24 Jan 2023 13:51:43
Something different.

Car
Kerfoot $3.5M
Gogolev ELC
2023 3rd OTT

Tor
Kotkaniemi $4.82M
Rees ELC
2023 1st

Carolina picks up Kerfoot for their bottom 6, who is on an expiring contract while moving Kotkaiemi and his long term deal. Gogolev is just a moving of contract and part of the deal so Leafs are not at the limit. Carolina moves down in this draft to move the contract. Opens up some more cap space for Carolina to make another move if they want to.

Leafs pick up a young C/LW that has underwhelmed compared to his draft status, but may still work out with the right situation. He could be a fit with JT and Marner/Nylander. He is a good size, has speed, not afraid to be physical and good on the dot, but not a big point producer. The risk is the contract at $4.8M for another 7 years. For that they swap their high 3rd pick for a late 1st and get a big upgrade in prospects from Gogolev to Rees, who is a high energy 21 year old C/W who could be a good mid 6 player in the future.

24 Jan 2023 15:16:02
@RLF. it's different. and ya upgrade on the prospects we are sending out. but i am not interested in that long term contract. he did not work out in Montreal and the Canes probly have buyer remorse. his numbers aren't good enough for me. maybe if we did not have 3 guys making over 10mil and Willy probly gonna come in close to that. would rather keep the cap space for them. if the top 6 had guys averaging between 5-6mil then maybe i think about this.

24 Jan 2023 17:24:44
@Loxley. At 22 years old, that is the gamble for both teams. Is he what he is now, or will he develop in the right situation. If he does develop, the team that has him probably has a value contract as the cap goes up. If he doesn't and ends up a 3rd line 30 pt a season guy, maybe a better version of Kampf, than $4.8M is gonna hurt. I will add that although Kotkaniemi doesn't fight often, he will and he is not bad at it. In every occasion, it is to defend a teammate. I like that about him.

I look at him as a guy the Leafs could use the rest of the season and if he fits they could keep him. He should be more offensively noticeable on the Leafs and maybe a guy they could flip in the off-season to a team like Chicago or maybe even Arz that are looking for young talent. Maybe the return id only a 3rd or maybe a 2nd at that point. Leafs would have still come out ahead because of the deal they made acquiring him. A gamble for sure, but one that could really pay off. I would seriously consider it if it were on the table.

24 Jan 2023 19:56:09
@RLF. i guess i just don't share your enthusiasm or optimism on what he could become. yes the potential is all there but if not that's a long time to have him. I agree if he does work out it's a great deal going forward. but again risky with a team that is always so tight up against the cap.

As for bottom six guys i'd rather go after a guy like Domi and/ or Laferty to fill out the bottom more. I know Domi gets mixed reviews but i think they'd boost the bottom six. they have had good years on a bad team.

24 Jan 2023 21:49:06
@Loxley. Probably because I really like McMann as well. Liked him last year and he was my pick for prospect to make the team. I think he will make a good 3rd liner who may be able to move up if needed. We also need a guy who can play centre and that isn't Bunting if he is resigned. Kotkaniemi plays centre already. He becomes Tavares replacement. I think he could be a Bennett light. Not quite as nasty as Bennett, but has an edge.
Like Bennett, I think he needs to go somewhere he isn't needed to be "the guy". I also like Rees and moving up to an extra 1st. Great assets to have. The two together should be enough to acquire a really good piece if that direction is needed.
Just my opinion, but Kotkaniemi I think could be a steal. Though the longer he is made to be what he isn't, the more his growth will be stalled.

25 Jan 2023 00:08:32
Kotkaniemi’s $4.8 x 7 makes this proposals a non starter.
Leafs are too tight to the cap to risk this money on a player who has shown next to nothing since being drafted 3rd overall in 2018.
Kotkaniemi has been in the league for 4+ years now and all indications are that he is no better than a 3rd line center.
I would much prefer the Leafs used that $4.8 million to resign Bunting.

