Trades & Free Agency Thread: Off-season Edition

[Sypher04]

I'm not sure I agree with this premise. If you play cute hockey, and that's your game, we shouldn't fit round pegs into square holes. If they can be effective doing that... let them be. If Robertson is on your third line... he's not likely crashing the net, or finishing every check, nor should he be. He's a skilled kid, let him play his game.

You should however be responsible in your hockey, manage pucks well, and be defensively aware... at least score more goals as a group on the ice, than we have scored against us.

I agree we need some of that crashing the net, finishing checks on every line though... that even includes the top two lines... there should be some of that throughout the lineup really.

There is wiggle room here imo particularly when dealing with young players finding their roles in the NHL. If Robertson is on the path to being a top 6 player then sure this makes sense, if it becomes clear he’s not going to cut it as a top 6 then at that point I think he needs to cultivate the parts of his game that make him an effective bottom 6 player.

Or at least that’s how I see it.

Definitely not looking to fit square pegs into round holes but I think generally speaking a depth player that won’t do these things can often be replaced with one that will.

 

[weems]

To me, there are a few standout perplexing coaching situations we’ve seen here over the last number of years: (in no specific order)

1) we acquire players because they play the style we are looking for and once we integrate them into the team, in most instances, we have seen them lose or significantly lessened in those qualities we were targeting when we acquired them.

2) we have allowed all our lines to play cute hockey. Your top 2 lines get a certain amount of leeway because of their skill, but if you’re a bottom 6 player and you’re not finishing every check, managing pucks and crashing the net, why are you on the team? Why are we putting up with perimeter play from the half of our roster that should be playing rugged hockey. It’s not a choice. It should be more demanded from the top 6 as well

3) special teams. It doesn’t take high IQ to be an effective penalty killer. It’s all coaching and goaltending.

4) lack of strategy adjustments. The powerplay from March on is the poster child for this. I mean, was there any plan at all?

5) never ending line shuffling. I firmly believe your lines need to be more or less locked in by the trade deadline at the latest to allow them to build chemistry

6) inability to start on time / constantly playing down to opponents.

There's no way I'd buy that what we've seen out of this group work ethic wise/ overall intensity is the absolute most they can give.

I wouldn't say they're a group that routinely outworks their opponents. Many times we match the other teams intensity and work rate but we don't consistently outwork teams and sometimes don't have too because our gamebreakers are so good.

Over the last few years you'd see times where they'd either go thru a bad losing streak, lose a embarresing game or for example the Rielly game. The fans and media would really start to get negative and then BOOM, they'd show up and play this amazing team game with intensity right from puck drop. Go watch the LA Kings road game this season after losing a few games in a row. Boys showed up and played like maniacs and controlled the game from start to finish.

Hopefully Berube can get them to be more consistent in this area.

 

[Sypher04]

There's no way I'd buy that what we've seen out of this group work ethic wise/ overall intensity is the absolute most they can give.

I wouldn't say they're a group that routinely outworks their opponents. Many times we match the other teams intensity and work rate but we don't consistently outwork teams and sometimes don't have too because our gamebreakers are so good.

Over the last few years you'd see times where they'd either go thru a bad losing streak, lose a embarresing game or for the example the Rielly game. The fans and media would really start to get negative and then BOOM, they'd show up and play this amazing team game with intensity right from puck drop. Go watch the LA Kings road game this season after losing a few games in a row. Boys showed up and played like maniacs and controlled the game from start to finish.

They seem like a team that isn’t consistently motivated to perform. Which is definitely on the players foremost. But some of the team mentality is derived from the coaching. Paul Maurice and the Panthers are a great example of this on the positive side.

 

[Rare Jewel]

The McGroarty saga is over.

I would've done 23+ for him. Oh well.

 

[Gabriel426]

Those players are the Leafs horses, fans are the ones placing the bets.

I still think they are capable, but running back the same game plan, year after year, has been the problem.

There is evidence, within the past 1.5 years that minor, or even no changing of horses but changing the jockey was more important.

Don’t know about that as a three legged horse is still a three legged horse, lol.

Personally, I don’t think the mix is right.

