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

[sxvnert]

Leafs need to build and entirely new third line. A proper checking line.

Knies Matthews Marner
McMann Tavares Nylander
Crouse Laughton Tanev (50% retention across the board)
Lorentz Kampf Dewer

 

[Fogelhund]

We should be going full tilt this tdl.
We can only bring in guys on there last year for this to work though, unless we can get them for cheap on term...with the exception of one defenseman around 2-2.5M.

Management can still give us the best roster possible this year and still have the ability to rebuild next season.

If this roster can't get it done with all the peaces in place, things need to change.

Cowan has the potential to be a Tavares with more gritt & im sure Minten can match Domi/Kampf's production.

Steeves & Robertson deserve a real chance to show what they have to offer.

As long as we're able to keep our top prospects we can still have a roster of:

Center
Matthews
Cowan
Minten
Lorentz(800k x1year)

Left wing
Steeves(1.35M x2years)
Robertson(1.35M x2years)
Knies(4M x7years)
McMann

Right wing
Rantanen(13.250M)
Marner(13.750M)
Nylander
Tanev(1M x 1year)

Extras
Hirvonen(800k x2years)
Holmberg(1.2M x3years)
Perry(1M x1year)

Left defense
Rielly or Sergachev
McCabe
Ekmam-Larsson

Right defense
Tanev
Benoit
Gudas

Extras
Rifai
Niemela
Mattinen
Kokkonen
Benning

Lines:
1st-Robertson-Matthews-Rantanen
2nd(A)-Steeves-Cowan-Marner
2nd(B)Knies-Minten-Nylander
3rd-4th-McMann-Lorentz-Tanev
Extras-Hirvonen-Holmberg-Perry

1st(A)Rielly or Sergachev-Gudas
1st(B)McCabe-Tanev
1st(C)Ekmam-Larsson-Benoit

PP #1
Nylander-Cowan-Rantanen
Matthews-Marner

PP #2
Knies-Cowan-McMann
Robertson-Steeves

PK #1
Lorentz-Tanev
Gudas-Tanev

PK #2
Minten-Knies
McCabe-Benoit

If we go this route,
Let's compare this season's roster

Cowan vs Tavares
Minten vs Kampf
Tanev vs Reaves
Robertson vs Domi
Steeves vs Pacioretty
Murphy vs Timmins
Gudas vs Myers
Perry vs Jarnkrok
Hirvonen vs Dewar

Regardless of some of these guys not having nhl experience or very little, im confident they can match the numbers that need to be replaced.

I'd be willing to move Rielly in the offseason for someone like Sergachev...he's the twf we always wanted in Morgan, ship him out with some picks and low-end prospects....start getting younger on the back end, that would be a start.

We would obviously still have our defense that are currently signed for the next 4years(Tanev, McCabe) but that would be the only area we need to assess in the future. Let's say one of Niemela/Danford work out, we're left with three solid defenseman
(Sergachev, Benoit, Niemela or Danford) with Tanev and McCabe gone we could sign there replacements in free agency.

That leaves us 4years to draft/develop two defenseman....after the next four years of building our defense & goalies we would start drafting offense to replace Matthews, Marner, Nylander & Rantanen, assuming we have them for the next 8years, and we will probably keep one of these players, lets just say we keep Marner....we would have options by the 6th-8th year to move them for picks/prospects.

Roster after 8-years
Robertson-Draft-Draft
Steeves*-Cowan-Marner*
Knies-Minten-Trade
FreeAgent-Hirvonen*-FreeAgent

Sergachev*-Niemela or Danford
Benoit*-FreeAgent
FreeAgent-Draft
Draft-Trade

Draft/FA/Trade
Woll

Players with a *
Will have to be replaced after 5+ years
But this gives us the next 13years to be a top contender for the cup.

A little early for day drinking isn't it?

Cowan doesn't have Tavares potential, nor is he a NHL C, nor will he be at any point. He certainly isn't NHL ready, and you've got him on your second line? Minten "might" get to 3C, but it's more probable he's a 4C, and probably isn't NHL ready for a couple of years. Benoit is barely a serviceable 3LD this year, but hey... let's put him on his offside on the second pairing, which makes ZERO sense.

Niemela and/or Danford as first pairing D? Niemela likely never plays a NHL game for this organization, let along being first pairing... hell, he isn't even first pairing on the Marlies at this point, and his stock is deteriorating.