25 Jan 2023 03:38:05
McMann was a good scorer in the |AHL as he was on the top line then they bring him up and put him on the 3rd line WHY. they do that all the time

Want him to succeed put him with other point producers. set him up to succeed not fail.

25 Jan 2023 14:25:01
You guys all make good points on Kotkaniemi. Yes he is in his 5th season, but that is because Montreal played him as an 18 year old. Not his fault Montreal did that. The guy is only 22 with 283 games under his belt. He averages 30+ points a season while only playing 12-14 mins a night for his career. That is actually solid numbers considering 36 of his 41 career goals are 5on5 (1 shorty) and 50 of his 66 assists. He has improved on the dot to become a very good faceoff man. He has cleaned up his defensive game alot. Still not great, but much better. Most 22 year old high end prospects were not great defensively at 22.

The $4.8M is really the only possible downside in my proposal and understand it is a big possible downside. Leafs are being paid to take him basically.

As for Bunting and giving him the money instead. I like Bunting. In reality, he is a very good 3rd liner talent who is getting to play with top tier guys and benefitting from it. He is pace for a lower season than last at 56 points. Kotkaniemi does not play with top tier guys, plays 2 mins less a game and on pace for 29 pts. Playing in the Leafs top 6 instead is at least worth 15-20 pts a season.
Lets also remember the later bloomers and guys that were misuesed that are now really good producing players. Marchment, Bennett, Verhaeghe, Duclair and that is just from Florida. How about Bunting? He was in the minors until he was 25 and not a full time NHLer until 26. Nobody on here thought he would be a top 6 player when he was in Arizona.

It is just my opinion of course, but Kotkaniemi is a perfect candidate to become a top 6 player in the right situation. We should all know better by now not to discount 22 year olds just because they haven't reached potential yet. Nor should we think 26 year olds from Russia who put up points in their first year are bonafide top 6 forwards (Kuzmenko) .

25 Jan 2023 17:55:35
@ RLF. does he play the wing? . i get all the potential and all but i don't think your comparison to Bunting is fair. You said Bunting was a late bloomer when he came to Leafs but i dunno that anyone expected him to slot in on top 2 lines and to as well. with his more rugged style and tenacity i would have been happy for a real good 3LW. but he has done well with Matthews. also the fact he was still signed for 2 years at under a million made it easy to swallow if he did not develop. again perfect 3LW. but you're talking about taking a chance on a guy making almost 5 times that. i know he is a little younger than bunting was but for me the issue is again the cap. if he can play LW and be better than Bunting then maybe he is his replacement. i really cringe at the idea of Bunting on a long term deal worth 4-5mil.

26 Jan 2023 00:04:12
Loxley. I said no one expected him to be a top 6, but he is a 3rd liner who has complimented Leafs big 4 well.
Why does Kotkaniemi have to play wing. You put him 3C this season. Next season he may be 2C if ready, like Fla did with Bennett and JT moves to the wing. Leafs would have McMann, Jarnkrok and hopefully Knies fighting for the other top 6 LW spot if Bunting wants more than $3M per. If Kotkaniemi isn't ready for 2C, Leafs still have at least 3 solid options for top 2 LW spots. Sign Timmins under $2M and he replaces Holl and Leafs likely to have Muzzin's LTIR.

26 Jan 2023 01:10:58
@RLF. ok. but regardless. Bunting was a nothing deal we lucked out on that he played well with top line. Kotkaniemi's cap is so much riskier. i asked about LW cause that is what we are trying to fill this year. now if he is moving to 2C then that would mean he is doing well. who knows if JT would move to wing. anyway my point was simply that people see his contract and our cap situation and worry. now if we are not bringing Bunting back next year then go for it. the rest of your deal is good for us. now i have to go. watching my Canes . lol. that's right, ya got me watching him now instead of watching the Leafs. i wonder if the Sharks are playing tonight?