 

[LiseL]

It's more to keep your options open. Sometimes a young player isn't 100% ready or needs more time. This is why we have Junior and the AHL, not to force them minutes they aren't ready for. Like Minten earned a shot last year but quickly looked overwhelmed. Gregor last year came in, looked pretty solid, and the Leafs got a pick for someone that didn't really stand out.

Someone like Kubalik isn't that far off from a 20 goal and 45 point campaign. Reached 30 goals before as well. In the right setting, maybe he gives the Leafs another shooting option through the season. This is why you do PTOs.

As a Sens fan, Kubalik wasn't used properly in the line-up. He's a finisher, Ottawa only has 3 playmakers on their roster: Batherson, Giroux and Stutzle. Kubalik never played with any of them and rarely got PP time. I know his attitude soured during the year, but I don't think his play in Ottawa reflects what he could be elsewhere if given proper linemates to match his skillset.

 

[Gabriel426]

Has anyone actually implied that the top 4 guys don’t shoulder the most blame? The failures of the core 4 don’t make other issues any less valid though.

I do ask the question, when all of your offensive players seemingly struggle to produce offense every single year which is more likely: that you just happened to be so unlucky to have drafted/acquired 4 top end players who all individually cannot elevate their games or that their struggles are at least somewhat a product of systemic issues with the team’s game?

I think whenever a team loses and perform below expectations, it needs to look at what happened and what’s need to improve.
We can throw all buzz words all we want but there must be a reason why players and teams improve while others don’t.
None of us are in the room so everything will be on the surface level.

However, there also come a time to just admit that the team and players are just not good enough.
The goal is to win the Cup and not get knock out in the second round. That should be the measuring stick, thus it doesn’t matter if Leafs lose to the eventual Champ or runner up in the 1st round, they need to beat these teams to win the Cup.

Personally, I don’t think our guys can play the Alpha role and lead the team to Cup. They are all Betas which is nothing wrong in itself but putting them together and hoping one of them will become Alpha is quite foolish.

 

[Americanadian]

I'd bet they'd match quite easily, 2.3M is only about 400-700k over what he'd sign on a "fair" deal. Anything under 3M is 100% a match, anything over 3M gets dicey the higher you go.

Now I want him to get offer sheeted so we can find out who's right. He most likely won't, but I stand by my statement that they wouldn't match. He's already made himself a headache on the team by demanding a trade. Why would they overpay him and turn down a (minor) asset?

Also, Robertson signing an offer sheet only to be matched and be "stuck" with the Leafs when he wants to be traded doesn't make much sense. It would need to be an overpayment like Broberg received. Robertson's camp likely would tell the offer sheet team to make a trade instead of offer sheeting.

There's 2 variables here: how long is the offer sheet and why does Robertson want out. If the offer sheet is 1 year I think he would take it without blinking. I believe he wants out so he can play more so he can prove himself and earn more in his career. If he received a 1 year 2.5M offer sheet he would immediately make more money next year than he would ever receive from the Leafs and he would be due a 2.5M QO. If he isn't worth the 2.5M QO prior to his age 24 season the Leafs probably walk away making him a UFA - granting him his freedom. If they do give him his QO then he's signed up for at least another 2.5M which is probably still more than he'd be making in 25-26 if he doesn't sign an offer sheet.

 

[Buds17]

McGroarty gets that clearer path to the NHL, while Winnipeg gets to turn back the clock ever so slightly for someone they'll hope is a prospect of similar quality. An interesting trade.

 

[aingefan]

Shocked there wasn’t more Dubas babble from the slag throwing gang given his trade for a probably NHL ready power forward with good upside.

 

[SprDaVE]

As a Sens fan, Kubalik wasn't used properly in the line-up. He's a finisher, Ottawa only has 3 playmakers on their roster: Batherson, Giroux and Stutzle. Kubalik never played with any of them and rarely got PP time. I know his attitude soured during the year, but I don't think his play in Ottawa reflects what he could be elsewhere if given proper linemates to match his skillset.

It's how I see it as well.

 

[Mess]

The McGroarty saga is over.

I would've done 23+ for him. Oh well.

I would have gone Nikki Bobby + for him but based on traded it appeared Winnipeg wanted and higher level prospect/player.

