GDT: Trades & Free Agency

[Leafsfan74]

We've got to start building for 2025/26 Can't do a great deal until then.

I like Brad preserving some future.

Yep. I was all about going hard until this year.

Failing with that team last year convinced me without question that they will not win a Cup with this core intact. The off-season confirmed the organization won't change.

I have watched fully 3-4 games this year after decades of missing maybe the same number total. I generally just read the stats page.

We can always hold out hope come playoffs, especially as Brad went for particular types. Keefe spoke highly of the response from the team even though they lost to the Bruins. I agree with him 100% in this respect. If you can at least hold your own in the trenches, it means the world of difference. Reilly doing what he did was important.

All of the guys Brad has brought in outside of Klingberg at least will bring it. I was one of the few who stood by Reaves even during his "difficult time" as I know how important his qualities will be during playoffs.

 

[HolyCrap]

Glad the management finally agrees with us fans that this team needs much more before competing for the cup. That’s why today is a win. Let the team surprise us if they can and try to go as far as possible. We’re gonna be very lucky to get past the first round.

 

[TheGroceryStick]

Find a way to LTIP(layoff) Tavares next year.
spend big on a Dman.

Win the cup

 

[myleafs]

I don’t think it’s that he doesn’t believe in this core but this draft is defense heavy. People keep crying about not having a top pair dman. You gotta draft and develop one. I think he’s trying to give the core more years by not completely draining them of our top picks and prospects.

We will need Minten and Cowan and this years first rounder

Buffalo just picked up Byrum for Mittelstadt....you have to give to get.. If leafs were willing to trade Marner or Nylander when they had the chance Im pretty sure we could have landed a top pairing dman....vegas just got Hanifan...it happens.

 

[ToneDog]

Buffalo just picked up Byrum for Mittelstadt....you have to give to get.. If leafs were willing to trade Marner or Nylander when they had the chance Im pretty sure we could have landed a top pairing dman....vegas just got Hanifan...it happens.

Flyers picked up Drysdale for a prospect who did not want to play for them.

 

[francis246]

Team culture
Building from the net out
Their leaders are leaders
Skill AND will
Leaders leave something at the negotiation table but leave it all on the ice.

Yeah, I like that more than what we have.

I don’t think Pastrnak left anything at the table. It just looks like he did cause they don’t have a bunch of guys capable of being paid like him.
They are a hard working team, I’ll give them that. But they haven’t won a cup either

 

[Burnie97]

Late on this but agree with most people that this team either surprises us in the first round (unlikely) but we should just try and enjoy what we can the rest of the season without blowing assets (at least that happened).

Then you hope to God they can somehow retool in the off season and go for it down the road.

This core showed the other night they still dissapear in those games.

 

[francis246]

Buffalo just picked up Byrum for Mittelstadt....you have to give to get.. If leafs were willing to trade Marner or Nylander when they had the chance Im pretty sure we could have landed a top pairing dman....vegas just got Hanifan...it happens.

Bowen Is a third pairing defenseman. Hanifin is a 2nd pairing third pairing on Vegas. Even if we acquired either of those two they are on the 2nd pairing behind Rielly.
To get a legitimate top pairing RHD, you gotta draft one

 

[I am Canadian]

2026-2027

Knies - Matthews - Marner
Cowan - _______ - Nylander
Minten - Tavares [4M-5M] - Holmberg
_________ - ________ - ________

Rielly - _______

______ - Liljegren

Benoit - Niemela

 

[JEI]

He would’ve done more like the other top teams did if he thought they were good enough to challenge for a cup. But it sounds like you do. Good luck with that.

? The team has it's core locked in - it's now or never every year they are all here. I would have liked him to do more, yes. Would I have moved Cowen? No. I would have moved the 1st rounder for sure, depending on the deal.

He got sucked into contract year Willy who had never played as hard as that before he signed and never will again. That harsh reality is setting in for Tre.

You argued he "didn't believe in the core..and hopefully has the authority to change it".. he clearly believes and has the authority since he signed Nylander to an uber rich contract when they could have waited. Or are you arguing he's only allowed to sign these guys and not trade them because he's some sort of puppet?

 

[francis246]

Flyers picked up Drysdale for a prospect who did not want to play for them.

Drysdale I’m sorry is not a top pairing guy. He can barely even stay in the line up. He’s been injured every year since entering the league. He gets blown up on the forecheck. Too small

 

[LeafsFan89]

2026-2027

Knies - Matthews - Marner
Cowan - _______ - Nylander
Minten - Tavares [4M-5M] - Holmberg
_________ - ________ - ________

Rielly - _______

______ - Liljegren

Benoit - Niemela

Tbh, after seeing our captain the last 6 years, I don't really want him back. Time to move on from him and get someone younger, cheaper, and hungrier.

 

[Punch Drunk Loov]

I liked that we signed Kampf to 4 years to be a 4C and then we acquired another 4C at the deadline

 

[francis246]

You be the judge:

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I said this current regime. Sweeney has done shit all with this group. Outside of 2019, they’ve been pretty lacklustre

 

[Leafidelity]

Pretty annoyed with this deadline. This team is a lot more than a 4th line center and two 4-6 defensemen away from taking a run, and if you believe that to be true then why even bother moving out picks for expiring contracts?

