12 Jul 2022 01:04:16
*BREAKING* Matt Murray to Toronto with a 3rd Rounder next year and a 7th round pick in 2024 for Future Considerations. I wonder is he hurt or what cause they gave up some for ??????? so far
12 Jul 2022 01:16:10
The future consideration better be another team eating more of that contract. Murray is a backup at best right now.
So Dubas moves on from his mistake in Mrazek to gamble on a higher priced one in Murray. Not sure how this guy keeps his job if no other team is eating more of that contract.
12 Jul 2022 01:30:21
@RLF not just Dubas, why is Shanahan still president at this point?
Why not just sign Soup for 5/ ye if you were going with Murray for close to the same?
Well played by Ottawa. That's an unreal way to unload that contract for a 3rd and a 7th.
12 Jul 2022 01:32:34
Don’t like it… can only hope he bounces back.
12 Jul 2022 02:02:03
@LL. True enough. How they can make such a good move like the Mrazek or Ritchie deals just to make the same mistakes again, I am speechless.
12 Jul 2022 02:16:07
After all the talk going around today, I was expecting no more than a $3.125 cap hit.
@LL I don't know if signing Campbell would have been better at 5 years term. He really hasn't done anything to justify that contract and term. So in this case I'm okay with 2 years of Murray, just still in shock with AAV after everything I read today.
@RLF future considerations can mean another team eating more off that cap? I did not know this. I hope this is the case then.
Anyways, all we can do at this time is support our team and hope that Murray finds some of that old magic. I mean we haven't won a game 7 since? At least we have a SC champion. Looking at the positives.
12 Jul 2022 02:37:25
@Tags I wasn't really a fan of 5 years of Soul at his age either, but I'm happier with a 5x5 for Soup than a 2x4.7 for Murray.
12 Jul 2022 03:23:16
@Tagz. I don't think the future can be retention, but I am not sure. It was more a sarcastic take on how bad this deal looks. Now we have just over $5M left to sign Sandin, Engvall, a backup, 4th line centre at minimum to be anywhere close to as good as last year.
12 Jul 2022 03:33:07
@RLF I'm not even sure who replaces Mikheyev in this situation.
Sandin probably wants a top 6 role and around 1.5-2 million on a bridge, Engvall can easily ask for 2+ that leaves Dubas with 1 mil for a backup, a top 6 LW (Kerfoot doesn't exactly inspire me) and a backup.
I don't see a way out of this without moving Muzzin, Nylander or Marner.
12 Jul 2022 03:59:45
@RLF maybe this is the time for a Nylander trade to open up some more cap space.
12 Jul 2022 12:05:27
@Tagz. That is the most logical move and bring back a couple not as high profile NHL players and some cap space. Getting Blackwood, Zacha+ or something like Stolarz, Comtois+ (if the Ducks are even interested in him) .
I would do Stolarz, Comtois and 2 2nds for Willy. Use the extra $4M in cap space to get what else we need. I would feel better about Murray if a guy like Stolarz was there.
12 Jul 2022 13:46:22
Future considerations mean some other asset/ action in Ottawa’s favour.
How would another team get some benefit from a trade they were not involved in?
Toronto doesn’t need Ottawa’s permission to secure retention on Murray’s salary!
12 Jul 2022 14:05:55
So a lot is happening, very quickly.
In defence of Dubas, heaven forbid I go down this road, but I will.
No GM can predict the future with 100% clarity and often unpredicted and questionable moves happen because of new unforeseen events like the Fiala trade.
I’m sure Dubas tried hard since late June to resign Campbell (no I don’t have proof or insider knowledge, it just makes sense) but soon recognized he had botched it by not making it priority #1.
Consequently he lost any advantage he might have had. Following the draft he had only so much time to get an NHL goalie before free agency so he’s forced to do something he no doubt preferred not to do.
Was Gibson a better option? Not to me. What about Quick, not by my thinking.
But its done so now what are the options?
Well, for one we add to our strength which is goal scoring. We take a page from Edmonton of old and simply try to win every game 8-6.
Who cares about GAA, as long as we get a SV% slightly above .900 we will be fine.
Don’t give up Nylander’s offence, we will now need it more than ever.
Send Muzzin, Kerfoot, Holl and (dare I say it) TJ Brodie away and get busy in the free agent market.
No I don’t care who we get back. Get picks instead.
Sign Engvall, Sandin, Mikheyev, Lyubushkin, Dylan Strome, Andreas Atahanasiou, Sonny Milano and Buddy Robinson for his protection services (and replacement to Simmonds and Clifford) .
Lol, I’m done…for now!
12 Jul 2022 15:39:35
The future could have been the Leafs send a pick through Ottawa to another team for retention to conclude the deal.
Your 80's Edm plan and needing Nylander is the same thought Dubas seems to have had in the beginning and why we wasted our stars ELC years. Man I hope you were drinking when you posted this. lol.
12 Jul 2022 19:46:56
Interesting take on the future but not at all sure why Ottawa would broker that piece. Would/ should the Leafs not go directly to that team?
Don’t drink so was cold sober.
But it was just a thought based on where we are today!
I don’t like how Dubas handled it. Not at all!
I wrote a blog entry the other day saying it seemed the only good option left was to sign Campbell for 5 x $5m, more than I originally wanted but more reflective of the goalie market.
Still think, unless Murray does a 180, that we will have to win 8-6 so why not get the right horses!