The newest top Winnipeg Jets prospect, Brayden Yager, will either play in the NHL or CHL this season Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff shares with The Athletic’s Murat Ates. Yager remains eligible for the NHL-CHL agreement by just four days – keeping him eligible to return to the Moose Jaw Warriors, where he won a WHL championship last season. Yager played a pivotal role in the ring-winning year, scoring a career-high 35 goals and 95 points in 57 regular-season games and 27 points in 20 playoff games. He’s lived up to his 14th-overall standing thus far, and will have now receive a chance to break into the next step as part of a new team.

 

[Mess]

Shocked there wasn’t more Dubas babble from the slag throwing gang given his trade for a probably NHL ready power forward with good upside.

for

#14 overall in 2023 entry draft traded for #14 overall in the 2022 entry draft.

FYI. Dubas traded away Leafs 1st in 2022 to dump Mrazek and 2023 for rental ROR so Toronto didn't have a 1st round drafted prospect to make this trade,

 

[Rare Jewel]

I would have gone Nikki Bobby + for him but based on traded it appeared Winnipeg wanted and higher level prospect/player.

Hence why 23+ would've been necessary for Toronto to have the best chance.

Good for WPG though, they got a good deal and a Western Canadian kid who shouldn't be bothered by Winnipeg in January, or at least he should be used to it.

 

[LeafSteel]

Shocked there wasn’t more Dubas babble from the slag throwing gang given his trade for a probably NHL ready power forward with good upside.

View attachment 902759

for

View attachment 902760

#14 overall in 2023 entry draft traded for #14 overall in the 2022 entry draft.

FYI. Dubas traded away Leafs 1st in 2022 to dump Mrazek and 2023 for rental ROR so Toronto didn't have a 1st round drafted prospect to make this trade,

Ask and thou shalt receive.

I wanted McGroarty, but as Mess has so efficiently shown, Dubas didn’t leave us in a position to make a play for him.

Contrary to the Dubasite sheeple, Dubas doesn’t live rent free in our heads. He’s someone else’s problem now.

Glad he’s gone but I cheer for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

 

[Menzinger]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1826756745215312200

Good I hope he bleeds them dry.

A dumb move to trade Ulmark before locking him up

 

[LeafSteel]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1826756745215312200

Good I hope he bleeds them dry.

A dumb move to trade Ulmark before locking him up

Uncharacteristic misstep by the Bruins here.

It sure would be nice to see the Bruins have to pay above market price for once.

Their value signings and jackpot draft are annoying as %uck….

 

[rumman]

""

Only Dubas would trade for a punk who demands having a NHL roster spot before even playing a minute in the NHL, I don’t know if Boy Wonder is more arrogant or idiot, but glad he’s not here ruining the Leafs, although Tre seems to have taken up that particular mantle………

 

[conFABulator]

Only Dubas would trade for a punk who demands having a NHL roster spot before even playing a minute in the NHL, I don’t know if Boy Wonder is more arrogant or idiot, but glad he’s not here ruining the Leafs, although Tre seems to have taken up that particular mantle………

Really? What is Tre doing that makes him similar to Dubas?

 

[LeafChief]

Kubalik on a PTO would interest me at this point. Ottawa is a joke franchise. Last year may have been an outlier.

Kubalik could have 20 goals in him in the right situation.

 

[rumman]

Really? What is Tre doing that makes him similar to Dubas?

Overpaying underperforming divas, happily continuing with the status quo with a roster than can’t get it done in the playoffs……..

 

[WTFMAN99]

Overpaying underperforming divas, happily continuing with the status quo with a roster than can’t get it done in the playoffs……..

If Marner won't waive his NMC, what do you want him to do?

 

[ACC1224]

If Marner won't waive his NMC, what do you want him to do?

Weep daily on a message board?

 

[rumman]

If Marner won't waive his NMC, what do you want him to do?

Not resign him at the very least………

 

[ULF_55]

Weep daily on a message board?

Stop worshipping the fallen god?

Don't buy his sweater?

Don't buy your 5 year old marner mouse skates?

Appreciate his last season with the team?

Cheer for the team regardless of players?