Then you've picked up Rantanen, B. Tanev, Gudas, Murphy, Sergachev and Perry without giving up a single good prospect, and not having much in picks.

This has to be a parody troll account, I can't imagine anyone would actually believe what they are posting here.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

 

[BurnTheBoats]

Cowan is not an NHL centre

Haha sure brother

Cowan is most definitely an NHL center, what makes you think different?

And i bet you were one of those people that said Tavares is better than Kadri when we blew this whole rebuild up.
Kadri has a ring nowAnd Tavares walks next season.

I'd love for you to explain yourself, rather than just make a comment without any knowledge behind it

 

[Commander Clueless]

We've been warned about a very quiet deadline from Tre. I'm beginning to believe it.

Whole thing might be relatively quiet, outside of some funky stuff (like the Rantanen shenanigans).

I'm also afraid to ask what the Atlantic tax is on Brandon Carlo.

 

[ACC1224]

Haha sure brother

Cowan is most definitely an NHL center, what makes you think different?

And i bet you were one of those people that said Tavares is better than Kadri when we blew this whole rebuild up.
Kadri has a ring nowAnd Tavares walks next season.

I'd love for you to explain yourself, rather than just make a comment without any knowledge behind it

Cowan as the 2nd line center next year is certainly a pretty whacky take.
He's more likely to start next season playing wing for the Marlies then he will be playing for the Leafs.

 

[BurnTheBoats]

A little early for day drinking isn't it?

Cowan doesn't have Tavares potential, nor is he a NHL C, nor will he be at any point. He certainly isn't NHL ready, and you've got him on your second line? Minten "might" get to 3C, but it's more probable he's a 4C, and probably isn't NHL ready for a couple of years. Benoit is barely a serviceable 3LD this year, but hey... let's put him on his offside on the second pairing, which makes ZERO sense.

Niemela and/or Danford as first pairing D? Niemela likely never plays a NHL game for this organization, let along being first pairing... hell, he isn't even first pairing on the Marlies at this point, and his stock is deteriorating.

Then you've picked up Rantanen, B. Tanev, Gudas, Murphy, Sergachev and Perry without giving up a single good prospect, and not having much in picks.

This has to be a parody troll account, I can't imagine anyone would actually believe what they are posting here.

I dont drink or do drugs, thanks!
Its obvious you cant read properly or comprehend anything as you only see things you're way

You should be an NHL scout haha, you clearly know everything....Niemela is an NHL defenseman and most definitely is not degrading, man you're delusional bro.

What makes you think he wont be NHL ready do you follow Cowan? How doesn't he compare to a player like Tavares or Kadri?

Every team in the NHL can run young players under 22 but we cantman your logic is stale and sucks, we need to be progressive...what does it hurt having a young player play in the NHL to develop, ill tell you, it doesn't hurt there development at all.....in fact id argue it helps them, they have the best players/coaches around to help and its a huge confidence boost knowing you're team has faith in you....enough with all these false acquisitions.

What worked yesterday, wont work today...everything is constantly changing. Unless you find something that works, but even then you need to adapt for success(just like Florida's doing this tdl)

Ummmm Rantanen, Tanev Perry are all free agents next year so we dont need to trade anything slim, Murphy, Gudas & Tanev would be our tdl pickups this year.

Man you clearly just read what you wanti mentioned i'd be willing to move Rielly + picks + prospects to get a guy like Sergachev

 

[Evilhomer]

We've been warned about a very quiet deadline from Tre. I'm beginning to believe it.

Whole thing might be relatively quiet, outside of some funky stuff (like the Rantanen shenanigans).

I'm also afraid to ask what the Atlantic tax is on Brandon Carlo.

I can't imagine that Boston would trade Carlo in-division, or in-conference, without a sizable overpay.

 

[Fogelhund]

Haha sure brother

Cowan is most definitely an NHL center, what makes you think different?

And i bet you were one of those people that said Tavares is better than Kadri when we blew this whole rebuild up.
Kadri has a ring nowAnd Tavares walks next season.

I'd love for you to explain yourself, rather than just make a comment without any knowledge behind it

You've displayed your knowledge in your trades. Then you gaslight people, to prove their statements, and fail to do so yourself.

Go ahead, prove why Cowan is a NHL C.

The go ahead and prove why Kadri is better than Tavares. Winning a Cup isn't a qualifier.

 

[Kiwi]

We've still done nothing?

