08 Feb 2022 15:31:49
I don' throw out the "blockbuster" type often, but just felt like it today.

NJ
Nylander $6.96M
Ritchie $2.5M

Tor
Severson $4.16M
Mercer $.895M
Bastian $.825M

NJ picks up the most notable player in the deal by getting Nylander. A guys whose speed and skill should compliment Hischier well. They could try and re-sign Subban to take Severson's normal spot on the 2nd pair RD. They have to take Ritchie and his contract to get Nylander.

Leafs pick up a true 2nd pair RD on a good cap hit for another season. Mercer is a hard working C/RW that has 2 more seasons on his ELC deal. Leafs will play him with Tavares instead of at centre, but could become the C heir to Tavares. Bastian gives the Leafs what Ritchie was supposed to bring, but much cheaper. Save $3.58M in cap space.

Leafs then do my trade of Kerfoot to Nash for Trenin and Ingram saving another $2.775M in cap space. Now have $6.355M in cap space.

Bunting Matthews Marner
Mikheyev Tavares Mercer
Trenin Kampf Kase
Bastian Spezza Simmonds
Engvall(can slot in as needed to give Spezza and Simmonds a rest when needed of if someone is slumping)

Rielly Brodie
Muzzin Severson
Sandin Holl
Liljegren(slot in as needed)

Campbell
Mrazek
Ingram/Woll(minors)

1.) 08 Feb 2022
08 Feb 2022 18:42:13
I dunno about this one. dismantling 2/ 3 of the second line, losing a lot of chemistry and offense i dunno that Mikheyev plays the same game as Kerfott as in going in to get the puck to feed JT and Willy. dunno much about Mercer. Bastian does seem physical from what i have seen. I know Tenin is another one of your targets like Bastian is and ya bring them up a lot just like Bennett last year (who is having a good season or was, have not checked on him lately) but this might be too much. i think Severson is a good choice but don't see Dubas doing all this before or at trade deadline.

2.) 08 Feb 2022
08 Feb 2022 18:43:37
I really like these trades and yup sometimes it takes a little (I mean big) balls to pull off a deal that not only keeps our cap way lower to even add if needed but Mercer And Bastian (big boy, great battler) (which is always good being a hound) are great young players that carry their own special attributes.

Mercer could be a little faster and right now plays in a third pairing but he is creative (somewhat like Nylander is right now) but should also improve as he plays more and has a bigger role. Slapping him beside JT in Nylanders spot is perfect actually, even though we will lose on some scoring power from losing Nylander.

The other deal with Nashville is Trenin is okay as long as he doesn't Yakov (lol sorry couldn't resist) But I think he plays LW or RW and isn't afraid to stand up and throw them, and I always like that aspect, because once again it shows the battle. I really dig these trades and I didn't even talk about the main peice but Severson is a good add imo even if some don't like him because of his added nastiness he pulled against the last game, . Good young Defender who is only getting better. Plus it puts Holl on a 3rd pairing which is even better for him. and us! Good Targets man!

3.) 08 Feb 2022
08 Feb 2022 18:50:58
@RLF I really like the Nashville trade.
And I do like Severson as a target for top 4RD, but I don't want to trade Nylander, even if it means getting get of Ritchie in upur trade scenario. I would rather give up a 1st rounder, plus roster player and a B prospect (something along those lines) .

4.) 08 Feb 2022
08 Feb 2022 19:59:05
Tagz44 But losing Nylander also frees up the cap space where just giving a 1st rounder does not even keep us under the cap and I look at it as a real solid THREE targets for ONE because Ritchie ain't playing and we're just payin. Team added some ummph that are young and able to round this team out in a good direction still.

