Trades & Free Agency Thread: 2024-2025 Season Edition

[Legion34]

So is hakkanpaa done?

 

[LeafSteel]

So is hakkanpaa done?

If he somehow is able to to play, he can compete with Timmins for 3RHD.

You cannot count on a guy who hasn’t even played yet, and with his injury history, to be a solid playoff contributor.

Add to it our pitiful RHD depth, and it is clear our RHD is in desperate need of bolstering.

Murphy would be a terrific 2RHD partner for Rielly and is at the top of my trade wish list.

Not the sexiest name, but attainable and makes us better, and would be really interested to see if he could replicate McCabe’s improved play since coming to Toronto as well.

 

[TMLAM34]

You’ve omitted to add Dach to your starting lineup…..?

He’s had a good year in the AHL, but if he hasn’t even cracked the Blackhawks lineup yet, what makes you think he can step into our lineup right away? No point in rushing him, I’m sure he’d get games in, just like Minten will as well but no reason to rush either.

 

[SprDaVE]

Some talk earlier in this thread about Parssinen

 

[Leaffan1991]

This is an off season move but I believe Matthews will be fragile for the rest of his career. I would try and cash in now while his value is still high.
I believe he would waive for a team like LA

Byfield plus Clarke, Byfield playing with Marner would automatically get 80 points and Clarke is the number 1rhd we have craved for years and very good offensively which we lack.
Free agency gives us some cap space to sign Bennett plus Ekblad if we really wanted to.

Knies Byfield Marner
McMann Bennett Nylander
Domi Minten Tavares
Lorentz Dewar Grebenkin

Rielly Ekblad
McCabe Tanev
OEL Clarke
Benoit

Stolarz
Woll

 

[The Shadow]

This is an off season move but I believe Matthews will be fragile for the rest of his career. I would try and cash in now while his value is still high.
I believe he would waive for a team like LA

Byfield plus Clarke, Byfield playing with Marner would automatically get 80 points and Clarke is the number 1rhd we have craved for years and very good offensively which we lack.
Free agency gives us some cap space to sign Bennett plus Ekblad if we really wanted to.

Knies Byfield Marner
McMann Bennett Nylander
Domi Minten Tavares
Lorentz Dewar Grebenkin

Rielly Ekblad
McCabe Tanev
OEL Clarke
Benoit

Stolarz
Woll

Keep dreaming. He has a No move clause and signed here because he wants to be a leaf.

They will never move him

 

[Stephen]

I feel like we could benefit from going after a Bowen Byram type defenseman. Get a big upgrade on raw skill and skating and inject into the core already have. Byram's development has been up and down, has suffered some concussion and injury issues, won a cup in Colorado, and has had the misfortune of playing for a team like Buffalo. But I think you want candidates who have the raw ability to take the job Rielly supposedly fills.

 

[thusk]

I feel like we could benefit from going after a Bowen Byram type defenseman. Get a big upgrade on raw skill and skating and inject into the core already have. Byram's development has been up and down, has suffered some concussion and injury issues, won a cup in Colorado, and has had the misfortune of playing for a team like Buffalo. But I think you want candidates who have the raw ability to take the job Rielly supposedly fills.

and who do you give for him? Knies? That's probably the only player who will make minimum of sense for Buffalo.

To get value, you need to give value

 

[Avilaj07]

To Toronto-
Dylan Cozens
Alex Tuch
Owen Power

To Buffalo-
Morgan Rielly
Matthew Knies
Easton Cowan

 

[cyris]

To Toronto-
Dylan Cozens
Alex Tuch
Owen Power

To Buffalo-
Morgan Rielly
Matthew Knies
Easton Cowan

So beyond the fact that Buffalo says hell no to that proposal why would Mo waive his NMC to go to F-ing Buffalo???

 

[uncleben]

This is an off season move but I believe Matthews will be fragile for the rest of his career. I would try and cash in now while his value is still high.
I believe he would waive for a team like LA

Byfield plus Clarke, Byfield playing with Marner would automatically get 80 points and Clarke is the number 1rhd we have craved for years and very good offensively which we lack.
Free agency gives us some cap space to sign Bennett plus Ekblad if we really wanted to.

