Trades & Free Agency Thread: 2024-2025 - Trade Deadline Approaches

[ULF_55]

I want more than that for that though

Retention over the next 3 years is expensive.

Maybe Leafs get a later round pick?

 

[supermann_98]

Hildebeast Cowan and a 1st for dobson?

Easily yes, I'd trade basically all our picks and prospects for Dobson, except when it comes to Knies it would have to be closer to a 1-for-1 deal. I'd hate to lose the only 'good' PWF we've drafted and developed since ..... probably Wendel, but for a #1D offensive minded RHD who's 6'4 and is a great skater, I'd have to do it.

 

[Warrior16]

Dobson + Pageau (50% retained) would be an unreal haul and set us up nicely. Would mean either Knies gone, and/or Cowan/Minten, '26 1st, ++, but one can dream!

 

[Stephen]

What do you consider long term?

I don't think 3 years is long term, although 4 seems too long for Tavares.

Tavares next contract is not a 35+ deal, so he could be bought out.

3-4 years feels long term when talking about guys who are currently in their mid 30s. Time becomes a wild card element where someone can be on top of their game one year and then a spare part in the blink of an eye.

 

[Stephen]

Dobson + Pageau (50% retained) would be an unreal haul and set us up nicely. Would mean either Knies gone, and/or Cowan/Minten, '26 1st, ++, but one can dream!

I dunno about that. It just means we paid all our futures and young assets and concentrated it into one Noah Dobson.

 

[ACC1224]

Just read on Spectors that some Islander fans are not so high on Dobson?
Now it was a post by a Habs fan, but is there any substance to it?

What is 'Spectors'?

 

[Stephen]

Just read on Spectors that some Islander fans are not so high on Dobson?
Now it was a post by a Habs fan, but is there any substance to it?

In a low volume trade, flat cap league, it’s probably a typical condition that every fanbase is kind of sick of their own players to some degree.

 

[Warrior16]

I dunno about that. It just means we paid all our futures and young assets and concentrated it into one Noah Dobson.

Agreed, definitely risky. At least you'd get Pageau for the extra year, and finally have a legit top pairing RHD, but at the cost of any of our good future peices we have left sadly. Worth it? Hard to say, but fits that Matthews timeline I guess.

 

[Stephen]

Agreed, definitely risky. At least you'd get Pageau for the extra year, and finally have a legit top pairing RHD, but at the cost of any of our good future peices we have left sadly. Worth it? Hard to say, but fits that Matthews timeline I guess.

I think the look of a Dobson in transition and at the top of the umbrella unleashing clap bombs would be a great finishing piece but at the cost of Knies, it hurts. Knies is developing a real nice power profile beside Matthews, giving us early days crash and bang Hyman style sidekick role. And guys like Minten can filter up and take a big jump in development potentially. Picks are picks. I don’t feel like Pageau is that big a difference maker.

 

[Dekes For Days]

All of those different ways involve getting good value for your cap dollars. Spending on wingers isn’t good value.

You can get very good value spending on elite wingers. Certainly much better value than mid-tier UFAs.

You’re a very poor tracker.

You just said it was excellent.

Wingers are the least impactful position.

Wingers can be extremely impactful, especially when they are top tier, two way, all situations players.

Point to the team that proves me wrong…

Barely any teams have had the opportunity in the first place, but Pittsburgh did it. Though I'm sure you'll find some arbitrary excuse to dismiss it.

We absolutely cannot have both.

We absolutely can have both. Especially with the cap skyrocketing.

 

[thewave]

You can get very good value spending on elite wingers. Certainly much better value than mid-tier UFAs.

You just said it was excellent.

Wingers can be extremely impactful, especially when they are top tier, two way, all situations players.

Barely any teams have had the opportunity in the first place, but Pittsburgh did it. Though I'm sure you'll find some arbitrary excuse to dismiss it.

We absolutely can have both. Especially with the cap skyrocketing.

Most wingers depend on a solid C.

Gotta move on from Marner.

We need a D or a good C.

Rantanen away from Mack. 2pts 6 games while Necas has 7pts in 6 games with Mack.

Wingers are failed Centers.

 

[Dekes For Days]

We need a D or a good C.

We have two good Cs. A few good defensemen too.

Wingers are failed Centers.

Lol no. Wingers can be very impactful players.

 

[Leaffan1991]

Dobson is available? Go hard for him.
Dobson 50 percent retained for Cowen 1st round pick, Hildeby, Timmins

McTavish
For another 1st round pick plus Minten plus Robertson plus Niemela

Knies Matthews Domi
McMann Tavares Marner
Pacioretty McTavish Nylander
Lorentz Kampf Dewar

McCabe Tanev
OEL Dobson
Rielly Myers

 

[The Podium]

With Matthews and Marner now doing the heavy lifting on the PK, it would be nice to target a 3C that can take on some of those minutes.

Noah Cates is more and more looking like the ideal target for this team.

