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

[thusk]

He's only got 3 years left after this season, but you're correct about the price. Just getting them to retain that much would be expensive.... then you also pay for a top pairing defenseman on a sweetheart deal.

You're looking at a first and Cowan.... and likely quite a bit more.

Hes on the 3rd season of a 8 year deal... 8 - 3 1/2 = 4 1/2

 

[Dreakmur]

Hes on the 3rd season of a 8 year deal... 8 - 3 1/2 = 4 1/2

Oh, you're right.... Puckpedia cuts off after 4 years on my phone

 

[SprDaVE]

They retained 2M on McCabe for like 2.5 years

If you get them 3.75M retained...it's basically the only way they can move the contract. Apparently they really want to move the contract according to the Athletic article. Teams have called on him but the consensus was it'll take like 50% retained to get teams to actually give them something for him versus just giving him away.

3.75M retained isn't so bad....4.75M...we'd need to add a lot more, it would hurt a bit.

I'm just going by the article though.

That was 2 years ago (pre Bedard) at a much different time in their rebuild and it wasn't for 5 years. I just don't see it happening, but I've been wrong before.

 

[Kiwi]

I think we need to be proactive at this TDL and next off-season

Look at areas of weakness over the short to medium term then try to get solutions that fit those time frames

Assets need to go towards a permanent 3C if we're keeping Tavares as our 2C and Minten isn't ready
At least one scoring 3rd line winger, perhaps even a top 6W if Marner walks
A RD partner for Rielly

That's a pretty expensive little list I'd imagine

 

[Evilhomer]

The Leafs are going to resign Marner and Tavares. There is no point in debating it. This team is allergic to risk, so they won't let either guy walk.

 

[Rare Jewel]

Getting them to retain any legitimate amount of money for the length of that contract is going to be very hard. He's signed until 2030. The Leafs in particular would need them to retain at least 3M, on top of getting a dump. They are a team that wants to improve and they will probably start getting active, and thus will need all the cap space they can get. I just don't see it.

You might as well go for Karlsson at that point. Pittsburgh probably would be fine with retaining for 2 more seasons. They gain back 2 retention slots July 1st.

It could be a tricky one,

However, according to puckpedia they've got 37m in cap space for next season and $78m the year after. So, with the added growth of the 6-8m possibly, subtraction of Jones @ $6.5ish, that put them still around 40mish still for next year.

Domi's involvement would likely make the dependency on the retention of Jones more straightforward, but Tre probably does not have much interest in moving him. So, the likely makeway or dump from our end is likely to be Kampf.


Utterly spitballing, and I changed some names, but...

To Chi: Robertson, Minten, Neimela, Jarnkronk, 2nd '25 (Fla), conditional 1st '26 or '27 (based on playoff performance)

To Tor: Jones ($3m retained), Dickenson, 2nd '26 (Tor), Pridham


Flame away!!

 

[Taylor Halls Teeth]

He's only got 3 years left after this season, but you're correct about the price. Just getting them to retain that much would be expensive.... then you also pay for a top pairing defenseman on a sweetheart deal.

You're looking at a first and Cowan.... and likely quite a bit more.

And then you have a defenceman who was always more potential than actual. If you have to pay big assets that include paying to balance that big salary you need to have someone safer I think. As a UFA or trading an ugly longer term deal it back would work. Can't see paying all they have to add a question mark.

 

[thusk]

Jones is a top pair dman no doubt about it, he's just not a 9,5M dman that's pretty difference.

At 6- 6,5M... It would cost A LOT to get that quality of dman at this salary.

 

[Dreakmur]

Jones is a top pair dman no doubt about it, he's just not a 9,5M dman that's pretty difference.

At 6- 6,5M... It would cost A LOT to get that quality of dman at this salary.

He might be 9.5 with the cap raises…

 

[Legion34]

If the hawks want to retain on jones I say we do it.

 

[hamzarocks]

Coleman + Kadri@5M = 9.5M in

Kampf(2.4M) + Reeves(1.3M) + Cowan + 2026 1st + Minten + Danford out = 3.7M out

We take on 5.8M in capspace. Can we work that in this year with accrued caospace or no?

a top 9 with:

LW: Knies, Coleman, McMann
C; Auston Matthews, Tavares, Kadri
RW: Marner, Nylander, Domi

Is the best top 9 in leafs franchise history on paper. That is a 2023 VGK or 2024 FLR level elite offense that is deep and super hard to play again

Its a pipedream most likely with Kadri not being liked by Shanahan, the cap issues, and Treliving past with CGY

 

[torontoblood]

Seth Jones is a fine defenseman who can log big minutes.

He excels at both ends of the ice and can play in all situations.

He makes good decisions under pressure, he plays with poise.

He’s a smooth and fast skater.

He’s a right handed defenseman, very rare among blueliners.

His only flaw is his lack of physicality. He’s kind of soft despite his size. I wish he was more aggressive and intimidating. Maybe that’s just not his kind of game.


Overall he’s not a top 5 D in the league but definitely a top 20 one. He would be a great addition to the Leafs this season.

 

[Legion34]

Seth Jones is a fine defenseman who can log big minutes and play in all situations, his only flaw is his lack of physicality. He’s kind of soft despite his size.

McCabe and Jones used to play together

Rielly. Tanev
McCabe jones
OEL. Myers

would be great

 

[hamzarocks]

McCabe and Jones used to play together

Rielly. Tanev
McCabe jones
OEL. Myers

would be great

We need upgrades at 2C and 2LW more than D imo

Nylander and Tavares have little chemistry and get shut off easily in playoffs.

