Trades & Free Agency Thread: Off-season Edition

[Americanadian]

Can we guess which one is Carolina, Colorado, Toronto?

View attachment 893305

View attachment 893304
View attachment 893306

Capfriendly has Toronto listed as the highest income tax rate in the league. Does this mean you expect Toronto to pay more for every single player than they should be paid to play for any other team?

 

[Leafs87]

But the question isn't whether these are great solutions, it was whether they are better than last year's alternatives - no? Wasn't that your claim? That's assuming we agree last year's team was the worst Matthews era team we've iced.

On paper last years was better. Brodie and Sammy fell off a cliff yes, but we don’t know how OEL and Stolarz will do yet. Bert wasn’t replaced. Robertson is gone likely. Tanev was a decent addition sure.

 

[Peasy]

On paper last years was better. Brodie and Sammy fell off a cliff yes, but we don’t know how OEL and Stolarz will do yet. Bert wasn’t replaced. Robertson is gone likely. Tanev was a decent addition sure.

Brodie fell off during the playoffs the year before. There were rumours they were going to buy him out. The signs were there he was going to be shit last season. Was very predictable. And c'mon, did people seriously think samsonov was a legit 915sv% goalie lol? The guy was coming off losing the starting gig in the playoffs to a guy with like 20 career games.

 

[Fogelhund]

Leafs D on game one last year was.

Rielly Brodie
McCabe Klingberg
Gio Lilly.

Gio was toast... Brodie quickly became toast, and Klingberg was terrible.

Somehow people think that any combination of Rielly, Tanev, McCabe, Lilly, OEL, Benoit, Hakanpaa isn't a better D, in almost every way?

The forwards... well Bertuzzi, Gregor are gone, and Reaves likely doesn't start many games.
Robertson, Holmberg and McMann didn't start game one... maybe Robertson will be back... or another similar body comes back in a trade. Knies, Holmberg and McMann have a year under their belts... Maybe Cowan and Grebyonkin challenge for a spot. Minten started the year with the Leafs, but I'd guess time in the AHL is better for him.

I think the D will be quite a bit better this year, the forwards are likely as good as what started game one, and hopefully the coaching staff is better. I expected more changes, but I don't think this team on paper is any worse than last year, and is miles better in the D core. Nobody knows how this plays out, until the puck drops... and there are three months left, and there could still be changes.

 

[ToneDog]

Leafs D on game one last year was.

Rielly Brodie
McCabe Klingberg
Gio Lilly.

Gio was toast... Brodie quickly became toast, and Klingberg was terrible.

Somehow people think that any combination of Rielly, Tanev, McCabe, Lilly, OEL, Benoit, Hakanpaa isn't a better D, in almost every way?

The forwards... well Bertuzzi, Gregor are gone, and Reaves likely doesn't start many games.
Robertson, Holmberg and McMann didn't start game one... maybe Robertson will be back... or another similar body comes back in a trade. Knies, Holmberg and McMann have a year under their belts... Maybe Cowan and Grebyonkin challenge for a spot. Minten started the year with the Leafs, but I'd guess time in the AHL is better for him.

I think the D will be quite a bit better this year, the forwards are likely as good as what started game one, and hopefully the coaching staff is better. I expected more changes, but I don't think this team on paper is any worse than last year, and is miles better in the D core. Nobody knows how this plays out, until the puck drops... and there are three months left, and there could still be changes.

They invested $9.5m (AAV) in Tanev, OEL and Hak. It better be better than last year and it is. We just have to hope they do not fall off a cliff before Matty re-ups.

 

[Legion34]

They invested $9.5m (AAV) in Tanev, OEL and Hak. It better be better than last year and it is. We just have to hope they do not fall off a cliff before Matty re-ups.

Sure but last year they had 9.8 in Brodie. Gio and klingberg

 

[Apex Predator]

If the leafs trade Marner (I doubt it they’re running it back) which teams realistically can they trade with that either are good team or have cap space.

 

[Fogelhund]

If the leafs trade Marner (I doubt it they’re running it back) which teams realistically can they trade with that either are good team or have cap space.

NHL Teams by Salary Cap, NHL Contracts and Cap Hit | Puckpedia

Check out the cap space, latest contracts, injury news, and transactions for all NHL teams, including salaries, cap hits, buyouts, and draft picks on PuckPedia.

puckpedia.com

Teams cap space...