 

[leafsfan5]

In a low volume trade, flat cap league, it’s probably a typical condition that every fanbase is kind of sick of their own players to some degree.

Yeah I mean objectively this is a 24 year old RHD who is 6'4 and just had a 70 point season (on an anemic team like NYI no less)

Fans will have their issues but he is a top pair guy, and can be a #1 RHD for the next decade

 

[ToneDog]

I think the look of a Dobson in transition and at the top of the umbrella unleashing clap bombs would be a great finishing piece but at the cost of Knies, it hurts. Knies is developing a real nice power profile beside Matthews, giving us early days crash and bang Hyman style sidekick role. And guys like Minten can filter up and take a big jump in development potentially. Picks are picks. I don’t feel like Pageau is that big a difference maker.

According to Tre, he looked at trading Nylander for a top dman and could not so his best option was to overpay Willie. Assuming Tre talked the Isles, it tells me you are not getting Dobson for Knies IMO.

 

[Stephen]

Yeah I mean objectively this is a 24 year old RHD who is 6'4 and just had a 70 point season (on an anemic team like NYI no less)

Fans will have their issues but he is a top pair guy, and can be a #1 RHD for the next decade

I have no problem with him, he can come in and anchor the blue for a long time for sure. But with the few assets we have on the wings I’m just not sure what we can afford to give up.

 

[Stephen]

According to Tre, he looked at trading Nylander for a top dman and could not so his best option was to overpay Willie. Assuming Tre talked the Isles, it tells me you are not getting Dobson for Knies IMO.

I doubt it would be a one for one, but my eyes are watering thinking about a Knies Minten/Cowan picks combination.

 

[leafsfan5]

I have no problem with him, he can come in and anchor the blue for a long time for sure. But with the few assets we have on the wings I’m just not sure what we can afford to give up.

I love Knies, but longterm getting a top pair RHD is more important than a top line powerforward. Especially when we have Matthews, Marner and Nylander up front

It'll open up a another hole but it closes a more important one

 

[Martin Skoula]

Dobson + Pageau (50% retained) would be an unreal haul and set us up nicely. Would mean either Knies gone, and/or Cowan/Minten, '26 1st, ++, but one can dream!

Lou let Towes go for a pair of 2nds, don’t get crazy now.

 

[Rare Jewel]

Dobson + Pageau (50% retained) would be an unreal haul and set us up nicely. Would mean either Knies gone, and/or Cowan/Minten, '26 1st, ++, but one can dream!

Knies + Danford + something that's not Cowen

for

Dobson + ??

 

[ToneDog]

I love Knies, but longterm getting a top pair RHD is more important than a top line powerforward. Especially when we have Matthews, Marner and Nylander up front

It'll open up a another hole but it closes a more important one

I rather sign and trade Marner (with some retention if needed) for Dobson and would add Rielly and Barzal to the deal.

 

[The Podium]

I rather sign and trade Marner (with some retention if needed) for Dobson and would add Rielly and Barzal to the deal.

Of course you would, that’s unrealistic

 

[Dreakmur]

You can get very good value spending on elite wingers. Certainly much better value than mid-tier UFAs.

In a vacuum, sure. In the context of building a winning roster, not so much.

You just said it was excellent.

You just quoted me saying it was poor.

Wingers can be extremely impactful, especially when they are top tier, two way, all situations players.

Again..... it's the least impactful position. You can dance around that fact all you want.

Barely any teams have had the opportunity in the first place, but Pittsburgh did it. Though I'm sure you'll find some arbitrary excuse to dismiss it.

Pittsburgh did not do it, which will make it easy to dismiss.

In 2009, their best players were Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, Sergei Gonchar, and MA Fleury. No wingers. Their best wingers were Bill Gueerin, Ruslan Fedotenko, and Chris Kunitz.

In 2016, their best players were Crosby, Malkin, Kris Letang, Phil Kessel, and Matt Murray. Just one winger among their most impactful players.

2017 would be your closest bet for roster composition, with Letang hurt and Guentzel emerging... but Guentzel was still on his ELC, so that eliminates them on the salary cap end of the comparison.

We absolutely can have both. Especially with the cap skyrocketing.

We cannot. The raising cap just means contracts raise with it. Having poorly invested cap commitments might get less detrimental over time, but they remain a burden.

 

[ITM]

Dobson is available? Go hard for him.
Dobson 50 percent retained for Cowen 1st round pick, Hildeby, Timmins

McTavish
For another 1st round pick plus Minten plus Robertson plus Niemela

Knies Matthews Domi
McMann Tavares Marner
Pacioretty McTavish Nylander
Lorentz Kampf Dewar

McCabe Tanev
OEL Dobson
Rielly Myers

I don't mind moving those assets/1sts in the least in those scenarios.

Would still like to see us acquire some sizeable, grittier support pieces. Ultimately, our Core Four has to be the lever by which any success happens...Or Stolly and Woll win in spite of them.