Rope a dope, we're going to bore those other GM's into giving us great deals

 

[WTFMAN99]

Atkinson and Brown waived by TBL

We should be doing that with Reaves and Patches to maximize cap space.

 

[BurnTheBoats]

A little early for day drinking isn't it?

Cowan doesn't have Tavares potential, nor is he a NHL C, nor will he be at any point. He certainly isn't NHL ready, and you've got him on your second line? Minten "might" get to 3C, but it's more probable he's a 4C, and probably isn't NHL ready for a couple of years. Benoit is barely a serviceable 3LD this year, but hey... let's put him on his offside on the second pairing, which makes ZERO sense.

Niemela and/or Danford as first pairing D? Niemela likely never plays a NHL game for this organization, let along being first pairing... hell, he isn't even first pairing on the Marlies at this point, and his stock is deteriorating.

Then you've picked up Rantanen, B. Tanev, Gudas, Murphy, Sergachev and Perry without giving up a single good prospect, and not having much in picks.

This has to be a parody troll account, I can't imagine anyone would actually believe what they are posting here.

You're going to call me a troll but i actually have knowledge behind what i say and have been to hundreds of Leaf games....give it a rest!

Do you think a player like Knies would be what he is today if we had him playing for the Marlies the last few seasons

No, we would be left with someone like Robertson who has been developed wrong and not utilized properly...and now he's having to adapt and develop years later, stalling his progression....but management will probably move him to a team that gives him a chance and ice-time, and he will turn out to be a solid player

 

[SprDaVE]

Honestly the price isn’t as bad as I thought it would be.

Frederic is on LTIR and might not be ready before the playoffs. Similar situation to Gourde. More or less what to expect for a Gourde acquisition.

 

[thewave]

You're going to call me a troll but i actually have knowledge behind what i say and have been to hundreds of Leaf games....give it a rest!

Do you think a player like Knies would be what he is today if we had him playing for the Marlies the last few seasons

No, we would be left with someone like Robertson who has been developed wrong and not utilized properly...and now he's having to adapt and develop years later, stalling his progression....but management will probably move him to a team that gives him a chance and ice-time, and he will turn out to be a solid player

He may turn out or may not.

Toronto has a history of not giving players a solid opportunity leaving it to those players to defy the odds. Kadri was the best example of a high level prospect being jerked round by the Leafs.

Absolutely some truth in what you say. The leafs would rather get some old man to play or some Domi or Jornkrok rather than develop on the fly.

 

[The Podium]

You're going to call me a troll but i actually have knowledge behind what i say and have been to hundreds of Leaf games....give it a rest!

Do you think a player like Knies would be what he is today if we had him playing for the Marlies the last few seasons

No, we would be left with someone like Robertson who has been developed wrong and not utilized properly...and now he's having to adapt and develop years later, stalling his progression....but management will probably move him to a team that gives him a chance and ice-time, and he will turn out to be a solid player

Dude you clearly dont know what youre talking about and are derailing this thread.

Cowan is nowhere near NHL ready, he will not be a C in the NHL and Kadri is not a better player than Tavares.

 

[Fogelhund]

I dont drink or do drugs, thanks!
Its obvious you cant read properly or comprehend anything as you only see things you're way

You should be an NHL scout haha, you clearly know everything....Niemela is an NHL defenseman and most definitely is not degrading, man you're delusional bro.

What makes you think he wont be NHL ready do you follow Cowan? How doesn't he compare to a player like Tavares or Kadri?

Every team in the NHL can run young players under 22 but we cantman your logic is stale and sucks, we need to be progressive...what does it hurt having a young player play in the NHL to develop, ill tell you, it doesn't hurt there development at all.....in fact id argue it helps them, they have the best players/coaches around to help and its a huge confidence boost knowing you're team has faith in you....enough with all these false acquisitions.

What worked yesterday, wont work today...everything is constantly changing. Unless you find something that works, but even then you need to adapt for success(just like Florida's doing this tdl)

Ummmm Rantanen, Tanev Perry are all free agents next year so we dont need to trade anything slim, Murphy, Gudas & Tanev would be our tdl pickups this year.

Man you clearly just read what you wanti mentioned i'd be willing to move Rielly + picks + prospects to get a guy like Sergachev

You start your discussion this way...

We should be going full tilt this tdl.

Then you list a roster... but somehow that means in the offseason? Then you accuse people of being unable to read?

The Gaslight King is here man!!!

But hey man, let's spend $40 mil on RW's... that's how you build a team.