 

[myleafs]

Imagine thinking 8 years ago we wouldn't even have a division title lmao. And no that gimmicky ass North Division bullshit didn't count

I would have taken it.....

 

[ToneDog]

Drysdale I’m sorry is not a top pairing guy. He can barely even stay in the line up. He’s been injured every year since entering the league. He gets blown up on the forecheck. Too small

You are not wrong but he is 21. He was knocked out by a hard Harkins hit. Hopefully he gets over the injury.

 

[All Mod Cons]

God. I love the passion. The crowd is alive too.

Jesus Christ could you imagine have a team like that now? I haven't seen 5% of that passion from a Leafs team in a decade. Man I wish hockey was still like that.

 

[HolyCrap]

Tbh, after seeing our captain the last 6 years, I don't really want him back. Time to move on from him and get someone younger, cheaper, and hungrier.

Came here to say that. Even if he came in for cheaper I just want to move on from him. He needs to pass on the C soon anyways.

 

[torontoblood]

Imagine thinking 8 years ago we wouldn't even have a division title lmao. And no that gimmicky ass North Division bullshit didn't count

And in 8 years of supposed contention, this era of the leafs only won a playoff round against a very good but tired and injured lightning team who were not as good as before-they lost 1/3 of their championship level defense in trades and free agency in the Summer of 2022 (Ryan mcdonagh was traded and Jan rutta signed with Pittsburgh ) they were running on fumes because they made deep runs to the finals during three straight years. We only beat the Weakest lightning team of their contending window, and the core four treated that first round series win as good as a cup win in their eyes.

And the leafs were lucky to eliminate Tampa. If bunting doesn’t injure cernak with a questionable hit in game 1, taking him out for the series and ending his. season, and if Hedman doesn’t miss the first two games( we lost game #1 , 7-3 but we won the next game, game # 2, 7-2 and in game# 2 tampa was missing both cernak and Herman) we probably lose another series in 7 games.

Let’s be honest here, this frustrating and disappointing Marner/Matthews/nylander era has been weak in the playoffs. They have proven nothing so far.

 

[ToneDog]

I said this current regime. Sweeney has done shit all with this group. Outside of 2019, they’ve been pretty lacklustre

Was thinking Neely who took over in 2007. Any success Shanny has had here is thanks to Matty. He has pretty much screwed everything else up. He was about to rehire Dubas. Tells me all I need to know.

And in 8 years of supposed contention, this era of the leafs only won a playoff round against a very good but tired and injured lightning team who wasn’t as good as before-they lost 1/3 of their championship level defense in trades and free agency in the Summer of 2022 (Ryan mcdonagh was traded and Jan rutta signed with Pittsburgh ) they were running on fumes because they made deep runs to the finals during three straight years. We only beat the Weakest lightning team of their contending window, and the core four treated it like a cup win lol.

And the leafs were lucky to eliminate Tampa. If bunting doesn’t injure cernak with a questionable hit in game 1, and if Hedman doesn’t miss the first two games( we lost game 1 , 7-3 but we won game 2, 7-2 ans in game 2 tampa was missing both cernak and Herman) we probably lose another series in 7 games.

I

They would have beaten us if they had gotten better goaltending from Vasi. Look at how many goals we scored in round #2. These guys make average goalies look like world beaters in the playoffs.

 

[All Mod Cons]

2026-2027

Knies - Matthews - Marner
Cowan - _______ - Nylander
Minten - Tavares [4M-5M] - Holmberg
_________ - ________ - ________

Rielly - _______

______ - Liljegren

Benoit - Niemela

Knies might not be best suited there. Cowan might not be ready. I don't think Minten or Holmberg are 3rd line players. I hope to f*** Tavares just walks. I don't think Liljegren lasts that long. I don't think Niemela sticks in the NHL.

And now we are left with Matthews, Marner, Nylander and Rielly which as a core still cannot get anything done. Back to square one again.

Everything else I agree with.

 

[francis246]

Was thinking Neely who took over in 2007. Any success Shanny has had here is thanks to Matty. He has pretty much screwed everything else up. He was about to rehire Dubas. Tells me all I need to know.

I don’t think Dubas was necessarily the problem. I think the combination of Shanahan and Dubas was the issue. They were not aligned. It also sounds like Shanahan kind of screwed the team on some decisions, IE Hyman. I don’t think Dubas was given the green light to sign Hyman to an 8 year deal. Which is why that extension didn’t happen.

I’m pretty sure Shanahan gave Dubas the green light to trade a first for Foligno instead of acquire Hall.

As a combo I think they made some boneheaded decisions.

 

[Gallagbi]

I don’t think Dubas was necessarily the problem. I think the combination of Shanahan and Dubas was the issue. They were not aligned. It also sounds like Shanahan kind of screwed the team on some decisions, IE Hyman. I don’t think Dubas was given the green light to sign Hyman to an 8 year deal. Which is why that extension didn’t happen.

I’m pretty sure Shanahan gave Dubas the green light to trade a first for Foligno instead of acquire Hall.

As a combo I think they made some boneheaded decisions.

I haven't heard anything along those lines for Hyman, so it seems like a stretch but maybe I missed it

 

[Legion34]

Knies. Matthews. Marner
Bert. Tavares. Nylander
Domi. Dewar. Jarnkrok
Holm. Kampf. Reeves

Rielly. Lub.
Brodie. McCabe
Edmonds Benoit/lilly?

Is that the plan?