5.) 08 Feb 2022
08 Feb 2022 21:05:02
@Loxley. I have no delusions that it might happen. I only expect something like the Arz trade that Tagz brought up. Something like that I expect. This I don't. To me, with Matthews, Tavares, Marner, Mikheyev, Spezza and in this case Mercer, we have enough "skilled" guys. That is half the forward group. What we lack up front is guys that can contribute some offence, battle through in the playoffs and specifically guys with size to do it. Bastian has 9 goals playing 4th line minutes. Trenin has 10 playing 3rd line minutes. The Laefs have lots of "skilled" guys in the system. They have little else in the system. As for Bennett, he has 21 goals this season and has been close to a point per game player since joining Florida. I get the odd one right:)

@Thatguy. I agree with a lot of what you said. It seems some are forgetting the extra $6.3M in cap space and none of our draft picks or prospects have been moved yet if they want to load up this year still. Leafs get younger and bigger without losing one pick or prospect AND have cap space to re-sign Campbell etc. If they move Mrazek in the off-season, even more cap space to add a piece and lose nothing of value of the this roster.

@Tagz. Totally understand that. I would move Nylander under the right circumstances. That is just me. I honestly don't get the infatuation of Kerfoot by many either. Kerfoot is replaceable by cheaper imo. We all see things differently though.

6.) 08 Feb 2022
08 Feb 2022 21:23:57
@Thatguy I get the cap space savings, but we can do that other ways.
I like the Nashville trade and prefer to add the Arizona trade which was proposed before. Those trades gain us $4.675M in cap space without giving up our 3rd best forward and messing with the chemistry of that line. We gain toughness up front with Trenin and also on the back end with Lyubushkin and also get rid of the majority of Ritchie's AAV.
Once those 2 pieces have been added, Dubas can add accordingly depending on what he believes we need at the TDL (more than likely a top 4RD, but possinly going for a top 6LW) .
This trade gives us 2 solid targets, while still keeping the 3rd and best solid target in Nylander and still gaining cap space.

7.) 08 Feb 2022
08 Feb 2022 22:43:03
I like it.

Something needs to be done with that second line. It isn't working out.

8.) 09 Feb 2022
09 Feb 2022 00:52:48
I am not usually a fan of blockbuster trades but I like this one and I think NJ would like it too.
A chance to pair Hughes or Hischier withNylander would be very tempting for the Devils.
Leafs get the 2nd pairing RHD they need, Dubas gets to fix his first round draft mistake (Amirov), while Leafs get some toughness that can actually play hockey (my apologies to Simmons and Clifford) .

9.) 09 Feb 2022
09 Feb 2022 02:16:57
@RLF. i might go take a look at this on cap friendly. might be coming around to it after further looking into it. i get we will probly have to move one of the big 4 at some point. I was right there with ya last year on Bennett so can't see these new names being bad choices. i just am not familiar with them. i like Seversson and Bastian (now that i have seen him play) and i do remember hearing Trenin's name a lot by the announcers in the few Preds games i have seen. i have not been a big Kerfoot fan at all till this year really, putting up good number but his cap will have to go. he also seems to be a good team player, hate to lose that. you might have something especially if we add Lyubushkin to the mix.

10.) 09 Feb 2022
09 Feb 2022 02:32:15
@RLF. maybe the Jersey trade happens next year if we don't do well in playoffs. also what did you do with Dermott? Just played around with cap friendly and we would have just over $7mil. without Dermott

also do you think Kerfoot alone gets us 2 prospects? doesn't seem like enough.

11.) 09 Feb 2022
09 Feb 2022 12:50:46
@Loxley. In all honesty, I forgot about Dermott. lol
He could be a piece in a package to acquire another rental forward for a playoff run. That clears more cap for next season.

When I look at Trenin and Ingram. Neither are "young" prospects. 25 and 24 respectively. Ingram is their 3rd string now and moving forward, so not much value there. Kerfoot should have more value than Trenin and Poile likes to make trades to load up. Ingram is not on the roster, so he upgrades from Trenin to Kerfoot on the roster. Poile does like to make a splash when he can. He is not afraid to pull the trigger on trades. Maybe Kerfoot isn't enough.

12.) 14 Feb 2022
14 Feb 2022 16:44:31
The Leafs cannot afford to toss away Kerfoot. He has a lot of value in the lineup. He is having a great season with excellent Chemistry on JT Nylander line.