Trades & Free Agency Thread: 2024-2025 Season Edition

[Rare Jewel]

Does anyone know exaclty how we will be cap compliant once

1. Jarnkrok (2.1M)
2. Dewar (1.18M)
3. Hakanpaa (1.47M)

All join the leafs?

We can send down Dewar as he is 100% buriable I believe but he would be likeky claimed and I like him more than Holmberg for us.

The leafs have potential for creating a lot of cap space and can add at the TDL/take on a bad deal (a guy who could be a bounce back candidate for usl for more picks to retool in the summer with.

Kampf (2.4M)
Lilijgren (3M)
Jarnkrok (2.1)
Hakanpaa (1.47M)

The above is ~9M and I am not sure if any of those guys will be playing Game 1 of the 2025 playoffs for us (assuming we make it, as is expected)

Waive Myers
Trade two of Timmins, Benoit and Holmberg (not for nothing, re-coup picks)
One of Jarnkronk or Kampf
Keep Hakanpaa on LTIR

 

[arso40]

Waive Myers
Trade two of Timmins, Benoit and Holmberg (not for nothing, re-coup picks)
One of Jarnkronk or Kampf
Keep Hakanpaa on LTIR

Would love that but lilys gone for that sorry excuse of a third d pair it’s actually laughable the stupid moves Berubes making already haven’t agreed with much of what he’s done this season and holmberg and Timmins not coming out of the lineup more than a game tells me they’re not going anywhere

 

[Leaf Rocket]

Seriously...?? You think these guys are the reason the team hasn't been performing well?

 

[seanlinden]

I think the Avalanche would love to get someone like Jarnkrok in their lineup. They have a ton of injuries as well. They just lost Colton for 6-8 weeks.

I understand that Jarnkrok's lack of playoff production is frustrating but he's been a fairly good player despite the lack of production and adds an element of speed, forechecking and defensive ability. He's also been versatile up and down the lineup as a glue winger.

I'd be fine with trading him for cap purposes mostly but I think we'll miss him more than anticipated.

Jarnkrok isn't close to returning, and there is no cap benefit of trading him as he wasn't counted towards our opening day roster anyways.

 

[SprDaVE]

Jarnkrok isn't close to returning, and there is no cap benefit of trading him as he wasn't counted towards our opening day roster anyways.

*Once ready to return or soon after returning

If he's out for the season then I guess we have nothing to worry about

 

[ULF_55]

Jarnkrok isn't close to returning, and there is no cap benefit of trading him as he wasn't counted towards our opening day roster anyways.

Kylington is going to be playing forward for Avs.

Robertson is an obvious option.

Avs also have about $13mm worth of players who may or may not be returning to their line-up.

 

[seanlinden]

Not upgrading/removing these five in the offseason basically screwed this team this season. Over 9m+ in the toilet.

Liljegren $3,000,000
Kampf $2,400,000
Jarnkrok $2,100,000
Robertson $875,000
Holmberg $800,000
$9,175,000

To be fair, only 4 out of those players are currently having any impact on the Leafs cap position...

Secondly, Robertson and Holmberg are paid as 4th liners. Not sure what more one can reasonably expect when spending less than $900k.

Even Kampf, yeah he's paid $2.4m, and needs to be better, but as a 4th line C goes, it's not the world's biggest issue.

Liljegren is obviously the big issue from a cap standpoint, but even him, it's only ~$2.25m you'd have to spend after you bring in Hakanpaa.

 

[seanlinden]

*Once ready to return or soon after returning

If he's out for the season then I guess we have nothing to worry about

Yeah, I think if you're the Leafs, you simply have to look at it as a "we'll cross that bridge when it comes"... maybe he slides into the lineup with somebody else on LTIR, maybe he doesn't play the season, maybe he's ready in december, and you're fully healthy, and then make a decision.

Kylington is going to be playing forward for Avs.

Robertson is an obvious option.

Avs also have about $13mm worth of players who may or may not be returning to their line-up.

Here's the challenge with Robertson -- what are you actually going to achieve by trading him to Colorado?

Dewar and Hakanpaa are seemingly very close to ready to return. The Leafs have enough cap space to bring Dewar back without any cap issues, but not the roster space (as he started the year on the short term IR). If you assume Myers down / out to accomodate 1 returning player, then you have space to bring back ONE OF of Dewar or Hakanpaa.

To accomodate both coming back, Liljegren will have to go.

The question then becomes -- are you running 13F / 8D (Timmins & Myers as the spares)? or 14F / 7D. If it's 14F, then there's no real choice to make up front.

If it's 13F, then of course, the Leafs would need to make a choice as to which forward to remove in order to bring Dewar in...

Is that Forward Nick Robertson? Call me crazy, he obviously has not had a great start, but I don't think he's the odd man in that equation. I think the Leafs probably view him as somebody that might help a mid-season struggle.

Which kind of all goes back to the point, there doesn't seem to be a "purpose" in trading Nick Robertson -- unless you're doing something like packaging him with Liljegren for somebody that can help a little more than him.

