Trades & Free Agency Thread: 2024-2025 Season Edition

Does O’Rielly make the Leafs better?

  • Yes

    Votes: 36 57.1%
  • No

    Votes: 24 38.1%
  • Undecided

    Votes: 3 4.8%

  • Total voters
    63
  • Poll closed .

Fogelhund

Registered User
Sep 15, 2007
23,591
27,998
Who knows what he's capable of? He's 20 but I do know that playing him in the NHL now he's not going to develop his offensive game like he could in the AHL

He's not going to get a lot of PP minutes, he's not going to be encouraged to take risks offensively, we dump the puck a ton, you want him doing that instead of carrying the puck over the blueline?

Put him in the AHL and go get somebody to play that spot while he develops

Should have sent Matthews to the AHL for a year... probably stunted his potential.

He's already had some PP2 time here, but he's never likely to be a fixture anyway. If he's ready, he's ready, if he's not... he's not.... how he plays, will determine whether he stays with the Leafs, or goes down.

But to have some hope, or expectation of 50-60 points... that setting up for some major disappointment... and let's not pretend he suddenly could be an offensive powerhouse.

You don't send someone down, because of some dogmatic stance that is what you must do. You do what is best for the player... and we need to let that play out... it might be staying with the team.

Also keep in mind, that what you are saying, is for Minten to reach his potential, you are happy to move our 2026 1st, or other valued picks/prospects, to replace what he might be able to do now.
 
Last edited:

Kiwi

Registered User
Mar 5, 2016
21,693
16,906
The Naki
Should have sent Matthews to the AHL for a year... probably stunted his potential.

He's already had some PP2 time here, but he's never likely to be a fixture anyway. If he's ready, he's ready, if he's not... he's not.... how he plays, will determine whether he stays with the Leafs, or goes down.

But to have some hope, or expectation of 50-60 points... that setting up for some major disappointment... and let's not pretend he suddenly could be an offensive powerhouse.

You don't send someone down, because of some dogmatic stance that is what you must do. You do what is best for the player... and we need to let that play out... it might be staying with the team.

Also keep in mind, that what you are saying, is for Minten to reach his potential, you are happy to move our 2026 1st, or other valued picks/prospects, to replace what he might be able to do now.

Sure, we should definitely use a franchise level 1C with generational goal scoring ability as a guide for developing Minten

I hope we develop him properly so he becomes the best possible player he's capable of becoming, but that doesn't happen if you don't allow his offensive game to develop

I can tell you right now if Minten is playing this role and he's concentrating on doing "enough" he's going to struggle to hit his ceiling

I'm more than happy to move picks and/or prospects to get a long term middle/top 6C in the organization, that should be the aim even if we keep Minten up
 

WTFMAN99

Registered User
Jun 17, 2009
34,253
12,386
Sure, we should definitely use a franchise level 1C with generational goal scoring ability as a guide for developing Minten

I hope we develop him properly so he becomes the best possible player he's capable of becoming, but that doesn't happen if you don't allow his offensive game to develop

I can tell you right now if Minten is playing this role and he's concentrating on doing "enough" he's going to struggle to hit his ceiling

I'm more than happy to move picks and/or prospects to get a long term middle/top 6C in the organization, that should be the aim even if we keep Minten up

Yeah, I like Minten, I think he's done well in his call up but I also think he's going to get a lot more out of being the 1C - do literally everything Marlies guy this year.

He's going to be penciled onto the roster next year as the 3C or 4C, he isn't going to any prospect tournaments.
 
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Phion Keneuf

Bang Bang
Jul 4, 2010
35,625
6,867
Timmins/Benoit have been decent this year but would like to upgrade our D and shift them down.

I know we had interest in Ristolainen before, and he’s playing pretty well now.

Ristolainen (retained) would help solidify the backend.

Rielly-Tanev
OEL-McCabe
Benoit-Ristolainen
 

WTFMAN99

Registered User
Jun 17, 2009
34,253
12,386
Timmins/Benoit have been decent this year but would like to upgrade our D and shift them down.

I know we had interest in Ristolainen before, and he’s playing pretty well now.

Ristolainen (retained) would help solidify the backend.

Rielly-Tanev
OEL-McCabe
Benoit-Ristolainen

Honestly for the cap difference, I wouldn't bother going for Risto.

I don't see McCabe-Tanev getting broken up either, they're either the best or 2nd best shut down tandem in the league.
 

Dreakmur

Registered User
Mar 25, 2008
19,242
7,661
Orillia, Ontario
I don't mean every game, if he gets 5 games over 2 weeks in the NHL, and then the same instructions for 2-3 weeks in AHL ...

