Trades & Free Agency Thread: Off-season Edition

[Skullz]

I would put together a package of Robertson and Minten as well as some other prospects and see if we can’t shake loose a young centre.

We have an absolutely gaping hole there, and it will only intensify as Tavares ages and his contract expires.

Yes I know Minten is a Center. But I don’t see much offence there. To me, he’s the type of player that can be found in FA, but other GM’s may value his compete and two way ability.

Either way, we need to do something at centre going forward. That’s why I harped at doing whatever it took to get Lindholm, which we didn’t do.

 

[Stephen]

Adam Boqvist signs in Florida for less than a million. Knew we should have been in on this.

 

[Dreakmur]

Adam Boqvist signs in Florida for less than a million. Knew we should have been in on this.

Signs where he’ll get a chance to play for a good team, and his brother is there.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Trade him then. Do something, anything. They can't even make a tough decision right now...

They are wasting Matthews' career by letting all-star assets walk for nothing if that happens.

He has a full NMC. He can't be traded unless he wants to be traded. The decision is his, not theirs.

Six years ago we paid too much for an all-star who has been called a guaranteed HOF player. He wasn't the type of player we needed, and his contract (and its repercussions) have wasted six years of Matthews' career.

The same player held out on signing until his contract ran out, and walked for nothing. The team he left is proof that letting a good player walk is not the end of the world.

 

[WillNy29]

Adam Boqvist signs in Florida for less than a million. Knew we should have been in on this.

then when he has a good breakout season and signs for a decent team friendly contract everyone is going to blame the tax boogeyman rather than the florida takes calculated risks on the bargain bin boogeyman

 

[Phion Keneuf]

I really hope we take a hard look at Frank Vatrano. I think he’s a perfect fit in our top 6.

Robertson+ should do the trick

 

[LaPlante94]

then when he has a good breakout season and signs for a decent team friendly contract everyone is going to blame the tax boogeyman rather than the florida takes calculated risks on the bargain bin boogeyman

Using a league minimum player praying for ice time to say the tax thing isn't real when Floridas 54 goal scorer and 94 point guy just signed for 8.6 mil. I don't care if it's taxes or not but there's obviously something wrong here when we'd have to give someone like Reinhart 10+ mil. Nylander close to Reinhart and we had to give him 11.5. If it's not taxes then our core is just greedy because they probably make more than everyone in the league off endorsements too.

 

[Puckstuff]

I think it’s possible the Leafs are close to done (aside from some smaller moves) and they wait for the trade deadline to upgrade the team in a significant way when more players become available.

The Leafs need a good #3 C and a #4 D that can eat minutes in the playoffs (not Liljegren until he shows other wise)

Right now they have Holmberg and Lilly as 3 C and # 4 D. So while those players aren’t elite in their roles, I think they are capable of being satisfactory in the regular season, so it allows them to be patient with a deal.

Once teams fall out of the playoffs, more quality players will become available.

June and July is for building your team through free agency. The trade deadline is known to get deals done for impact players via trade.

For example, a player like Adam Larsson (who would be a perfect #4 D upgrade on Liljegren) would likely only be available (potentially) if Seattle feels they can’t make the playoffs.

It’s the same with players like Boone Jenner, who might be a decent C to target, but again, he only becomes available (potentially) if Columbus doesn’t have a clear path to the playoffs.

The trade deadline is also a good time to get players with salary retention, so you can do more for less cap hits. I.e trade Liljegren + for Larsson at 50 %.

If you can trade for players with salary retention and you offload Liljegren + Kampf (5.4 m) we could potentially land two impact players instead of one.

Domi - Matthews - Nylander
McMann - Tavares - Marner
Knies - Jenner - Jarnkrok
Dewar - Holmberg - Reaves

Rielly - Tanev
OEL - Larsson
Benoit - McCabe

Woll
Stolarz

 

[LaPlante94]

Can Dewar play C full time? If he can I was wondering if they just move on from Kampf and have him as the 4C and maybe sign or give Blais a PTO and have an all out checking line Blais-Dewar-Reaves. Try and get another C for the 3rd line who can PK. If Dewar can't play C the just ignore. Just a thought.