 

[ULF_55]

Here's the challenge with Robertson -- what are you actually going to achieve by trading him to Colorado?

Dewar and Hakanpaa are seemingly very close to ready to return. The Leafs have enough cap space to bring Dewar back without any cap issues, but not the roster space (as he started the year on the short term IR). If you assume Myers down / out to accomodate 1 returning player, then you have space to bring back ONE OF of Dewar or Hakanpaa.

To accomodate both coming back, Liljegren will have to go.

The question then becomes -- are you running 13F / 8D (Timmins & Myers as the spares)? or 14F / 7D. If it's 14F, then there's no real choice to make up front.

If it's 13F, then of course, the Leafs would need to make a choice as to which forward to remove in order to bring Dewar in...

Is that Forward Nick Robertson? Call me crazy, he obviously has not had a great start, but I don't think he's the odd man in that equation. I think the Leafs probably view him as somebody that might help a mid-season struggle.

Which kind of all goes back to the point, there doesn't seem to be a "purpose" in trading Nick Robertson -- unless you're doing something like packaging him with Liljegren for somebody that can help a little more than him.

To me you really don't need extra forwards to be sitting in the lounge eating popcorn.

Robertson, Kampf, Liljegren can all go if they aren't going to be part of the solution.

Certainly, Robertson like Holmberg is cheap. But Robertson is so limited in what he can provide. Where are you going to use Robertson on the 3rd. or 4th. line as an offensive player?

Was reasonably excited with a shooter, but unlike some other small players around the league he isn't very strong.

 

[seanlinden]

Does anyone know exaclty how we will be cap compliant once

1. Jarnkrok (2.1M)
2. Dewar (1.18M)
3. Hakanpaa (1.47M)

All join the leafs?

We can send down Dewar as he is 100% buriable I believe but he would be likeky claimed and I like him more than Holmberg for us.

The leafs have potential for creating a lot of cap space and can add at the TDL/take on a bad deal (a guy who could be a bounce back candidate for usl for more picks to retool in the summer with.

Kampf (2.4M)
Lilijgren (3M)
Jarnkrok (2.1)
Hakanpaa (1.47M)

The above is ~9M and I am not sure if any of those guys will be playing Game 1 of the 2025 playoffs for us (assuming we make it, as is expected)

The simplest way to look at it is as follows:

If you bring Dewar back, you have a 24 man roster that is about $75k shy of the salary cap. It was $1, when there had to be a small allocation for Fraser Minten because of the games he played last year. He's now cleared, and been assigned to the Marlies.

As many others have mentioned/suggested, the max is 23, so waive Phillipe Myers (who is either fully buried or picked up by another team), and you've got $775k of cap space, plus that $75k or so, for a total of $850k.

If you bring back Hakanpaa, you have to do it "relative to" another player on that 23-man roster. If it's Liljegren out for a pick, you can add $1.53m to the Leafs cap space, bringing it to a total of $2.3mm in cap space, which is enough to take Jarnkrok off LTIR eventually, and even potentially accrue a small amount of cap space once they can get Mermis cleared and sent to the AHL.

If Hakanpaa is coming back and Holmberg is the odd man out, that $850k in space will become $180k in space, as Hakanpaa makes more than Holmberg.

Bottom line, the Leafs don't really have much flexibility to "take on" any sort of money, as even if you go out and trade Liljegren, you can't really even bring back a $3m player, assuming you want the ability to bring Hakanpaa of LTIR.

Basically, if you assume the Leafs care about Dewar and Hakanpaa, but not Jarnkrok, and you're doing a Liljegren+forward for a bettter forward trade...you need to look at it as :

Liljegren ($3m) + Leafs Current Forward for Hakanpaa ($1.47m) + Other Forward, where the Leafs have $850k that they could spend on that 2-for-2 swap, but probably don't want to considering Hildeby makes $843k, and Woll has a tendency to miss stints.

Translation:
Liljegren + Roberson for a $2.4m forward.
Liljegren + Jarnkrok for $2.33m forward.
Liljegren + Kampf for a $3.93m forward

 

[seanlinden]

To me you really don't need extra forwards to be sitting in the lounge eating popcorn.

Robertson, Kampf, Liljegren can all go if they aren't going to be part of the solution.

Certainly, Robertson like Holmberg is cheap. But Robertson is so limited in what he can provide. Where are you going to use Robertson on the 3rd. or 4th. line as an offensive player?

Was reasonably excited with a shooter, but unlike some other small players around the league he isn't very strong.

Except you kind of do... Reaves isn't neccessarily a player that should be playing against all teams. Guys are going to have the flu, maintenance days, etc. You can argue against having the 14th forward or 8th defenceman, but often that, is more about keeping somebody around that you don't believe you can clear through waivers.

The Leafs "gameplan" has so far seemingly been to be to try and have a 3rd line that can contribute offensively. The way the roster is comprised, it makes a fair bit of sense. It just hasn't worked yet, especially for Robertson.