Knies Byfield Marner
McMann Bennett Nylander
Domi Minten Tavares
Lorentz Dewar Grebenkin

Rielly Ekblad
McCabe Tanev
OEL Clarke
Benoit

Stolarz
Woll

Personally, I'd rather one of the best goal scorers in a generation and best players currently in the game who only plays 60 games than a player who will play 82 games but only 60 points

 

[LeafEgo]

Personally, I'd rather one of the best goal scorers in a generation and best players currently in the game who only plays 60 games than a player who will play 82 games but only 60 points

Based on Mattys recent game 3 performance we're probably best off rolling with the unicorn talent and hoping for the best (that's my current position), but the 82 game round 0 at less than 100% hockey provides information with limits.

It's not wrong to question Mattys fortitude at this juncture. Forget the negligence and tennis distractions - backs are complicated - but he also had wrist surgerie(s?) when he couldn't score. He also avoids physicality when he clearly doesn't have to with his frame.

Somebody has to make the call if he can hack pro hockey damage and deliver in the playoffs with a sufficient level of confidence when we get him at the right time. Let's not forget, it's not like when he's on we know we get a top 3 player playoff performance guaranteed.

 

[Antropovsky]

Based on Mattys recent game 3 performance we're probably best off rolling with the unicorn talent and hoping for the best (that's my current position), but the 82 game round 0 at less than 100% hockey provides information with limits.

It's not wrong to question Mattys fortitude at this juncture. Forget the negligence and tennis distractions - backs are complicated - but he also had wrist surgerie(s?) when he couldn't score. He also avoids physicality when he clearly doesn't have to with his frame.

Somebody has to make the call if he can hack pro hockey damage and deliver in the playoffs with a sufficient level of confidence when we get him at the right time. Let's not forget, it's not like when he's on we know we get a top 3 player playoff performance guaranteed.

Matthews actually doesn't avoid physicality. Comparably to other star players, he's probably one of the more physical stars and he blocks more shots.

In fact I can show you numerous playoffs goals that were scored because of Matthews playing physical.

 

[Legion34]

Keep dreaming. He has a No move clause and signed here because he wants to be a leaf.

They will never move him

My personal bet is he wants out after this contract and gets traded in year 3. He will have the all time leafs goal record.

I could be wrong of course. Complete speculation but that’s my guess.

Not this year.

 

[ToneDog]

Personally, I'd rather one of the best goal scorers in a generation and best players currently in the game who only plays 60 games than a player who will play 82 games but only 60 points

In theory, you are right but what if that generational goal scorer turns into a 35 goal scorer in the playoffs while the 60 point player remains a 60 point player in the playoffs and has a 60% lower cap hit?

 

[TMLAM34]

Matthews isn’t going anywhere, nor should he. He will be fine, otherwise they would have shut him down immediately and he probably would have had surgery already.

I do hate the make up of this team though. As mentioned for the past however many years, we have way too much money tied up in the core four and now Rielly.

Serious changes need to be made this off-season which should have been made last off-season. Now we run the risk of loosing or letting Marner walk for absolutely nothing. That is mind blowing to me.

 

[ToneDog]

Matthews isn’t going anywhere, nor should he. He will be fine, otherwise they would have shut him down immediately and he probably would have had surgery already.

I do hate the make up of this team though. As mentioned for the past however many years, we have way too much money tied up in the core four and now Rielly.

Serious changes need to be made this off-season which should have been made last off-season. Now we run the risk of loosing or letting Marner walk for absolutely nothing. That is mind blowing to me.

They will overpay Marner than let him walk for nothing and the Marner camp knows this. Love to move Rielly for Parayko but that is wishful thinking. The Leafs doubled and tripled down on this core so they are going to live or die with them. If 34 is not 100% for the playoffs, they will be golfing with Pelley in May.