 

[Dreakmur]

Can Dewar play C full time? If he can I was wondering if they just move on from Kampf and have him as the 4C and maybe sign or give Blais a PTO and have an all out checking line Blais-Dewar-Reaves. Try and get another C for the 3rd line who can PK. If Dewar can't play C the just ignore. Just a thought.

That’s great… who’s the new 3c and how did we acquire him?

 

[Legion34]

we also miss european tax standards applying to european players etc. this is way more complex than what some people are telling you. The CPA signed off on Brian Burke giving a lecture on reduction of taxes to the point that its negligible; not sure they would if he was lying.

There was an article in the athletic where an accountant with NHL clients did the exercise including euro players. Americans and Canadians.

It worked out basically the same after year 1 because Players find it hard to meet the restrictions.

Again. Why in your opinion. Are agents. GMs players accountants and wealth managers openly saying that the tax breaks in states are causing players to take less?

Are they lying?

Why are they all taking less? I showed examples of the top players in high and low tax markets signing over the past pre and post Covid. No state tax teams get them for about 11.5% of cap. High tax teams get 14%.

Why?

Also Burke went on national tv and said Matthews would go to the states because of the taxes here. So I’m not sure what he said there. But here is what he said. He also said stamkos makes more at 8.5 in Tampa than the 10 plus deal here

 

[WTFMAN99]

I wonder if we could do something around Holmberg, Timmins for Eller?

Dubas likes his guys, we need a centre, they have too many bottom 6 centres.

 

[Stephen]

I think it’s possible the Leafs are close to done (aside from some smaller moves) and they wait for the trade deadline to upgrade the team in a significant way when more players become available.

The Leafs need a good #3 C and a #4 D that can eat minutes in the playoffs (not Liljegren until he shows other wise)

Right now they have Holmberg and Lilly as 3 C and # 4 D. So while those players aren’t elite in their roles, I think they are capable of being satisfactory in the regular season, so it allows them to be patient with a deal.

Once teams fall out of the playoffs, more quality players will become available.

June and July is for building your team through free agency. The trade deadline is known to get deals done for impact players via trade.

For example, a player like Adam Larsson (who would be a perfect #4 D upgrade on Liljegren) would likely only be available (potentially) if Seattle feels they can’t make the playoffs.

It’s the same with players like Boone Jenner, who might be a decent C to target, but again, he only becomes available (potentially) if Columbus doesn’t have a clear path to the playoffs.

The trade deadline is also a good time to get players with salary retention, so you can do more for less cap hits. I.e trade Liljegren + for Larsson at 50 %.

If you can trade for players with salary retention and you offload Liljegren + Kampf (5.4 m) we could potentially land two impact players instead of one.

Domi - Matthews - Nylander
McMann - Tavares - Marner
Knies - Jenner - Jarnkrok
Dewar - Holmberg - Reaves

Rielly - Tanev
OEL - Larsson
Benoit - McCabe

Woll
Stolarz

Getting Larsson would be pretty good to build that redwood forest or defensemen. But I think we would need some cheap general purpose speed and scoring as well, like this years version of Anthony Duclair to rebalance the forward group. I wouldn’t mind getting Alex Nylander in at a prove me deal, say at 2 years and give the forward group some skill and upside.

 

[Tony Romo]

Marner for Jarvis/Necas + Drury.

f*** it!

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

As a Canes fan who for many years also followed the Leafs (not so much the last few years due to time constraints), I just don't see a Marner trade to Carolina working out, particularly if it involves assets such as Svechnikov, Nikishin or Jarvis. Don't get me wrong, I think Marner is an elite talent and would love to have him on Carolina, and it's not about value.

