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31 Dec 2022 05:38:45
Since the Florida Panthers are 6 points away from a wild card playoff spot, they might sell their UFAs
To Leafs - Gudas
To Panthers - 4th round 2023 pick
1.) 31 Dec 2022 20:27:59
I'd do this. That's about all I'd pay for Guess though.
2.) 01 Jan 2023 02:21:28
Gouda’s would give the Leafs some toughness and physicality but who do you take out of the lineup?
Reilly?
Giordano?
Brodie?
Liljegren?
Sandin?
I don’t see another defenseman being as important as a left wing to play with Tavares and Marner.
3.) 01 Jan 2023 06:18:16
@WB I have to agree there.
Unless you're adding a true top 4 D, LW is the most pressing issue.
14 Dec 2022 21:24:41
To Leafs:
Horvat ($5.5M)
L Schen ($850K)
2nd round pick (2023)
To Canucks:
Kerfoot ($3.5M)
Niemela ($850K)
Robertson ($850K)
1st round pick (2023)
Leafs Playoff Lineup
Bunting-Matthews-Nylander
Knies-Tavares-Marner
Engvall-Horvat-Jankrok
AstonReese-Kfamp-Holmberg
Simmonds (sub)
Reilly-Brodie
Giordano-Schen
Sandin-Lilegren
Benn-Holl (subs)
Murray
Samanov
1.) 14 Dec 2022 23:04:11
Every time Robertson gets seriously injured, his value drops and it's not like he was on a tear prior. I would think Van isn't giving a 2nd back on this package. Remove that 2nd and I think you might be close.
2.) 14 Dec 2022 23:44:45
I would make that trade in a heartbeat but I am equally sure that the Canucks will want more than that for their captain.
Kerfoot, two “B” prospects and a 1st that will likely be between (26 - 32) just won’t get it done.
Also, playing an NCAA player (Knies) on the 2nd line and Horvat (a 20 goal scorer so far this year) on the 3rd line doesn’t make sense to me.
Especially as you have Horvat on the right wing when he is a left shot.
3.) 15 Dec 2022 13:05:53
I personally am NOT a fan of one year rentals.
Another star like Horvat is nice but certainly not necessary, nor is Kane.
There’s only so much ice time available and star players need and want 20+ minutes.
Maybe we should go back to 3 lines and 2 defence pairs lol! The problem is that is not sustainable in an 82-game season plus exhibition and playoffs.
Then we’d stay under the cap but have to feed the players with energy steroids daily.
Two or three depth players that are marginally better than our existing lineup at a lower cap hit is the formula that I propose. These players must have reasonable size (Vatrano is 5’11” 197 and can shoot the puck as well as anyone, a great add to L2LW), excellent speed (Athanasiou), heart and ability to add to scoring.
I’d definitely send Robertson to Chicago for Athanasiou and let Chicago take the risk. Give them a conditional player to be named later if he doesn’t play 50% of remaining games in 2022/ 23 when he comes out of IR (or 50% of next season) .
Malgin and Kral to Arizona for Christian Fischer or Nick Bjugstadt would be a very solid add.
On defense let’s get Schenn and a 3rd for Kerfoot, a Vancouver boy, and Abramov.
I think we are a better team.
Some of you might prefer 3 different players who add similar depth and purpose.
Which three players would you choose that aren’t the stars everyone is focused on?
4.) 15 Dec 2022 19:10:55
wasting Horvat with those 2.
14 Oct 2020 04:31:12
Leafs management isn’t done tinkering
They have a few trade chips like Kerfoot, Dermott, Rosen, and Korshkov to trade.
-? Joe Thornton isn’t an option, since Spezza at 37 y/ o is pushing things.
- A good trade (for both teams and players) is Sam Bennett, 3rd rounder from Flames to Leafs for Kerfoot, Dermott, 5th rounder
- Sign Gauthier to a two way $700K deal as insurance and a promise to play harder
- Sandin, Liljegren, Robertson don’t play (not going over games played) avoiding expansion draft.
