jarnkrok is cheap AF the rest of this year because we paid the signing bonus, they are familiar with the player.

Dewar is also RFA so a couple of bottom 6 guys to replace some bottom 6 guys and some picks to even it out?

 

[Brobust]

Minten + Timmins + 2026 3rd For Laughton + Ristolainen (50% retained)
Robertson for Tanev (50% retained)
Dewar + Holmberg for Kunin (50% retained)
Jarnkrok + 2025 2nd + B prospect for Crouse (50% retained)


Knies-Matthews-Marner
McMann-Tavares-Nylander
Crouse-Laughton-Domi
Tanev-Kampf-Kunin
/Lorentz

McCabe-Tanev
Rielly-OEL
Benoit-Ristolainen
/Myers

Stolarz
Woll

Minten + Timmins + 2026 3rd For Laughton + Ristolainen (50% retained)
Robertson for Tanev (50% retained)
Dewar + Holmberg for Kunin (50% retained)
Jarnkrok + 2025 2nd + B prospect for Crouse (50% retained)


Knies-Matthews-Marner
McMann-Tavares-Nylander
Crouse-Laughton-Domi
Tanev-Kampf-Kunin
/Lorentz

McCabe-Tanev
Rielly-OEL
Benoit-Ristolainen
/Myers

Stolarz
Woll

That 3rd line does nothing for me. In fact, I think I hate it more than our current third line.

 

[Phion Keneuf]

That 3rd line does nothing for me. In fact, I think I hate it more than our current third line.

Swap McMann and Crouse. He can do the dirty work on that line.

3rd line is all Toronto boys who hopefully step up in the POs

EDIT: I think Crouse is a perfect “buy low” candidate. 27 YO hometown PWF who can be rejuvenated here.

 

[SprDaVE]

Wonder if you can sell Seattle on Dewar and Jarnkrok going back in the deal, Jarnkrok is cheap AF the rest of this year because we paid the signing bonus, they are familiar with the player.

Dewar is also RFA so a couple of bottom 6 guys to replace some bottom 6 guys and some picks to even it out?

Maybe? I don't know. Dewar could be ok going into next season for them. I doubt Jarnkrok does much of anything for them, they already have a ton of mid-line average wingers. I assume they'll want as many picks as possible, but I don't think they'd be against taking on salary and plugin players for the season.

 

[arso40]

I somewhat agree. There's always a retention involved though. Toronto has to make the salaries work on their slim space. Yes I understand that a Leaf or two will have to move. We are talking about a long shopping list: 1. CENTER 2. WINGER 3. DEPTH D. Chicago's Salary Rention Shop is closed unfortunately.

Number 1 should be d

 

[stats1]

I'm just assuming our deadline deal is Risto + Laughton at this point. Maybe an additional move to move out some cap but yeah.

Yeah I’m not even expecting that. I’m thinking Luke Kunin for our 2nd rounder. That’s it

 

[arso40]

Swap McMann and Crouse. He can do the dirty work on that line.

3rd line is all Toronto boys who hopefully step up in the POs

EDIT: I think Crouse is a perfect “buy low” candidate. 27 YO hometown PWF who can be rejuvenated here.

Not a need baccend 1 middle 2

 

[thusk]

is still a 5'9" player that isnt going to be more than a pest in our division, this isnt the Gourde from the TB cup winning teams, this is a 5'9" player with lots of miles on that tiny body. he's Robertson's size as a C. I'd much rather go the other direction and try to get Bjugstad, who should not really cost much to acquire either.

​

Gourde a 5'9 playing bigger than a 6'5 Bjudstad

 

[LeafChief]

I would have laughed out loud at the thought of it a year or two ago but I find myself being very interested in adding Ristolainen if there is retention.

Ristolainen + Laughton seems like it makes a lot of sense.

 

[Seath The Scaleless]

 

[Community]

We have a pretty gaping hole at 3C and could use an upgrade on the bottom pairing.

I think winger help should be ok the back burner unless a good deal comes across considering our top 6 wingers should be locked (Marner, Nylander, Knies, and McMann replacing Holmberg) and we have a ton of options for the bottom 6 (Robertson, Pacioretty, Jarnkrok, Lorentz, Holmberg, Domi, Dewar, Marlies)... the first 4 should make up a decent bottom 6 winger group.

3rd line C options are Domi/Kampf/Jarnkrok/Dewar... All terrible options right now.

Also the 3rd pairing has struggled quite a bit this year with no capable #5 dman (Benoitt/Myers/Timmins all seem like average #6s to me).

 

[WTFMAN99]

I would have laughed out loud at the thought of it a year or two ago but I find myself being very interested in adding Ristolainen if there is retention.

Ristolainen + Laughton seems like it makes a lot of sense.

I really want Kovacevic but we're competing against a lot of people in UFA and we kind of need help now...Risto is preferable to a lot of options out there.