Leafs sure the heck better be using the same coaching strategy in AHL and NHL. If they don't they have a much bigger problem than Minten.

Different roles have different development strategies.
 

Fogelhund

Registered User
Sep 15, 2007
23,591
27,998
Timmins/Benoit have been decent this year but would like to upgrade our D and shift them down.

I know we had interest in Ristolainen before, and he’s playing pretty well now.

Ristolainen (retained) would help solidify the backend.

Rielly-Tanev
OEL-McCabe
Benoit-Ristolainen

Risto is getting killed. He’s just not good.

Sure, we should definitely use a franchise level 1C with generational goal scoring ability as a guide for developing Minten

I hope we develop him properly so he becomes the best possible player he's capable of becoming, but that doesn't happen if you don't allow his offensive game to develop

I can tell you right now if Minten is playing this role and he's concentrating on doing "enough" he's going to struggle to hit his ceiling

I'm more than happy to move picks and/or prospects to get a long term middle/top 6C in the organization, that should be the aim even if we keep Minten up

Send him back!!
 

thusk

Registered User
Jul 15, 2011
4,538
2,404
Chicoutimi
Sure, we should definitely use a franchise level 1C with generational goal scoring ability as a guide for developing Minten

I hope we develop him properly so he becomes the best possible player he's capable of becoming, but that doesn't happen if you don't allow his offensive game to develop

I can tell you right now if Minten is playing this role and he's concentrating on doing "enough" he's going to struggle to hit his ceiling

I'm more than happy to move picks and/or prospects to get a long term middle/top 6C in the organization, that should be the aim even if we keep Minten up

Minten what he created offensively is because hes driving the net and pretty high IQ not because of his skill set.

Right now he's showing he's smart enough to play in NHL. hes at the right place at the right time of doing his think in the NHL level.

I don't think in his case playingg pp time against worst matchup will have more impact than playing at top speed in the NHL and learn from it. Its helpful when the play going too fast for you and give you a chance to adapt ay AHL level. But its not thw case here, Minten see the play pretty well and NHL don't look too fast at all for him

If Toronto find a better option but right now, no reason to remove him of line up
 

SprDaVE

Moderator
Sep 20, 2008
54,957
39,347
Timmins/Benoit have been decent this year but would like to upgrade our D and shift them down.

I know we had interest in Ristolainen before, and he’s playing pretty well now.

Ristolainen (retained) would help solidify the backend.

Rielly-Tanev
OEL-McCabe
Benoit-Ristolainen
This team doesn't really have the cap space to add someone that significant on the back end unless you want to forgo any additions upfront.

Most teams don't have a full D core of top end defenders. As long as your bottom pairing guys are efficient and capable, I think we're fine there. Any sort of long-term injury though and we might need to add,
 
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Fogelhund

Registered User
Sep 15, 2007
23,591
27,998
It's still early in the season. Minten seems to want to claim the 3C, a position that a few weeks ago, Leafs Nation would have almost unanimously agreed needed upgrading. But, it's just five games, so we need to be patient, and see if he continues to potentially be a solution. We need to see who else is healthy, how the team plays when everyone is back.... how a guy like Rifai might look if he gets some minutes, if Hakanpaa is at all useful if he is ever fully healthy.

Grebenkin will go back down soon, will he bring more offense with him, the next call up? Will he earn a spot?

On D, we've also got Mermis, Benning, Rifai mentioned above... I'm not sure we need a lot more depth. Maybe we look at low cost depth... maybe can get a guy like Grezelcyk.. at 50%?
 

SHANNYPLAN

Registered User
Nov 24, 2016
5,275
2,658
Trent Frederic for Fla 2nd & Pontus Holmberg

Mathieu Olivier for Robertson & 26’ 3rd/4th/5th* conditional based on performance

Knies - Matthews - Nylander
McMann* - Tavares - Marner
Frederic - - Minten - - Domi*
Lorentz - - Kampf - - Olivier
Dewar
 

Americanadian

Registered User
Sep 11, 2016
3,842
2,331
Michigan
I like Ryan Donato more than I did last week when I proposed him as a 3C solution. Looked good tonight (except for the Matthews goal). Would be a good addition for the playoffs.
 

TMLAM34

Registered User
Oct 15, 2020
5,363
6,414
Trent Frederic for Fla 2nd & Pontus Holmberg

Mathieu Olivier for Robertson & 26’ 3rd/4th/5th* conditional based on performance

Knies - Matthews - Nylander
McMann* - Tavares - Marner
Frederic - - Minten - - Domi*
Lorentz - - Kampf - - Olivier
Dewar
Where is Pacioretty?
 

