Trades & Free Agency Thread: 2024-2025 Season Edition

[TMLAM34]

So much for this so called depth up front… This bottom six has been pretty awful for the most part. Hard to really improve it though given 4 forwards take up half the cap.

 

[Leaffan1991]

We need a Center, Holmberg needs to be replaced so bad... reminds me of Par Lindholm who provided absolutely nothing

 

[conFABulator]

So much for this so called depth up front… This bottom six has been pretty awful for the most part. Hard to really improve it though given 4 forwards take up half the cap.

We knew that our depth would take a hit letting a $5.5M forward leave and allocating those funds to the D.

Having said this, we just won three out of four games with Matthews and Jarnkok missing all four of them and Paccioretty missing 1.5 of them. We just got Dewar back and it is possible Minten fits into the plans somehow. We have a few guys on the farm having food years too in Steeves and Grebenkin.

Yes, our depth could be better but isn't that true for every team? Are there many with better depth than us? Who?

 

[Jozay]

Domi got 3.75 for 4 years

 

[Fogelhund]

Domi got 3.75 for 4 years

He put up 47 points last year and 56 points the year before that. If anything, it was a bargain of a contract.

Our whole team has struggled offensively this year, probably partially due to learning new systems with Berube. By the end of the year, he'll probably be back at 0.5 PPG, and the contract will look fine.

 

[Puckstuff]

Domi got 3.75 for 4 years

Domi with Matthews = amazing
Matthews with Domi = amazing
Marner with Matthews = terrible
Matthews with Marner = terrible

Just make the switch and all 3 players get better

 

[Malachi Crunch]

I just don't see Robertson flourishing on this team.

Here's a trade that was brought up a bunch of times in the summer: Robertson for Kaliyev.

Kaliyev will be back from injury in two weeks or so.

Kaliyev is very similar to Roberston: a huge goal scorer in the lower leagues who hasn't quite figured it out at the NHL level (although, like Robertson, he's shown signs - 28 points in 56 games 2 years ago). I'd rather take a chance with Kaliyev, at this point in time.

 

[SprDaVE]

I just don't see Robertson flourishing on this team.

Here's a trade that was brought up a bunch of times in the summer: Robertson for Kaliyev.

Kaliyev will be back from injury in two weeks or so.

Kaliyev is very similar to Roberston: a huge goal scorer in the lower leagues who hasn't quite figured it out at the NHL level (although, like Robertson, he's shown signs - 28 points in 56 games 2 years ago). I'd rather take a chance with Kaliyev, at this point in time.

Not a bad target for a simple swap.. but hard to justify trading Robertson for an injured forward. Robertson isn't producing but he's played well, hustling and working hard. He's getting chances too. Kaliyev is a big time question mark. It could very much get worse.

With that said, just package assets and get an actual upgrade on the roster. It might be harder to find since not many teams are selling though so we might need to stay patient and hope our depth wakes up.

 

[Malachi Crunch]

Not a bad target for a simple swap.. but hard to justify trading Robertson for an injured forward. Robertson isn't producing but he's played well, hustling and working hard. Kaliyev is a big time question mark. It could very much get worse.

With that said, just package assets and get an actual upgrade on the roster. It might be harder to find since not many teams are selling though so we might need to stay patient and hope our depth wakes up.

Yeah, it's a risky one, but may end up being a good risk if Kaliyev becomes the 20-goal scorer many think he will become. I know that Kaliyev isn't particularly fast or a play maker, but if he can score in the bottom 6, I would see that as a big positive given our huge lack of scoring in that part of the lineup.

 

[Skullz]

I don't understand how Reaves needs to do to come out of the lineup. He is beyond useless.

What a travesty our bottom six has become. Nobody there has any ability to score. I had high hopes for Holmberg but aside from Reaves, he has to be the worst of all our forwards.

Desperately need to add in some talent. We are woefully thin: if 88 and 34 don't score, no one does.