 

[LeafEgo]

Matthews actually doesn't avoid physicality. Comparably to other star players, he's probably one of the more physical stars and he blocks more shots.

In fact I can show you numerous playoffs goals that were scored because of Matthews playing physical.

That wasn't really the discussion, but yeah Matty is a power forward and knows how to block shots. He's also in the same size category as Brady, Ovechkin, Rantanen, and he's bigger than Mack.

The question is, can he hack NHL wear and tear or is he more of a Bure, Neely, Forsberg.

 

[WTFMAN99]

I don't necessarily blame Matt Murray for the losses but at the same time, I am not sure he offers significantly better goaltending than Hildeby at this point. It probably makes more sense for us to give NHL minutes to a goalie that has a chance to be with us longer term than a guy who is out of the league in the next 1-2 years.

Clearly missing Matthews is a problem for us, so a centre would be a nice addition.

Rielly for 7.5M has minimal impact, even guys like Poink or Chychrun offer a lot more offensively, they are more dynamic than Rielly and even then, there are guys a tier above them like Fox, Q.Hughes and Makar that can run a PP.

Knies production has slowed down, I wonder if the concussion he sustained derailed him.

Where is everyone else on the team / roster ?

 

[TMLAM34]

I don't necessarily blame Matt Murray for the losses but at the same time, I am not sure he offers significantly better goaltending than Hildeby at this point. It probably makes more sense for us to give NHL minutes to a goalie that has a chance to be with us longer term than a guy who is out of the league in the next 1-2 years.

Clearly missing Matthews is a problem for us, so a centre would be a nice addition.

Rielly for 7.5M has minimal impact, even guys like Poink or Chychrun offer a lot more offensively, they are more dynamic than Rielly and even then, there are guys a tier above them like Fox, Q.Hughes and Makar that can run a PP.

Knies production has slowed down, I wonder if the concussion he sustained derailed him.

Where is everyone else on the team / roster ?

Will be interesting to see what the team does moving forward? Do they give Murray another chance or do they give Hildeby another shot? The way Murray has looked over the two games, I’d hope Hildeby gets the call.

Center issue definitely needs to be addressed though, even if it means an overpayment IMO.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Will be interesting to see what the team does moving forward? Do they give Murray another chance or do they give Hildeby another shot? The way Murray has looked over the two games, I’d hope Hildeby gets the call.

Center issue definitely needs to be addressed though, even if it means an overpayment IMO.

Nelson is going to cost a lot

Not sure Gourde will be worth the cost either.

Second tier options are Dvorak and Bjugstad.

Granlund at 3C? He's not a big guy and he'd have Domi on his wing most likely, pass first guy. I heard we looked into him this past off-season.

 

[thusk]

Nelson is going to cost a lot

Not sure Gourde will be worth the cost either.

Second tier options are Dvorak and Bjugstad.

Granlund at 3C? He's not a big guy and he'd have Domi on his wing most likely, pass first guy. I heard we looked into him this past off-season.

If you think gourde will not deserve his price, it will be even wordt with Granlund

Dvorak is trash, better to give a chance to Minten than moving for Dvorak... Hes bring absolutly nothing to the game.

 

[TMLAM34]

I’m talking about going all out and going after someone like McTavish or Cozens. If you need to overpay, you overpay.

A McTavish + Vatrano package would check off a lot of boxes.

 

[Jacquestrapless]

 

[jiggy35]

This is an off season move but I believe Matthews will be fragile for the rest of his career. I would try and cash in now while his value is still high.
I believe he would waive for a team like LA

Byfield plus Clarke, Byfield playing with Marner would automatically get 80 points and Clarke is the number 1rhd we have craved for years and very good offensively which we lack.
Free agency gives us some cap space to sign Bennett plus Ekblad if we really wanted to.

Knies Byfield Marner
McMann Bennett Nylander
Domi Minten Tavares
Lorentz Dewar Grebenkin

Rielly Ekblad
McCabe Tanev
OEL Clarke
Benoit

Stolarz
Woll

Clarke, the 1rhd, playing on the 3rd pairing.