24 May 2026 15:44:39
So of course this is again a wish list and not a reality post but it certainly would turn the page and set a different path if we went into full rebuild with a different cast over the next 4 to 5 years as draft picks and prospects develop but we also stay somewhat competitive as well.

First order of Business is to see if Seattle would take Reilly and his $7.5 in return for us of course sending him there along with our 2nd round pick this year #60 in return for Jani Nyman.

Next would be a trading of Matthews to L.A for Byfield, Brzustewicz and L.A's 1st round pick in 2027 (Non Protected).

Next after that would be Nylander to Dallas along with our best 2nd round pick in 2027 in return for Wyatt Johnston, Brett Seguin (If he can't play we get the LTIR and if he can play we have a solid 3rd liner for only one year at his salaary.This helps Dallas a ton with Salary Cap with $18.25 m going out and only $11.5 coming in. We also want their 1st round pick in 2027.

We then See if Philly would trade us back our Original 2027 1st round pick in return for this Dallas Pick and our other 2nd round pick in 2027.or the rights to Nick Robertson. Thier choice. This allows us to retain that 2027 original pick and then we have to give our 20281st pick to Boston unrotected.

Still more trades and transactions to do but overall we accompish the following with these 3 moves.

OUt- Reilly $7.5 Million
Matthews $13.25 "
Nylander $11.5 "

In- Nyman $891,000
Byfield $6.25 Million
Johnston $8.4 Million
Seguin $9.85 Million
Brzustewicz ELC

Then we have traded away OUr @nd from this year and both our 2nds from 2027 and the frist round pick from Dallas to Philly. But we end up with the above players L.A's 1st in 2027, Our !st round own pick back from Philly and now with the Colorado 1st rounder we got for Roy we have 3 first round picks. PLus we have $7 M in Extra Cap space. That is not even counting if Seguin did go on the LTIR.

Again this is just a start. We could look at a Knies deal Say he and Carlo for Frondell and Korchinski. With the 3 2027 picks if these trades happened take the chance to package them all to grab Landon Dupont. He is the reason we need to stock up on 2027 picks for the chance.

I know it is a pipe dream but I would love to see Frondell and Stenberg (If we draft him you defintely do the trade with Chicago to get Frondell) riding shotgun with Johnston and see what damage Ritchie riding shotgun with Byfield and the beast Nyman could do. Then you have J.T on the 3rd line finally possibly with Seguin and Cowan (Maybe easing Cowan into a centreman with the coaching of the 2 veterans. If he was healthy enough. If we did do a Knies deal for Ritchie and Aitcheson then you have Ritchie with Byfield. Either way with Cowan and either McKenna or Stenberg you would have a pretty entertaining team.

Defense gets better by adding Korchinski and Aitcheson then find a spot for Danford or Chadwick.

A team that is younger and faster with Hungry players.

1.) 24 May 2026
24 May 2026 15:06:26
Sorry ignore the Ritchie and Aitcheson portion. I was on the phone app and could not find that portion to delete out. The Knies Chicago for Frondell and Korchinski was the final deal. Ritchie and Aitcheson was another option. It would be nice to trade a guy to 2 teams though lol. With Chayka’s checkered background he could try if anyone could lol.

2.) 24 May 2026
24 May 2026 15:16:16
Why are you trading for everyone's pick next year. This year we have the deeper draft. So it's a hard no on most of those trades.

3.) 24 May 2026
24 May 2026 15:50:18
How much do you know about the 2027 draft, Hrenkin? It is actually considered to be deeper than this year's. DuPont doesn’t turn 17 until the end of this week, and most scouts and GMs would rank him now in this year's top 3, so he will certainly be going #1 next year. That's why you stockpile a year and 2 years ahead, especially when rebuilding.

4.) 24 May 2026
24 May 2026 16:04:55
I don’t get the Nylander trade. Wyatt would be awesome, but the second part sounds like a Nathan Horton all over again. I think Nylander is worth more than that. I don’t like the return for Matthews either. No from me as usual.

5.) 24 May 2026
24 May 2026 16:46:44
@ Leafs GM78

I know you are not a fan of the rebuild and moving those guys. But if we could these players would change the fibre of this team. This will upset the Matthew fans but truthfully as much as he was a goal scoring machine and who knows maybe rebounds a bit..... If I had to watch another game where I see this 6'-3" 215 lb man who is supposed to be the Captain, skate away from one more scrum without helping his teammate/teammates I swear I will puke. I know people will say that's not his game. He is the Captain....that is part of his game. Maybe not to fire fists but to impose his physicallity and pull guys out of that scrum. The team culture needs to change and it starts with the Captain. OK There I did my Sunday Vent.

What's wrong with the Nathan Horton situation? You are giving up a 2nd round pick to pick up a player you are aware might not play and you gain that LTIR if he doesn't. If he actually does he is a good productive player still when healthy.

They say he is actually progressing great after his surgery. As I said that salary would only be on our books for a year and he knows his next contract would only be a 2 year as a UFA at a range of near Tavares in the $4m range if we kept him. But taking him and that cap hiat to Dallas is the only way we pry Johnston from them In which case the rest of the Deal is Nylander for Johnston and a 1st. That is a pretty fair de

As far as the Matthews deal I feel it's fair. Their top young Forward who is getting better each year and is not afraid to lay the body, their top defensive if not top overall prospect in their organization in Brzustewicz and a 1st round pick. That's pretty much what Matthews is worth in the market right now. Especially with him being non-commital about staying. People keep talking about L. A being a good spot for Matthews but realistically this is the best they could probably offer. They have a very thin prospect depth group in their organization.

6.) 24 May 2026
24 May 2026 17:04:05
I'm not against a rebuild. I think it's premature, and I don’t understand what the benefit of an LTIR player would give us after shedding Nylander’s contract. Why not use the 2nd player for someone you know will play? Wyatt and Nylander are very comparable with each other, so it must be a personal preference to do this which is fine, but you ended it with helping Dallas financially, which I give zero you know what’s about.

I just don’t see the gain for name swapping other than preference.

7.) 24 May 2026
24 May 2026 17:57:56
Sorry, I guess I am just stupid. Seeing you say I know zero. A team is not prying Johnston or anyone of top talent from Dallas unless they have someone of substance coming and also finding a way for them to lessen their cap.

Just common sense that the whole league knows. Right now their burden is Seguin like ours is Reilly. One question for you though? When is a rebuild going to be not premature? When the value goes down on the players we trade away?