Don't get me wrong... if the Avs call and say "here's a 1st round pick for Nick Robertson", yeah, go ahead and do that... but to "cash out" on him for a 3rd or 4th round pick doesn't seem to make a ton of sense at this point.

 

[Rare Jewel]

Would love that but lilys gone for that sorry excuse of a third d pair it’s actually laughable the stupid moves Berubes making already haven’t agreed with much of what he’s done this season and holmberg and Timmins not coming out of the lineup more than a game tells me they’re not going anywhere

Oh, I don't expect that to happen, but that would be my way around it.

 

[ULF_55]

Except you kind of do... Reaves isn't neccessarily a player that should be playing against all teams. Guys are going to have the flu, maintenance days, etc. You can argue against having the 14th forward or 8th defenceman, but often that, is more about keeping somebody around that you don't believe you can clear through waivers.

The Leafs "gameplan" has so far seemingly been to be to try and have a 3rd line that can contribute offensively. The way the roster is comprised, it makes a fair bit of sense. It just hasn't worked yet, especially for Robertson.

Don't get me wrong... if the Avs call and say "here's a 1st round pick for Nick Robertson", yeah, go ahead and do that... but to "cash out" on him for a 3rd or 4th round pick doesn't seem to make a ton of sense at this point.

I disagree.

I don't even think they should have 4 lines of 3 fowards.
My position is 3 lines of 3 and 4th. line of PKers.
My opinion coaches give sympathy minutes to players who are getting 8-9 minutes a game.

Avs are moving a defender to forward, how often do you see forward to defense?

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1851657135735619913

It’s Seravalli so take it with a grain of salt.

 

[arso40]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1851657135735619913

It’s Seravalli so take it with a grain of salt.

It’s either you believe him or you believe Berube that lily’s gonna get another chance again in this line up looooooool

 

[stickty111]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1851657135735619913

It’s Seravalli so take it with a grain of salt.

So basically they won't trade him based on Seravelli's track record.
Seriously though, this Liljegren situation could get ugly soon if Brad doesn't trade him, or Berube continues to scratch him.

 

[hamzarocks]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1851657135735619913

It’s Seravalli so take it with a grain of salt.

It doesnt make sense if thats the case why Lilijgren is not off the team?

The relation between the player and team has to be worsening every game Lilijgren sits out when Timmins/Benoit/Myers get games where they can make mistakes and take lazy/dumb penalties and still play.

Lilijgren making 3M is bad cap management if he is not a regular for us. If we don't intend for him to be a regular then he should be dealt for the best 3C (if he has actual value like reported by Servalli) or picks (if hes worth a 4th and 6th at this pt) and move on from the player and disapointment associated with his tenure as a TML

 

[TheBeastCoast]

So basically they won't trade him based on Seravelli's track record.
Seriously though, this Liljegren situation could get ugly soon if Brad doesn't trade him, or Berube continues to scratch him.

Overdrive just said he was traded to the Sharks for a 3rd and Benning.

 

[LaPlante94]

Liljegren traded. Wow. Not a bad haul too

 

[OVO16]

Maybe Lily to SJ for Benning.
Lily gets a chance. SJ are desperate for NHL d men. Benning can be depth or can be almost fully buried with the Marlies.

You called it

 

[SprDaVE]

Maybe Lily to SJ for Benning.
Lily gets a chance. SJ are desperate for NHL d men. Benning can be depth or can be almost fully buried with the Marlies.

I would need a pick or something at least to make this remotely palatable. Benning is below average, but being cheap could be ok for depth.

Liljegren for Benning and a pick (technically 2 picks) is what ended up happening.

 

[SprDaVE]

One has to think that Robertson is next on the trade block. Being scratched already despite playing pretty well... I don't see the relationship getting better even with the new coach.

 

[TheDoldrums]

Would he? I'm not sure.

Everything we've seen from Liljegren when he's played, this guy screams high quality top 4 defenceman if he can get his game together... while at this point he's probably worth less than a 3rd to us, there may be a sense of "I have to get reasonable value out of this asset".

As others have mentioned though... they're going to be missing Durzi and Marino for months. While the need is probably less urgent now, they could still make another addition.

I sure hope not.
I hope this is a sign they value him better.
I’m not following the trade market closely, but in Utah’s case, they have tons of stuff …and Maatta isn’t a world beater, so I’d think there could still be a fit.

Perhaps he actually values him and asked for something more expensive than a third from Utah.

Just over here sipping my tea reading replies to my post suggesting Brad would take a 3rd for Liljegren

 

[dubplatepressure]

One has to think that Robertson is next on the trade block. Being scratched already despite playing pretty well... I don't see the relationship getting better even with the new coach.

I agree. Would have loved to see Robertson have a longer leash of say 30 or 40 games but given our situation he won't get that here. I do hope he's successful somewhere.

 

[TheDoldrums]

It's a disappointing yet expected return