Niemela... you do realize it's rumoured he signed to play in the SHL next year right? The organization wasn't happy with his progress, and lack of work ethic anyway. But, I'm sure you knew all of that right, being THE expert right? Maple Leafs prospect report: What’s next for Topi Niemela, Marshall Rifai and others




Minten is 0.5PPG in the AHL, and never put up much in Juniors. His development pace suggests he won't start in the NHL next season. He does a lot that is NHL ready, but he lacks the offensive side he needs, if it ever gets developed. A 3C at the NHL level is doubtful, and penciling him in as one next year, is ludicrous at best.

Sure, NHL start talented players... But, in most cases they go to the AHL to develop... just like Kadri did. Cowan isn't a star, and will take time to develop. He probably makes the leap in 2026/27, and like most, will start on wing, even if miraculously he ends up at C.

You aren't getting Murphy, Gudas and Tanev, with the picks and prospects we have, without giving up Minten, Cowan, Danford... Ducks aren't trading Gudas anyway (though I'd love him), and Utah aren't trading Sergachev.

 

[thewave]

Dude you clearly dont know what youre talking about and are derailing this thread.

Cowan is nowhere near NHL ready, he will not be a C in the NHL and Kadri is not a better player than Tavares.

Some of what he says makes sense.

Kadri a better player? No. He is more impactful in a playoff because his style.

Toronto screws up development worse than almost anyone else in the league.

 

[Jozay]

Would you seriously blow out all your assets to support a playoff run led by a 30 goal Auston Matthews? Even if the field is weak, there’s just a lack of star power to drive this thing. At the rate things are going the number one priority should be to find a 70 goal scoring center and put AM34 on the second unit. I’m being facetious but that’s literally the Team USA slotting from Four Nations. And the guy was being load managed in a 4 game tourney.

It’s definitely something to consider.

A 3C and depth RHD would be a good deadline to me.

 

[thewave]

We should be going full tilt this tdl.
We can only bring in guys on there last year for this to work though, unless we can get them for cheap on term...with the exception of one defenseman around 2-2.5M.

Management can still give us the best roster possible this year and still have the ability to rebuild next season.

If this roster can't get it done with all the peaces in place, things need to change.

Cowan has the potential to be a Tavares with more gritt & im sure Minten can match Domi/Kampf's production.
Doubt that.

Steeves & Robertson deserve a real chance to show what they have to offer.

Robertson has had a lot. Steeves deserves more.

As long as we're able to keep our top prospects we can still have a roster of:

Center
Matthews
Cowan
Minten
Lorentz(800k x1year)

Cowan is too young

Left wing
Steeves(1.35M x2years)
Robertson(1.35M x2years)
Knies(4M x7years)
McMann

Right wing
Rantanen(13.250M)
Marner(13.750M)
Nylander
Tanev(1M x 1year)

Extras
Hirvonen(800k x2years)
Holmberg(1.2M x3years)
Perry(1M x1year)

Left defense
Rielly or Sergachev
McCabe
Ekmam-Larsson

Right defense
Tanev
Benoit
Gudas

Extras
Rifai
Niemela
Mattinen
Kokkonen
Benning

Lines:
1st-Robertson-Matthews-Rantanen
2nd(A)-Steeves-Cowan-Marner
2nd(B)Knies-Minten-Nylander
3rd-4th-McMann-Lorentz-Tanev
Extras-Hirvonen-Holmberg-Perry

1st(A)Rielly or Sergachev-Gudas
1st(B)McCabe-Tanev
1st(C)Ekmam-Larsson-Benoit

PP #1
Nylander-Cowan-Rantanen
Matthews-Marner

PP #2
Knies-Cowan-McMann
Robertson-Steeves

PK #1
Lorentz-Tanev
Gudas-Tanev

PK #2
Minten-Knies
McCabe-Benoit



If we go this route,
Let's compare this season's roster

Cowan vs Tavares
Minten vs Kampf
Tanev vs Reaves
Robertson vs Domi
Steeves vs Pacioretty
Murphy vs Timmins
Gudas vs Myers
Perry vs Jarnkrok
Hirvonen vs Dewar

Regardless of some of these guys not having nhl experience or very little, im confident they can match the numbers that need to be replaced.

I'd be willing to move Rielly in the offseason for someone like Sergachev...he's the twf we always wanted in Morgan, ship him out with some picks and low-end prospects....start getting younger on the back end, that would be a start.

