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RandySears's Profile
RandySears's Posts and Other Poster's Replies To RandySears's Posts
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RandySears's rumours posts with other poster's replies to RandySears's rumours posts
22 Jun 2023 23:06:28
Things are quite slow right now; the calm before the storm.
Since Leafs have little tradable assets save Brodie, Robertson and perhaps Liligren it would seem signing UFAs is the better route.
Not sure if there’s any value in trading UFA rights of Kerfoot to the Canucks or Holl to Minnie for mid-round picks but those teams might be able to sign the before July1.
On the free agent market I’m not a fan of resigning ROR (exc. on a 1-year deal) . My 1st choice is likely everyone’s choice and that is Ivan Barbashev. It’ll take at least $4.5m and that’s where I put my focus, a $5x5 year deal.
On D, I’m also going to shoot big and try to lure Klinberg at a lower number but give him some term. $5m x 4 years.
Obviously we need some cap room so it’s mandatory to trade Murray and I’m also trading Brodie to Minnie who will lose both Klingberg and Dumba and will want an experienced replacement. Go after Rossi with a sweetener, perhaps Robertson.
What UFAs are you folks going after?
Bjugstad, Wood, Mayfield, Orlov, Graves, Soucy, Sundqvist, Erne, Fast?
1.) 23 Jun 2023 10:52:42
To the right team brodie is tradable. I think a partial cap dump in a trade with Calgary
Brodie, Nylander for lindholm+ pick.
They cam then trade brodie at the deadline for more assets.
2.) 23 Jun 2023 14:28:11
I doubt there is any value in Kerfoot or Holls rights.
Barbashev is not my choice, (can't speak for others), especially not at the price he would command.
Not interested in Klingberg. Again because of the cost (I don't know if he signs for $5M, last chance at a big payday) .
You got Klingberg signing at $5M and then Minny will trade for Brodie to get a $5M defenceman for one season. Why wouldn't Minny just offer Klingberg the $5M per over term and keep any assets they would have had to send to the Leafs?
Leafs need to find a D that is more affordable and possibly underused somewhere else. I had mention Mikkola, who should be had for likely half or less than the $5M offer to Klingberg.
3.) 23 Jun 2023 23:20:05
So what UFAs are you interested in?
What would you pay Barbashev?
We have 9 signed forwards including “the who-do-we-have” Robertson and McMann. Other than Kampf resigning I’m more than hesitant on the others.
Don’t see much on the trade front UNLESS one of the core goes.
Mikkola has very little offence but is a big boy and a good defender. I’ll pay Mayfield $3m or Soucy $2.75m before I give Mikkola $2.5m.
Minnie are getting thin on D and need a good defender which Klingberg is not and probably aren’t interested in giving the 4 years. Time will tell.
4.) 24 Jun 2023 03:10:42
Klingberg and Dumba, both of whom are so poor defensively, when Ryan Graves, Scott Mayfield, Brett Pesce and Noah Hanifin are all projected to be coming on the market?
Why pray tell?
19 Jun 2023 13:39:43
Been a while, had to change name from Rsears to full name.
But I have continued to read posts with interest and a lot of head-scratching.
Many posters are swinging for the fences and missing when a simple base-hit is needed. I’m having trouble understanding ideas like signing ROR for 5 years @ $3.5 when he’s so slow now let alone in 5 years OR trading 5 players for R. Josi OR trading for teams 1st round picks they do not have OR thinking injury prone Couturier is a good target OR thinking Nylander can be resigned for $8m.
There are many others I’ve omitted. Maybe it’s fun to dream!
So I’ll propose 3 simple ideas that you all can criticize and ridicule me for; I’m okay with that.
I read the Wild are interested in Holl and may have given up on Marco Rossi. I football teams who win the coin toss want to receive so send UFA rights of Holl with oft injured Robertson for Rossi.
The Caps are willing to retain on Mantha, perhaps buy him out or waive him. Why not trade A. Steeves (who didn’t get any call-up last year despite many opps) for Mantha with $2m retained. Caps get some room.
A s need to resign Devon Toews in one year and probably want to keep B. Byram so they also need cap space. Let’s send them one year of Brodie for S. Girard, an offence-first LD at $5m x 4 years remaining.
Have at it people.
1.) 19 Jun 2023 15:44:51
The first one. Why not if Minny will do it.