Fogelhund

Registered User
Sep 15, 2007
23,591
27,998
Trent Frederic for Fla 2nd & Pontus Holmberg

Mathieu Olivier for Robertson & 26’ 3rd/4th/5th* conditional based on performance

Knies - Matthews - Nylander
McMann* - Tavares - Marner
Frederic - - Minten - - Domi*
Lorentz - - Kampf - - Olivier
Dewar

Patches?
 

Americanadian

Registered User
Sep 11, 2016
3,842
2,331
Michigan
Now that Tomasino for Robertson is dead I have shifted my campaign back to Kartye for Robertson. Seattle may want to take the higher upside player. Leafs get the higher floor player who can be a long-term fit in the bottom 6. Kartye has 17 more hits than any Leafs player while providing better underlying numbers than Robertson. Both players are the same age/draft class.
 

Leaffan1991

Registered User
Oct 22, 2016
4,828
3,155
Canada
Trent Frederic for Fla 2nd & Pontus Holmberg

Mathieu Olivier for Robertson & 26’ 3rd/4th/5th* conditional based on performance

Knies - Matthews - Nylander
McMann* - Tavares - Marner
Frederic - - Minten - - Domi*
Lorentz - - Kampf - - Olivier
Dewar
That's a big mean lineup and I'm all for it, I think Kampf would have to go as well to make the cap work so insert Dewar in his spot
 
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Namikaze Minato

Only cowardly mods message through warnings
Apr 30, 2009
5,256
7,048
Beautiful B.C.
Feels like there is going to be some all out battles for the last winger spots already but it should be super interesting if we do in fact go for a 2/3c pickup at the deadline. Who the f*** gets left out in the playoffs?

Patches, Holmberg, Kampf, Robertson, Mcmann, Dewar, Jarn, Domi, Minten, A Nylander, Reaves, Lorentz... I'm not including Greb because he should be in the A by playoff time but thats a lot of players fighting for a bottom 6 role already.

The coaching staff seems to love a lot of these guys too, its going to make for a very interesting and hopefully deep f***ing playoff lineup.
 

Skullz

Registered User
Jul 5, 2013
693
961
I'd like to see Myers get some more games. Liked him tonight, and it was only his second game of the year. I think he could take some of the reps that were meant for Hakanpaa. The big, mean depth defencemen we always spend picks on at the TDL.

I know we like to rag on Treliving for size, but both Myers and Benoit can really skate. That size and range is worth a lot. Benoit has been terrific lately as well.

Clearly we need to clear some forward depth as people get healthy. Wonder if we trade some people out? Please waive Reaves.

Get a 3rd Center. Minten has been great. But wouldn't mind a more established center playing, and Minten getting all the minutes in the AHL.
 
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All Mod Cons

Registered User
Sep 7, 2018
11,495
12,402
I'd like to see Myers get some more games. Liked him tonight, and it was only his second game of the year. I think he could take some of the reps that were meant for Hakanpaa. The big, mean depth defencemen we always spend picks on at the TDL.

I know we like to rag on Treliving for size, but both Myers and Benoit can really skate. That size and range is worth a lot. Benoit has been terrific lately as well.

Clearly we need to clear some forward depth as people get healthy. Wonder if we trade some people out? Please waive Reaves.

Get a 3rd Center. Minten has been great. But wouldn't mind a more established center playing, and Minten getting all the minutes in the AHL.
No one should be ragging on Treliving for size. If they do, they haven't been paying attention at all.
 

weems

Registered User
Jul 3, 2008
18,666
13,018
I'd like to see Myers get some more games. Liked him tonight, and it was only his second game of the year. I think he could take some of the reps that were meant for Hakanpaa. The big, mean depth defencemen we always spend picks on at the TDL.

I know we like to rag on Treliving for size, but both Myers and Benoit can really skate. That size and range is worth a lot. Benoit has been terrific lately as well.

Clearly we need to clear some forward depth as people get healthy. Wonder if we trade some people out? Please waive Reaves.

Get a 3rd Center. Minten has been great. But wouldn't mind a more established center playing, and Minten getting all the minutes in the AHL.

Benoit is extremely mobile for a defensive defencemen.

His top skating speed and speed bursts over 20mph are both average or better for the position.

He has his shortcomings but he's definitely not some slow slug and has played some pretty decent hockey recently.
 

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