Need another top 6 level center who can be an option to play with 1 of the RWs

A top 6LW lets us have a true top 6 and not an old washed guy like Pacman playing higher than he should.

Id avoid Jones as he isnt a real need imo

 

[torontoblood]

McCabe and Jones used to play together

Rielly. Tanev
McCabe jones
OEL. Myers

would be great

I forgot the history, chemistry and familiarity he had with McCabe in Chicago. Good call.

We need upgrades at 2C and 2LW more than D imo

Nylander and Tavares have little chemistry and get shut off easily in playoffs.

Need another top 6 level center who can be an option to play with 1 of the RWs

A top 6LW lets us have a true top 6 and not an old washed guy like Pacman playing higher than he should.

Id avoid Jones as he isnt a real need imo

We need reinforcements in both areas(offense and defense).

Our most pressing needs are a 1st pairing defenseman with power play quarterback skills, a top 6 left winger and a top 9 centerman.

There is always room for improvement.

 

[darrylsittler27]

The Leafs are going to resign Marner and Tavares. There is no point in debating it. This team is allergic to risk, so they won't let either guy walk.

These aren't the only guys they need to resign. I.e Knies. The numbers don't work. Forget Tavares at 7 million or Marner at 14 mill. If they had offered that they would already have signed. If they lose first round big changes will occur.

 

[Americanadian]

I bounced around the idea in my head of reuniting a pair of brothers based on rumored deadline targets. I wouldn’t love acquiring so many 33+ players but it’s a fun exercise.

To STL: Minten, Reaves, Benning, 26 1st
To TOR: Schenn

To NSH: Domi, Benoit, 25 2nd
To TOR: Schenn, Jankowski

To SEA: Kampf, 25 3rd
To TOR: Tanev (50% retained)

Knies-Matthews-Marner
McMann-Tavares-Jarnkrok
Robertson/Pacioretty-Schenn-Nylander
Lorentz-Jankowski-Tanev
Holmberg

McCabe-Tanev
Rielly-Schenn
OEL-Myers
Timmins

This would be cap compliant with one of Holmberg/Pacioretty/Roberson not on the roster. If they get double retention on Tanev they can afford all 3.

I don’t like giving up this many futures for players on the precipice of falling off a cliff but this just proves it is possible.

 

[SprDaVE]

Seth Jones is a fine defenseman who can log big minutes.

He excels at both ends of the ice and can play in all situations.

He makes good decisions under pressure, he plays with poise.

He’s a smooth and fast skater.

He’s a right handed defenseman, very rare among blueliners.

His only flaw is his lack of physicality. He’s kind of soft despite his size. I wish he was more aggressive and intimidating. Maybe that’s just not his kind of game.


Overall he’s not a top 5 D in the league but definitely a top 20 one. He would be a great addition to the Leafs this season.

I will say that I don't think people understand he's not very good in his own end and has taken a lot of heat for that over the years. There's a reason why Columbus dumped him and now Chicago would like to shed him. But I do think he's talented and would definitely boost our skill and skating from the back end, which is needed quite a bit, but a lot of people won't like the way he plays defense around here.

 

[Zero1]

Based on the rumours it seems like Marner and the Leafs aren’t close on an extension. Why not just ask him to waive the NMC? Send him where he wants to go.

Leafs could probably get Dobson + out of the Islanders if Marner waived the NMC.

 

[Fogelhund]

Based on the rumours it seems like Marner and the Leafs aren’t close on an extension. Why not just ask him to waive the NMC? Send him where he wants to go.

Leafs could probably get Dobson + out of the Islanders if Marner waived the NMC.

Rumours are rather worthless.

 

[WTFMAN99]

 

[SprDaVE]

His first big trade and it might include Risto... Yeesh. I hope he gets it right. Laughton makes a lot of sense, I hope he switch back to center without issue, which I think is the goal here. Pro scouting better get this right.

 

[Torontonian]

These aren't the only guys they need to resign. I.e Knies. The numbers don't work. Forget Tavares at 7 million or Marner at 14 mill. If they had offered that they would already have signed. If they lose first round big changes will occur.

I personally think they need to get lower cap hits on Knies & JT and go for it all the next 3/4 years. I don't think they have enough balls to let a top 10 winger walk for nothing in FA, he's going to get his 13.25m / 8 years.

I personally think they bridge Knies, 3 years @ 5m, sign Tavares for 3 years @ 6m, or sign him for 6 years @ 4.5m to get the caphit lower.

Get rid of the deadweight for next season that's eating up cap, such as Kampf (replaced by Holmberg) / Reaves (replaced by Grebenkin) / Timmins (replaced by any depth ufa signing) / Jankrok (replaced by Steeves/Minten on wing) etc.

 

[Fogelhund]

A defensively weak winger who used to play C, who doesn't put up enough offense to justify the defensive weakness, and an "offensive D man", who doesn't really put up much offense, and up until this year, was a disaster defensively.

I mean... they'd be trades, that's for sure.

 

[WTFMAN99]

His first big trade and it might include Risto... Yeesh. I hope he gets it right. Laughton makes a lot of sense, I hope he switch back to center without issue, which I think is the goal here. Pro scouting better get this right.

A defensively weak winger who used to play C, who doesn't put up enough offense to justify the defensive weakness, and an "offensive D man", who doesn't really put up much offense, and up until this year, was a disaster defensively.

I mean... they'd be trades, that's for sure.

I think Torts saved Risto's career and this is coming from a guy that wouldn't even discuss Risto a couple years ago.

In terms of Laughton, 3C minutes...maybe Jarnkrok on RW, he can help defensively but won't provide much offense in the playoffs as we've seen. I tried this with Puckpedia below...is 3 transactions too many? I believe we did this many last year.