It's how the Canes front office operates. We now have many years of the team letting go/trading UFAs rather than paying them high dollar, long term deals. Aho and Slavin got extensions, but Slavin's isn't high dollar and Aho is a "face of the franchise" type guy and won't be paid as much as Marner's next deal. Both were drafted, developed and have been mainstays on the team for years so there's familiarity as well.

Giving up multiple years of control for guys like Svechnikov, Jarvis or Nikishin goes against the model they've been using for the last 6 years. Signing a guy like Marner to a very high dollar, long term deal goes against the model they've been using the last 6 years.

Some say that model is what leads to regular season success without winning the ultimate prize of the SC, and that may be true, but until they deviate from that model, I have doubts about a trade for a guy like Marner and his contract status. I've learned to never say never, but I'm skeptical unless it involves Necas and picks/lesser prospects, which makes no sense for Toronto and isn't fair value.

 

[WTFMAN99]

As a Canes fan who for many years also followed the Leafs (not so much the last few years due to time constraints), I just don't see a Marner trade to Carolina working out, particularly if it involves assets such as Svechnikov, Nikishin or Jarvis. Don't get me wrong, I think Marner is an elite talent and would love to have him on Carolina, and it's not about value.

It's how the Canes front office operates. We now have many years of the team letting go/trading UFAs rather than paying them high dollar, long term deals. Aho and Slavin got extensions, but Slavin's isn't high dollar and Aho is a "face of the franchise" type guy and won't be paid as much as Marner's next deal. Both were drafted, developed and have been mainstays on the team for years so there's familiarity as well.

Giving up multiple years of control for guys like Svechnikov, Jarvis or Nikishin goes against the model they've been using for the last 6 years. Signing a guy like Marner to a very high dollar, long term deal goes against the model they've been using the last 6 years.

Some say that model is what leads to regular season success without winning the ultimate prize of the SC, and that may be true, but until they deviate from that model, I have doubts about a trade for a guy like Marner and his contract status. I've learned to never say never, but I'm skeptical unless it involves Necas and picks/lesser prospects, which makes no sense for Toronto and isn't fair value.

Perfect world I would want Necas and Nikishin

World isn't perfect though, what's the best asset that you would put on top of Necas for Marner that would make you grit your teeth a bit but wouldn't outright hold up the deal?

 

[Legion34]

As a Canes fan who for many years also followed the Leafs (not so much the last few years due to time constraints), I just don't see a Marner trade to Carolina working out, particularly if it involves assets such as Svechnikov, Nikishin or Jarvis. Don't get me wrong, I think Marner is an elite talent and would love to have him on Carolina, and it's not about value.

It's how the Canes front office operates. We now have many years of the team letting go/trading UFAs rather than paying them high dollar, long term deals. Aho and Slavin got extensions, but Slavin's isn't high dollar and Aho is a "face of the franchise" type guy and won't be paid as much as Marner's next deal. Both were drafted, developed and have been mainstays on the team for years so there's familiarity as well.

Giving up multiple years of control for guys like Svechnikov, Jarvis or Nikishin goes against the model they've been using for the last 6 years. Signing a guy like Marner to a very high dollar, long term deal goes against the model they've been using the last 6 years.

Some say that model is what leads to regular season success without winning the ultimate prize of the SC, and that may be true, but until they deviate from that model, I have doubts about a trade for a guy like Marner and his contract status. I've learned to never say never, but I'm skeptical unless it involves Necas and picks/lesser prospects, which makes no sense for Toronto and isn't fair value.

I don’t disagree. I fail to see them signing him to a big ticket extension with signing bonuses.

I think most people would be thinking that he would be a 775k 100ish point player. Something around necas (he wants out) is what people are thinking I would guess.

 

[Brobust]

then when he has a good breakout season and signs for a decent team friendly contract everyone is going to blame the tax boogeyman rather than the florida takes calculated risks on the bargain bin boogeyman

We don't want Liljegren on the team, but we should sign Boqvist?