MY ROSTER:
Hyman-Matthews-Nylander
Mikheyev-Tavares-Marner
Engvall-Bennett-Simmonds
Korshkov-Spezza-Barbanov
Reilly-Brodie
Muzzin-Bogosisn
Lehtenon-Holl
Andersen
Campbell.
1.) 14 Oct 2020 05:01:29
I agree we need an upgrade with 3rd line center. I b happy if they signed Brassard or Soderberg for 3rd line C. Bogs has no business being in the top 4. Maybe trade Kerfoot and Holl or Dermott. somehow get a top 4 defensive dman at worse Hamonic at best Savard.
2.) 14 Oct 2020 05:26:22
A promise to play harder? I love that statement lol.
I like Bennett. But all in all I would probably just keep Kerfoot.
3.) 14 Oct 2020 11:59:58
Sandin, Liljegren, and Robertson are all guaranteed not to be eligible for the expansion draft regardless how many games played this year. They are exempt because of the 2 year protection rule.
I’m going to begin by listing who was on the bottom 6 during the qualifier: Kapanen, Kerfoot, Spezza, Engvall, Robertson, Johnsson (one game), Clifford.
Clifford, Johnsson, Kapanen gone and Engvall remains to be seen. You’ve traded Kerfoot for Bennett, which is a bit of a wash, though I do like Bennett’s physical play for sure. We will also assume Robertson and Spezza are back.
I seriously hope we aren't counting on Vesey, Boyd, Andersen or Hallander to upgrade any of the players we had or have left on the bottom 6! That really only leaves Simmonds as replacing or upgrading someone and the rest, 2 spots, are downgrades.
Take Kerfoot out of the equation and all those guys listed above add up to what Nylander makes. Let that sink in for a moment - you are relying on HALF your forward lines on league min players. The top 6 has not been changed and yet, it was them mainly who failed to do what they are there for in the qualifier. As always, they get an endless free ride.
4.) 14 Oct 2020 12:36:35
I will also add, that this scenario assumes Mikheyev re-signs and is playing in the top 6. If he doesn’t return, then someone from the bottom six needs to be promoted and the depth gets further depleted.
Not good.
5.) 14 Oct 2020 13:29:58
I agree with a lot of that @hockeyluvr.
We need another top 6 forward who can play a heavier game like Hyman. This moves Mikheyev down to 3rd line. If we can move Kerfoot and sign a good faceoff guy like Huala for less than Kerfoot makes, than we can start to balance things out.
It is why I have Nylander in most of my trades and keep trying to get Weegar. Nylander has value, but we have enough of this type of player and he should get the best return based on player and contract combination. Get a good offensive prospect/ plus for Nylander and we are not having to protect that prospect. To get Weegar, Dermott and Holl become movable. As much as I like a lot of the moves so far, it is our top 6 that also needs work and we shouldn't be done on D. Lehtonen as the answer is risky as most KHL D-men do not transition well to the NHL game and ice size.
6.) 14 Oct 2020 17:30:01
@RLF. I wouldn’t be surprised one bit if you are eventually proven correct. After this year if Leafs don’t do well again, one of the big four is likely to be traded.
We can’t sit around and wait for Boston or Tampa to regress. In the meantime, Habs have taken extraordinary measures to improve, Senators have the best or second best pipeline depending how you view Rangers, Buffalo signed Hall and wants to compete before Eichel demands a trade, and though Detroit won’t be competitive until our four year window of contention is finished, now that they have Yzerman running the show, they will turn it around soon.
The Leafs have benefited (somewhat) from having three of the worst teams in the league in their division. That won’t be happening much longer. The competition from below is getting much better.
7.) 14 Oct 2020 17:37:57
Everyone saying a heavier forward is needed really befuddled me. I don't understand what good that does when the big 4 don't perform. Could have had tom Wilson beside Tavares and Marner, wouldn't have helped in that CBJ series.
Only 2 guys that showed up ready to compete were Reilly and Mathews (Muzzin as well but he got hurt) . You can't pay guys that much money if they need top linemates to perform well. At 10.9 Marner needs to drive play by himself. Same with Tavares. At 6.9 Nylander really just needs a better effort than we saw in that series.