 

[OVO16]

I love how we talk about Reaves.....when we have Pontus Holmberg and Nick Robertson in the bottom 6 with a whopping 2 points and 1 goal combined between them. They're supposed to be our "offensive players" too.

We can be mad at Reaves for not fighting but atleast we knew he wasn't gonna get us goals. We have far bigger problems than Reaves

 

[sxvnert]

Leafs need an entire third line.

 

[Fogelhund]

I love how we talk about Reaves.....when we have Pontus Holmberg and Nick Robertson in the bottom 6 with a whopping 2 points and 1 goal combined between them. They're supposed to be our "offensive players" too.

We can be mad at Reaves for not fighting but atleast we knew he wasn't gonna get us goals. We have far bigger problems than Reaves

Not really. Holmberg showed last year, he can put up limited points. Robertson in theory should be a decent offensive contributor. So the bottom line, is we are trying to patient (or just have no other options), to wait until their offense starts clicking.

We know Reaves won't have any offensive contributions... that's pretty much a fact. The others theoretically have the potential to score... Reaves doesn't.

 

[OVO16]

Not really. Holmberg showed last year, he can put up limited points. Robertson in theory should be a decent offensive contributor. So the bottom line, is we are trying to patient (or just have no other options), to wait until their offense starts clicking.

We know Reaves won't have any offensive contributions... that's pretty much a fact. The others theoretically have the potential to score... Reaves doesn't.

Holmberg is grade A garbage. We need better players.

Roberston just isnt cutting it. He's had plenty of opportunities and cant take advantage at all

 

[Fogelhund]

Holmberg is grade A garbage. We need better players.

Roberston just isnt cutting it. He's had plenty of opportunities and cant take advantage at all

I'd rather be overly patient, waiting for the offense to come, than ship out more players who excel elsewhere... and sit and listen to everyone complain about it.

There is ZERO question that they are currently not meeting expectations for sure. If they don't start performing, I'd agree we need better players... but we need some patience, which I appreciate is in short supply around here.

 

[Magic Man]

Given the team isn't a scoring much as a group, I am starting to lean towards waiving Holmberg if they need a roster spot. The way he is sucking right now, he may even clear waivers.

Robertson at least looks like he is making good plays. The fourth line below has enough defensive minded players like Holmberg. They need that extra bit of potential offense more.

Knies - Matthews - Marner
McMann - Tavares - Nylander
Pacioretty - Domi - Jarnkrok
Lorentz - Kampf - Dewar
ex. Reaves - Robertson

If someone in the top-9 goes down, Robertson comes in. If someone on the 4th line goes down, or they need extra muscle against a rival, then Reaves comes in.

I would guess both Holmberg and Robertson will be waived or traded by the deadline and replaced with rentals for the push.

 

[arso40]

Given the team isn't a scoring much as a group, I am starting to lean towards waiving Holmberg if they need a roster spot. The way he is sucking right now, he may even clear waivers.

Robertson at least looks like he is making good plays. The fourth line below has enough defensive minded players like Holmberg. They need that extra bit of potential offense more.

Knies - Matthews - Marner
McMann - Tavares - Nylander
Pacioretty - Domi - Jarnkrok
Lorentz - Kampf - Dewar
ex. Reaves - Robertson

If someone in the top-9 goes down, Robertson comes in. If someone on the 4th line goes down, or they need extra muscle against a rival, then Reaves comes in.

I would guess both Holmberg and Robertson will be waived or traded by the deadline and replaced with rentals for the push.

McMann is not a top 6 forward what he provides should be in the bottom 6 they need to move Robertson up he’s the only one with the upside that warrants that spot

 

[BertCorbeau]

Holmberg has definitely struggled. I've been a supporter of his but he has regressed quite a bit. Too many penalties, not enough offensively and not enough defensively... just not good enough. Berube has given him a lot of leash and not sure he's earned it.

Robertson has been a lot more good than bad despite the low production. He'll break out. But he's also someone that needs to kick it up a notch one way or another, at some point you have to produce.