 

[Apex Predator]

NHL Teams by Salary Cap, NHL Contracts and Cap Hit | Puckpedia

Check out the cap space, latest contracts, injury news, and transactions for all NHL teams, including salaries, cap hits, buyouts, and draft picks on PuckPedia.

puckpedia.com

Teams cap space...

Utah and Los Angeles are the two that have the space to trade and sign him long term.

 

[Gallagbi]

On paper last years was better. Brodie and Sammy fell off a cliff yes, but we don’t know how OEL and Stolarz will do yet. Bert wasn’t replaced. Robertson is gone likely. Tanev was a decent addition sure.

While we don't know how our new additions will do, we have the following comparisons because we know EXACTLY what happened last year.

Sammy/Stolarz - Demoted goalie who has the 3rd worst save% of any goalie playing more than 25 games. His .890 sv% is lower than any NHL season by Stolarz
OEL/Kling - Played 14 games, added 5 points. LTIR from mid Nov onward. xGF% of 42% 5v5
Brodie/Tanev - 7th D for playoffs who gradually lost his spot throughout the year

Realistically I think we can all expect more in those 3 areas. I don't think a 20 goal season from Bert or the door offsets the above.

I found it odd how much term we committing to the aging D, but we're better on paper now than last year. Sadly so is most of the division

 

[Torontonian]

I think we’re pretty safe to say were about to ice the worst team in Matthews era next year

Worst team? I don't think so, Lost a top 9F and a 4th liner (if that). And gained a top pairing d-man (even if he's older, Tanev is a top pairing d-man). And a boarderline #4 d-man.

I think this team is going to become a lot more stale to watch though, I think gone are the days of heavy possession and east-west play and less risky pinches from our D, and more of get the puck in deep, go with speed, retrieve it and go to work and make the safer play from our D in the o-zone.

 

[Phion Keneuf]

LAK seems like a nice fit for Marner

 

[613Leafer]

Utah and Los Angeles are the two that have the space to trade and sign him long term.

Plenty of teams have space to sign him long-term - that's based on 2025-2026 and beyond caphits.

2024-2025 is harder to fit, but between us taking back contract(s) with decent caphits, and our ability to retain salary for the final season of his current contract (ie this season), there are a bunch of teams where he could fit. The main issue is his NMC which probably immediately narrows the list to like ~0-3, or at best 5ish, teams.

 

[Jozay]

Feel like the Leafs should've been all over Kiefer Sherwood. Signed for 1.5 in Vancouver. Nice contract

 

[Americanadian]

If the leafs trade Marner (I doubt it they’re running it back) which teams realistically can they trade with that either are good team or have cap space.

Dallas and VGK still make the most sense. Both would have to use a 3rd team (Anaheim or Chicago) to retain 50%. Both teams can afford to extend Marner and are no income tax states so in theory can sign Marner for cheaper.

 

[rumman]

You can't believe marner didn't find himself a new home, negotiate a new contract and let the Leafs know?

He'll be re-signed > Nylander Cap, but fewer years.

Your depressing me Ulf…….

 

[ULF_55]

Your depressing me Ulf…….

We all have a role to play.

 

[rumman]

On paper last years was better. Brodie and Sammy fell off a cliff yes, but we don’t know how OEL and Stolarz will do yet. Bert wasn’t replaced. Robertson is gone likely. Tanev was a decent addition sure.

Add Lilly, Gio, and Timmons as pretty much useless D men to Brodie…….

They invested $9.5m (AAV) in Tanev, OEL and Hak. It better be better than last year and it is. We just have to hope they do not fall off a cliff before Matty re-ups.

I’m thinking 34 bolts blaming the playoff failures on the supporting cast…….

 

[rumman]

Sure but last year they had 9.8 in Brodie. Gio and klingberg

Gio was around league minimum, Klingberg didn’t hurt the cap fur to injury, how’s that add up to 9.8mil?

We all have a role to play.

 

[Fogelhund]

Gio was around league minimum, Klingberg didn’t hurt the cap fur to injury, how’s that add up to 9.8mil?

Brodie $5 mil
Giordano $0.8 mil
Kling $4.15 mil

So actually it was $9.95 mil invested in those three D, at the start of the year... that Kling went on LTIR, is irrelevant to what the Leafs started out with.

By the way, the player's name is Timmins... like the city.