Say what you want about the defence and goaltending needing to be better but at the end of the day, when half your cap is on 4 guys, they need to perform or you might as well give up. That's just the reality of it.
8.) 14 Oct 2020 19:04:11
Don't disagree with a lot of that LeafsLife.
A heavier player though like Hyman does all the hard work so that players with higher skill set can have more room as they are not the ones battling to free pucks, they are the ones picking up the loose pucks instead.
A more balanced heavier lineup allows these guys to do what they do best instead of doing the dirty work. It also wears on the other teams D more if they are getting hit everytime they touch the puck, like what happened to our D against Columbus.
Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Tavares grew up their whole life never needing to do any of this kind of work. Hyman etc did and still have to to survive and be useful.
All skill and no will has been pretty much shown not to be the answer.
9.) 14 Oct 2020 20:18:25
@LeafsLife
I am in full agreement with you here as well. Leafs absolutely need those guys to show up. Getting shut out in their own home in the first and last games of the Columbus series (the most important games of any series I might add), not to mention that awful game four that necessitated a miracle comeback, is nothing short of embarrassing. These guys need to score when it mattered. And they didn’t. It doesn’t matter how many goals they score during the regular season. If all teams have to do is clog up the neutral zone a bit and push our guys to the perimeter, we won’t score, which means we won’t win.
They need a change of culture in the locker room. Leafs are still not going to be playing an aggressive hard-nosed style of hockey, and that will be a major weakness in the playoffs yet again. Unless the whole team buys in, adding guys like Simmonds, Bogossian, and Vesey (who isn’t as physical as you would expect given his rather large body) won’t make a difference. Their efforts will be wasted same as Kadri’s were.
10.) 15 Oct 2020 03:56:22
I agree @RLF that Hyman is a valuable player. But once again, my argument is why do Marner and Tavares Need Hyman? Your making 30% of the cap between 2 players. If you can't drive play then you shouldn't be making that much money.
I'll inform MacKinnon he can chill when his team is destroyed by injuries. Or Mcdavid who finds some magic no matter who he is with. How about drais? Makes less than Marner by a lot but still got it done without the world's best player. I'll even throw Panarin in the mix. The guy drives a line no matter who he is with. Obviously better results from better players but the fact is the same. You make 3-4 as a middle six 20 goal guy. You make 7+ as a 30/ 70 kind of player. When we start talking 10+ you need to be driving play and winning games. Unless the core 4 play better you can bring in every grinder in the league and it won't help.
11.) 15 Oct 2020 14:47:01
As I said LL, I agree with most of what you were saying.
I am for moving one of the 4 to get a more balanced team. As for the other stars, they have performed better most of the time, but none of them have won anything either at this point even though they have put the team on their back at times.
Balance typically wins championships. Tbay figured it out. There are always guys who become big parts of championship teams during the playoffs, who are not the stars on the team.
I agree, you need your stars to step up, but you also need your Hyman, Kilorn etc guys to compliment. We do not have enough complimentary hard working players. On top of the top 4, we had Kerfoot, Kapanen, Johnsson, Engvall, Mikheyev for instance. They are all good skaters, but none are really physical or great at puck battles. Even with the current moves, we are still too much skate and not enough grind. imo That is the point I was making. Get more Hyman types and less Nylander/ Kerfoot/ etc types. I was not trying to disagree with you.
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31 Dec 2022 05:19:54
JVR is being shopped around
He isn’t JVR like he was with Leafs
May I suggest :
To Leafs - JVR (50% salary retained)
To Flyers - Wayne Simmonds & 4th round pick.
31 Dec 2022 05:01:42
Matthews is 6’3” and Bedard is 5’9”
Kerfoot and Muzzin are UFAs this summer, so untradeable. No way Coyotes do this trade when they can sign Matthews for nothing in a year.
Meanwhile how will Coyotes pay Matthews ($15M/ yr) in an NHL arena that seats only 5,000?
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