Overall, the Leafs have not had nearly enough production from a few of their "veteran" depth pieces like McMann, Domi and Kampf either. Not sure Steeves will come in and out perform them. It might take a bit to find that external option.

I don’t think Holmberg is a fit with Berube’s system, and he hasn’t had a start to the season that has shown he’s progressed at all.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Sabres want to make a big trade

Let’s fleece em

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

Sabres want to make a big trade

Let’s fleece em

Marner for Dahlin or Power would be a good starting point.

 

[Zero1]

Sabres want to make a big trade

Let’s fleece em

I’m sure they want win-now players. Everyone here that’s worth anything has a NMC…

 

[Fogelhund]

I don’t think Holmberg is a fit with Berube’s system, and he hasn’t had a start to the season that has shown he’s progressed at all.

I'm patient with players, but I'd have to agree that Holmberg is the biggest issue on the third line. He's just not accomplishing anything, and even when you move him up, he struggles and kills the play. It's a shame that he hasn't taken the next step, because it looked like he had that in him.

The challenge of course, is he plays C... so who do you replace him with? The roster options are Dewar and Lorentz for now...

If we make a move outside the org, how do we afford the trade, or cap hit? Laughton, Granlund, McLeod (Buffalo), Jake Evans...

Marner for Dahlin or Power would be a good starting point.

THank you for the ongoing comedy.

 

[Dekes For Days]

We knew that our depth would take a hit letting a $5.5M forward leave and allocating those funds to the D.

That 5.5m player wasn't remotely close to a 5.5m player though. Shouldn't have been that hard to replace.

Yes, our depth could be better but isn't that true for every team are there many with better depth than us?

Our depth concerns have been wildly exaggerated most years, but so far this year, it's pretty bad.
In the Matthews era, goals per game from our forwards beyond the big 4 (Kadri replaces Tavares pre-Tavares):
2016-2017: 0.16
2017-2018: 0.19
2018-2019: 0.18
2019-2020: 0.16
2020-2021: 0.16
2021-2022: 0.18
2022-2023: 0.16
2023-2024: 0.16
2024-2025: 0.11
I imagine it will improve as the season progresses, but it's certainly an area of concern.

I love how we talk about Reaves.....when we have Pontus Holmberg and Nick Robertson in the bottom 6 with a whopping 2 points and 1 goal combined between them.

We talk about Reaves because he is the obvious choice to cut. He provides nothing positive. Only negatives. And he's the most expensive.
At least the other two have shown that they can be more, and especially in Robertson's case, have played better than their production so far.
We can't even deploy the 3rd line properly because Reaves makes the 4th line unplayable in pretty much every situation.

 

[Dekes For Days]

The challenge of course, is he plays C... so who do you replace him with? The roster options are Dewar and Lorentz for now...
If we make a move outside the org, how do we afford the trade, or cap hit? Laughton, Granlund, McLeod (Buffalo), Jake Evans...

We could have acquired Eller (2.45m), traded Kampf (2.4m), and moved Dewar to 4C.

 

[SprDaVE]

I'm patient with players, but I'd have to agree that Holmberg is the biggest issue on the third line. He's just not accomplishing anything, and even when you move him up, he struggles and kills the play. It's a shame that he hasn't taken the next step, because it looked like he had that in him.

The challenge of course, is he plays C... so who do you replace him with? The roster options are Dewar and Lorentz for now...

If we make a move outside the org, how do we afford the trade, or cap hit? Laughton, Granlund, McLeod (Buffalo), Jake Evans...

Yeah I can admit he's probably a huge weak point. He's having a hard time doing anything anywhere on the ice. Yesterday he made a good move in the offensive zone, a lane opens up, and then just fell randomly... very weird. With Pacioretty and Jarnkrok injured for awhile, unless Steeves impresses, not sure we'll get much changes upfront unless Treliving pulls a trade.