We would obviously still have our defense that are currently signed for the next 4years(Tanev, McCabe) but that would be the only area we need to assess in the future. Let's say one of Niemela/Danford work out, we're left with three solid defenseman
(Sergachev, Benoit, Niemela or Danford) with Tanev and McCabe gone we could sign there replacements in free agency.

That leaves us 4years to draft/develop two defenseman....after the next four years of building our defense & goalies we would start drafting offense to replace Matthews, Marner, Nylander & Rantanen, assuming we have them for the next 8years, and we will probably keep one of these players, lets just say we keep Marner....we would have options by the 6th-8th year to move them for picks/prospects.

Roster after 8-years
Robertson-Draft-Draft
Steeves*-Cowan-Marner*
Knies-Minten-Trade
FreeAgent-Hirvonen*-FreeAgent

Sergachev*-Niemela or Danford
Benoit*-FreeAgent
FreeAgent-Draft
Draft-Trade

Draft/FA/Trade
Woll

Players with a *
Will have to be replaced after 5+ years
But this gives us the next 13years to be a top contender for the cup.

The quote system is broken. Impossible to reply to all this.

Basically so much can't be done. Cowan is too young. Steeves should get more of a look. Robertson could be moved up. Perry could be looked atthe rest just seems like far fetched

 

[SprDaVE]

 

[thewave]

Atkinson and Brown waived by TBL

We should be doing that with Reaves and Patches to maximize cap space.

Cant waive the injured

 

[Fogelhund]

Atkinson and Brown waived by TBL

We should be doing that with Reaves and Patches to maximize cap space.

At the current time, we don't need the cap space. I'd agree though, if we actually do anything.

 

[The Shadow]

Huge mistake to trade a 1st for Laughton. Next year is supposed to be a deep draft.

I hope they do very minimal at the deadline. Maybe adding a depth piece or two at for a small fee.

Teams like Washington are being very cautious and keeping their assets.

This summer they can add the pieces they need and sign the players they want to keep.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Early Trading: The focus for Maple Leafs, Canucks and Jets before Friday's trade deadline | TSN

Gino Reda is joined by TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger to discuss what the Toronto Maple Leafs’ focus is at the deadline, how a potential Jack Hughes injury could change the New Jersey Devils’ plans, and what the Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets are looking for in the market on Early Insider...

www.tsn.ca

Maple Leafs targeting top centres

Gino Reda: Time is running out before the trade deadline and general managers are burning up the phone.

Dregs, the Leafs are heading west for a three-game road trip. As they do that, general manager Brad Treliving is going to be a busy guy. What’s he up to? What’s his primary target?

Darren Dreger: Well, he’s still focused on adding a centreman. The question is who is that centreman and what is the best available fit?

Reality is, when you look around the trade market, it hasn’t been officially set yet because of the playoff battles that exist in both the East and the West.

Sure, the perfect scenario would be the St. Louis Blues wake up between now and Friday and say ‘Yeah, we’re in a playoff hunt but we’re going to trade our captain.’

That is extraordinarily unlikely unless somebody absolutely blows [Blues general manager] Doug Armstrong’s doors off.

Hey, Toronto is willing to pay more than fair market value for Brayden Schenn, it just doesn’t seem likely and that might be a stretch.

Then you look beyond that. You look at Scott Laughton of the Philadelphia Flyers. Many close to Laughton say he would love to suit up for the Maple Leafs if there’s a trade that makes sense.

What’s going on with former Maple Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello and Brock Nelson? Lou would like to keep Nelson [but] that seems unlikely. So, a trade is possible from the New York Islanders.

Could Toronto be in there?

The drop-off between Schenn and the rest of the field is, I think, why the Maple Leafs are struggling to identify the best fit at centre ice.

Maybe at the end of the week they just rein in and say, ‘Let’s just fill in holes incrementally.’

Oh, by the way, there is a salary cap, and the Maple Leafs are right at it. So, for the Maple Leafs to make any moves, it’s not just about spending the assets. The money, of course, has to work.

 

[thewave]

Huge mistake to trade a 1st for Laughton. Next year is supposed to be a deep draft.

I hope they do very minimal at the deadline. Maybe adding a depth piece or two at for a small fee.

Teams like Washington are being very cautious and keeping their assets.

This summer they can add the pieces they need and sign the players they want to keep.

After we bring in some new guy the teams has a crappy March. Maybe they should just do something internally and see how they do.