02 Jun 2023 01:40:16
Matthews in a sign & trade 6 yr x 14 million per season to LA for Clarke, Byfield, & a 1st & 3rd round pick in 2024.
Leafs sign Samsonov & Nylander to long term deals, & sign O'Reilly, Acciari, Domi, Bertuzzi,Perry, Schenn & Klingberg as UFA's.
Leafs trade Brodie & Jarncrock for futures & buyout Murray. Along with letting Bunting, Kampf & Kerfoot leave as free agents.
Tavares O'Reilly Marner
Bertuzzi Domi Nylander
Robertson Byfield Perry
Knies Acciari Lafferty
Reilly Schenn
McCabe Klingberg
Giordano Liljegren
Timmins
Niemela & Clarke as depth
Samsonov Woll
Bigger, nastier & still highly skilled.
02 Jun 2023 02:25:27
I don't think that team makes the playoffs.
02 Jun 2023 04:32:19
Horse sack i really like this prop. I think youve undersold Matthews though buddy, yes those are two top youngs from LA coming back but they aren’t selling out arenas like AM so id say LA throws in another high end propsect or a pair of high picks. Im not high on Robertson adding more than Jarnkrok would so I’d switch that out. Overall we retain the skill and get a heck of a lot tougher. Need an edge in the top 6 and I think domi gives you that and I think nylander could lift bertuzzi and domi to even better play. Good look.
03 Jun 2023 00:20:04
No not a President Trophy winning team but they make the playoffs, & they will go to war in the playoffs when it matters.
A mix of talent, size, grit & some nasty. Reilly, Domi, Bertuzzi, Perry, Byfield, Knies, Acciari, Schenn McCabe & Klingberg. Question would anybody in their right mind want to piss off this motley crew, or take liberties with the star players like Reilly, Nylander, Mariner, Tavares? O'Reilly can stand up for himself, but also a star player he plays the game the right way.
Domi, Bertuzzi & Perry on the same team & mix in some O'Reilly & McCabe, you want mayhem & some nasty. Along with a Knies that certainly adds size, & Acciari & Schenn both love to hit. Go ahead maul a Leafs star player lol. This is a team that if it came together as a team, would be an absolute nightmare to play against particularly in the playoffs. Opposition coaches playing the Leafs would utter 4 words to their players, as they point to the mug shots taped to the chalk board.
" Keep your head up "
& 4 more words those opposition coaches would use in the playoffs against the Leafs.
" Your going to war ".
One last question is this not a Leafs roster, that would match up against typically bigger Western Conference opposition in season & in a Cup final?
Bunting Matthews Mariner
Tavares O'Reilly Nylander.
VS
Tavares O'Reilly Mariner
Bertuzzi Domi Nylander
Could also go 3rd line
Robertson Byfield Knies
( Knies has the hockey IQ to play the off wing )
4th line
Lafferty Acciari Perry
Or
Knies Byfield Perry
An intimidating line based on size, but also has some skill. Byfield projected to be a top 6 forward.
Noteworthy Clarke obtained in the proposed trade has been compared to Doughty, lofty praise indeed but the he kid has a chance to be pretty good. Clarke is an offensive defenseman both playmaker & goal scorer, played just 9 games in 2022 / 2023 for the Kings. Along with 31 games for the Barrie Colts 2022 / 2023 season, with limited games impressive stats 23 goals & 38 assists for 61 points.
Clarke is just 20 years old projected to be in a top 4 role, on an NHL team much sooner than later. With injuries opportunities arise he would be in the mix on any team, too much upside for him not to be. Though it is the OHL level Clarke with 23 goals in 31 games, also that he's a defenseman is damn impressive.
4th line is then
Robertson Acciari Lafferty
Robertson moves up the line up in case of any injuries, & is on the 2nd PP unit.
03 Jun 2023 00:28:24
A huge NO to signing O’Reilly (too much money), Domi (questionable character), Bertuzzi (chronically injured), Perry (would have been a good idea 2 or 3 years ago), Klingberg (was an absolute bust in Anaheim) .
Kampf (at the right price) is an excellent 4th line center.
That team is likely to miss the playoffs!
03 Jun 2023 00:28:47
I would hold out my judgement on Robertson for now, plausible he is that sniper he was projected to be. Maybe spending sometime with superstar bro Jason in the off-season helps Nick. Another Dubas mistake cap related was sending Robertson down, after he clearly had made the team that was brutal.
03 Jun 2023 02:32:05
Look at guys like Duclair, Bennett & Reinhart cast aways from their original clubs, guys like Domi & Bertuzzi are also skilled maybe they flourish in a different environment and different leadership group. Before you right off such players look at how Evander Kane has revived his career in Edmonton, of course playing with highly skilled players. Or look at a guy like Eric Staal at 38 years old, maybe O'Reilly, Tavares, Perry & Gio still have some hockey left in them.
03 Jun 2023 03:39:59
O'rielly Is NOT a #1 Center on any team. I stopped looking at your post after I saw that so I can not comment on the rest . But did I really need to.
03 Jun 2023 14:02:23
Agreed O'Reilly is a # 2 C, however with Marner & Tavares as linemates the collective talent of the line makes it a non issue. Also in that O'Reilly is a two way player & strong on face offs as is Tavares, so puck possession #'s would be excellent particularly with Marner on the line. Marner also a very strong 2 way player, which offsets Tavares not being fleet of foot. Obviously there is already chemistry between Tavares & Marner, that was proven 2 years ago. Matthews & Marner should drive their own lines, Babcock was 100 percent correct. If Keefe stays I move on from the Leafs after 50 years as a fan, certainly not impressed with Treliving.
Coaching & management is extremely important Shannahan is no Yzerman, neither as a player or a hockey executive. Massive fail! The best available candidate for the Leafs GM was Stan Bowman, best available coach is Queenville. Both of whom the NHL will allow back into the league at some point, they were not culpable in what happened in Chicago they are human & imperfect as we all are.