 

[Nineteen67]

Using a league minimum player praying for ice time to say the tax thing isn't real when Floridas 54 goal scorer and 94 point guy just signed for 8.6 mil. I don't care if it's taxes or not but there's obviously something wrong here when we'd have to give someone like Reinhart 10+ mil. Nylander close to Reinhart and we had to give him 11.5. If it's not taxes then our core is just greedy because they probably make more than everyone in the league off endorsements too.

Endorsements and investment because they are paid bonuses in July. Matthews got 15 million last week, likely taxed in the US, that he can invest now.

 

[SprDaVE]

He has a full NMC. He can't be traded unless he wants to be traded. The decision is his, not theirs.

Six years ago we paid too much for an all-star who has been called a guaranteed HOF player. He wasn't the type of player we needed, and his contract (and its repercussions) have wasted six years of Matthews' career.

The same player held out on signing until his contract ran out, and walked for nothing. The team he left is proof that letting a good player walk is not the end of the world.

The Leafs haven't asked him to waive or even made any sort of attempts to trade him. NMCs can be waived and are waived all the time. The decision has been completely mutual where Marner reportedly wants to stay and the Leafs want to keep him. This isn't on Marner at all.

 

[Skullz]

The Leafs haven't asked him to waive or even made any sort of attempts to trade him. NMCs can be waived and are waived all the time. The decision has been completely mutual where Marner reportedly wants to stay and the Leafs want to keep him. This isn't on Marner at all.

I equally share your frustration. I am beyond pissed at how things have played out here over the past couple years.

However, the time to trade Marner was last year, and that is solely on Shanahan, who called the core four immediately and told them that they won’t be traded. That was the window without the the NMC, where you groups obtain maximum value.

I would assume that the leafs have throughly gauged the market, and only haven’t approached Marner because nothing has been close.

Getting Larsson would be pretty good to build that redwood forest or defensemen. But I think we would need some cheap general purpose speed and scoring as well, like this years version of Anthony Duclair to rebalance the forward group. I wouldn’t mind getting Alex Nylander in at a prove me deal, say at 2 years and give the forward group some skill and upside.

Yup. I wish we’d make more low cost bets with potential high upside. Florida does it all the time.

 

[ACC1224]

I equally share your frustration. I am beyond pissed at how things have played out here over the past couple years.

However, the time to trade Marner was last year, and that is solely on Shanahan, who called the core four immediately and told them that they won’t be traded. That was the window without the the NMC, where you groups obtain maximum value.

I would assume that the leafs have throughly gauged the market, and only haven’t approached Marner because nothing has been close.


Yup. I wish we’d make more low cost bets with potential high upside. Florida does it all the time.

They've admitted to trying to move Nylander before re-signing him.

 

[Americanadian]

LA has plenty of cap space and a hole at C. Their current 3/4C are Turcotte/Lewis. Kampf would be a strong fit there. Kampf for Burroughs would make sense for both teams. Burroughs put up strong defensive results in 19:09 per game for SJ last year. He is signed for this year and next at 1.1M. He would be a strong fit next to OEL on the 3rd pair.

 

[SprDaVE]

I equally share your frustration. I am beyond pissed at how things have played out here over the past couple years.

However, the time to trade Marner was last year, and that is solely on Shanahan, who called the core four immediately and told them that they won’t be traded. That was the window without the the NMC, where you groups obtain maximum value.

I would assume that the leafs have throughly gauged the market, and only haven’t approached Marner because nothing has been close.

Some times are better than others and in hindsight last off-season was the time maybe, who knows, but excusing their current inactivity just because there's a few hurdles or like it's such an impossible task is blowing my mind. These are the executives we have in charge? It's not mid-July yet so we'll see though.

 

[Madap]

They've admitted to trying to move Nylander before re-signing him.

Where/when did they admit this? I’m on here pretty frequently but do not recall this at all.