05 Jan 2024 13:30:33
What we could do with the Leafs going into the 2024-25 season if we don’t sign Willy.

UFA signings:
Tyler Bertuzzi 6M - 3 years
Sean Monoghan 3M - 2 years
Martin Jones 2M - 2 years
Matt Roy 4M - 4years
Tyler Myers - 3.5M - 1 year
Dillion Demelo 3.5M - 3 years
Jake DeBrusk 5M - 2 years
Joe Pavelski 3M - 1 year

Sign McMann and Benoit to 2 yr at 1.5M

Trade Jarny for Hathaway and this could be a non Willy lineup going into next season. Obviously all hypothetical but to give you an idea what our lineup could look like if we spread that money around instead of giving it to the guy that has to do every interview, shirtless. Here we go;

Knies Matthews Marner
Bertuzzi JT Debrusk
Minten Monoghan Pavelski
McMann Kampf Hathaway

Rielly Roy
McCabe Demelo
Benoit Myers

Woll
Jones

Would still be close to a couple $M under the cap. So Willy or no Willy? That is the question.

1.) 05 Jan 2024
05 Jan 2024 14:04:06
You know I kinda think some guys are gonna get overpaid in free agency with the cap jump I don’t mind your targets but it’s a loft ask to bring in that may new bodies.

2.) 05 Jan 2024
05 Jan 2024 14:53:05
@Goat the only two that aren’t getting an increase is Myers because he will be 34 and no one is going to pay him close to 6M again. Pavelski is making the same because he is going to be 40 but still producing at a PPG rate.
It is a lot of guys to add but that’s my point, is we could add this type of depth, solid D core and still have lots of scoring if we don’t give over 11M to another forward.

3.) 05 Jan 2024
05 Jan 2024 15:26:47
The problem is that we have a lot of guys to add whether Willy is traded or not signed. We could have less to add if Willy is traded as I would assume at least one or two NHLers would be coming back.

I would hope Tree is looking at moving some of the youngish guys that maybe aren't in the long term plans for different help. Like a Robertson for Peeke kind of trade.

I wouldn't count out Bogosian as a Leaf target this year if Minny continues to slide.

4.) 05 Jan 2024
05 Jan 2024 17:46:25
Peeke would be ok but we don’t have anyone to for the #1 RD spot. Brodie is not that guy anymore and Timmins is not a top pair or really even a 2nd pair guy. I say if you’re gonna do it add a couple assets and get a legit top pair D man that can eat minutes or there want be much of a difference in the back end.

5.) 05 Jan 2024
05 Jan 2024 18:09:53
At this point I don’t see them moving willy I think that’s past weather you like him or not he’s one of the best in the league I just think the leafs need to decide on if they want to keep all 3 of them like let’s be honest a team like Edmonton Colorado Vegas are all in the same boat as the leafs difference is they two of them won the damn thing but mcdavid up soon so is draisital nuge two those guys are all getting fat checks it’s just the media here has amplified this narrative in Toronto.

6.) 05 Jan 2024
05 Jan 2024 19:06:02
Goat. You actually showed why the Leafs shouldn't pay out. imo
Of the two teams that actually won the Cup, neither had anyone making more than $10M. Of the two that haven't won the Cup, Leafs have 3 over $10M and the Oilers have 1.
Oilers have Nurse making $9.25M while Colorado has Makar at $9M. No one is taking Nurse over Makar.

I wrote about this a while ago where top heavy teams are not winners. The teams with more balanced payrolls wind Cups. The closest to Toronto in salary structure right now, that is a top team, is Colorado and Florida. And that is only because McKinnon's new deal kicked in this year. No team, other than the Leafs, had multi $10M+ contracts on the books and the Leafs have had this for years.

Vegas, Boston, NYR, Carolina, LA. Add in teams like Winnipeg are more balanced.

We just have to look at salary structures of SC champions at the time they won over the past 7-8 years. No one was structured like the Leafs are. I know you know this, as we have all complained about what Dubas did.

IMO-If Draisaitl wants $12-14M and Edmonton is smart, they trade him next year at some point beacuse McDavid may get $15M+ Leafs should do the same with Willy. The haul they could get for him may be able to set them up better for now and the future than keeping him.

Vegas, Boston, NYR, Carolina, LA. Add in teams like Winnipeg are more balanced.

7.) 05 Jan 2024
05 Jan 2024 19:09:39
@Goat difference between us and Colorado/ Vegas/ NYR/ Bos is that they have their money spread around to D/ G as well as offence. That’s why we won’t be able to beat any one of these teams in a playoff round. Edm is similar to us and even with two of the best players in the world, they won’t go far. It’s a good debate and only time will tell what the right decision is. But I’m a big believer in putting money into D and G and building out from there. We are only paying Woll and Jones around 1.6M combined, in a couple years that number will be 6+. Again, all just my opinion but referring to past winners, I’d say you need a quality 7-8 D to go far in playoffs.

8.) 05 Jan 2024
05 Jan 2024 21:06:23
Sign Willy and trade him at the draft for a king’s ransom of picks and prospects. I’d reckon he would easily fetch a top 10 draft pick + a couple of high end prospects. The leafs need those to maintain success moving forward. A nice rotation of highly talented players on cheap contracts. Sign and trade. Just business, next question.

9.) 06 Jan 2024
06 Jan 2024 00:48:35
@RLF ? jinx.