 

[aingefan]

If the leafs trade Marner (I doubt it they’re running it back) which teams realistically can they trade with that either are good team or have cap space.

Utah and Seattle are my favourites.
Utah has more space last I looked, but both have good players in the 5mil range who fit and at least one would have to be coming back you’d think.

 

[aingefan]

Brodie $5 mil
Giordano $0.8 mil
Kling $4.15 mil

So actually it was $9.95 mil invested in those three D, at the start of the year... that Kling went on LTIR, is irrelevant to what the Leafs started out with.

By the way, the player's name is Timmins... like the city.

How long before they move this guy to right wing.
It’s the off-season, it’s time for this kind of idea.
He took some reps there last year.
Move Calle, lineup Dewar-Kampf-Timmins, specialist line with two penalty killers and a PP option at the point or big dude in front of the net.

 

[conFABulator]

Even with a lot of issues last season, they finished with over 100 points.

As mentioned, only losing Bertuzzi and Samsonov isn't going to make or break the Leafs. They both had pretty terrible seasons with some good stretches. Leafs have made plenty of solid additions that should give them a good rounded team, along with some younger options hopefully taking a step up in production.

With that said, you just never know. Sometimes a team just falls flat and goes through big injuries. Look at NJD this past season. It would be a very Leafs thing to go through a rough patch without a 1st round pick.

I agree with all of this. You do never know and if things don't break our way we could have the worst season of the Matthews era.

I don't think it is "safe to say" that this will happen though and that was the wording I questioned.

 

[Fogelhund]

""

 

[conFABulator]

Yes I do. Just because last year was pretty bad too doesn’t make this year any better. We have gotten progressively worse on paper and less depth not better. Bertuzzi out is manageable as long as we get some rookie support but he was pretty decent in the playoffs. Tanev at 6 years is rough and OEL is really not what we needed. Up front there really is no additions on top of what was already weak depth wise. Woll in the starting role after a big injury from last year and the pressure of the world on him makes me very sceptical. Don’t get me wrong they could surprise, it’s just vastly dissspoainting to see this kind of offseason after our flaws were exposed for like the 6th time resulting in a first round exit. However close it was. This excuse can’t fly anymore. Games 1,2 and 4 were bad. We should be winning in 4/5 not rolling the dice on game 7 each year. We have 1 playoff round win to show for the Matthews era. This FA season wasn’t it.


Biggest add is an injury prone D man and an over the hill D man. Also got a guy who may not pass his physical. Forwards had very little change. Maybe Cowan replaces Bert but we likely lose some snot. Goalie tandem consists of 1 rookie who was great when healthy, but has struggled to remain healthy. Other goalie has never been a starter. This team shouldn’t have these question marks after last years first round exit. Forwards lack depth and grit.

You are entitled to your opinion, it's a discussion board after all. I questioned your wording that it was "safe to say" we would be the worst we have been in the Matthews era. Had you said, "I am worried that this is the weakest team we have had in years", I wouldn't have commented.

Now, on to your substance and opinion.

The term of Tanev's deal is a year 3 to 6 problem and not that term is not a reason to believe we will be worse THIS year. He has been healthy the part few years and may have been one of top D UFAs on the market he is a right shot and appears to be a good fit with Rielly. Apart from term, it's hard to not like this signing and term will be dealt with later (LTIR/Robidas).

OEL is NOT the type of dman we are looking for? A guy who can eat minutes and play in all situations and is a decent puck mover and could play on the PP? A guy coming off a resurgence of a year where he stepped in and stepped up into a big role for injured players to start the year...and then won a cup? A guy who could be a good partner and mentor for Liljegren? A guy who took a decent AAV?

As for Haakanpaa, it feels to me like we signed a guy that is either healthy or needs more recovery time. If it's the latter it feels like when an MLB team signs a guy recovering from Tommy John to a two year deal. Let him recover, it won't hurt the cap and then get a steal of a deal if he comes back healthy.

What group of six D have been stronger in the Matthews era?

You mention Cowan possibly being answer, he could be. So could Grebenkin or Minten, so could Knies, McMann, Holmberg or Robertson. Maybe Niemela on the back end? Or Woll or Hildeby?

Clearly this team is trying to create space for young players to step in and contribute while not taking a step back.

We might have the best goaltending we have had in years, the best D we have had in this era, and a F group that was second in goals in the league last year and only lost one 20-goal guy.