The second one, Mantha would still be $3.7M for a 3rd/ 4th liner who is a big man that isn't overly physical, he doesn't produce nor is he very good defensively. I had high hopes for Mantha when he was young, but I just don't think he likes it when it is tough. He liked dominating in junior, but found he had to work too hard to do it at the NHL level. Pass on him.
Why does Colorado want to send one of their top 4 D's that is cost controlled for 4 more years for one year of Brodie? I get they need cap space if they want to re-sign Toews, but Girard is a top 4 d-man on their team. They could do better than 1 year of Brodie I would think. From the Leafs side, do they need a small D-man that isn't that good defensively or even that good offensively?
2.) 19 Jun 2023 20:52:27
Okay, I’m happy with a response.
Johnny leaf! Happy to know I’m your buddy.
You’ve modified a few ideas but I don’t think NYR will move Fox, methinks Nylander gets a minimum of $9m (probably closer to $10m) but I do like Hayton. Not sure if the Caps want to move away from Wilson.
RLF, I also see Mantha not having reached what was expected. In 8 seasons he’s had 13 fights and a few injuries due to his fights. I do see him as someone who “flies-by” on his checks, but not as often as Engval so I’m fine with his physicality. Paired with Tavares and Nylander, something he did not have in Washington and Detroit, I would make the trade.
Yes Girard is small and perhaps defensively short but his offence I believe is above average for a Dman.
Thanks to both for the rebuttals.
3.) 20 Jun 2023 01:08:23
Big fan of Rossi.
Love the Minnesota deal if the Wild do.
Really do not want Mantha on the Leafs at any price.
Just can’t see Colorado/ Sakic doing that.
Maybe if Leafs were to add the #28 pick?
RandySears's banter posts with other poster's replies to RandySears's banter posts
13 Oct 2023 21:54:10
So what’s everyone’s take on the Reaves Xhekaj fight?
I’m not sure I saw the fight the way others saw it.
Everyone believes because Wifi put Reaves down he’s the winner. It’s not wrestling.
Xhekaj did give Reaves a chance to respond by not punching him from behind.
I thought Reaves responded great very early, stumbled after two throws that didn’t full connect and then stumbled. Xhekaj was able to get on top of him, wrestling him around and then pushing him back into the net. He may have thrown a glancing punch after Reaves skate hits the net and falls. Perhaps another glancing blow and the linesmen got between them.
I give it a split decision for Wifi, at best a draw but by no means was it the “licking” that I’m reading.
1.) 14 Oct 2023 01:10:32
It wasn't much of a fight, so how did anyone win? Anyone who says WiFi won is extremely biased.
2.) 14 Oct 2023 03:41:51
As RLF said, it wasn't really a fight. Wifi jumped him, Reaves responded, they wrestled to the ground.
01 Jul 2023 13:04:42
After non-QO RFAs, Leafs have only 9 Dmen signed for next year, 6 NHL and 3 AHL players so are in a world of hurt.
Four non-QO RFAs I like are Cal Foote (6.5 224 and 24yo), Simon Benoit (6.3 203 24yo), Libor Hayek (6.2 209 25yo) and Bide Wilde (6.3 195 23yo) . Except for Foote all good strong skaters with other attributes.
If Leafs unable to get a big name like Orlov, Klingberg, Graves, OEL in UFA market or Pesce, Hanifin or Zadorov in trade all would be good targets.
1.) 01 Jul 2023 19:46:53
Graves #1
Zadorov #2
I like all 4 non QO RFAs u mentioned and think Foote is the best of them while Wilde is a wildcard I’d take a change on. The other 2 are fine I’m just a bigger fan of the Foote Wilde.
24 Jun 2023 21:04:00
The legal case of sexual allegations against the 2018 Canadian Juniors was twice closed and re-opened last year.
The plaintiff has never filed a written statement.
I think we still operate under the presumption of innocent until proven guilty.
Honestly I’d like have the true facts but why not sign Alex Formenton to a league minimum salary and proceed until something happens.
If the case closes again due to lack of evidence we have ourselves a skilled speedster.
To all those who disagree please understand that others are playing today!
1.) 24 Jun 2023 22:10:46
I thought he was a good target last year he’s exactly the type of player the leafs could use big and fast.
2.) 25 Jun 2023 00:04:10
I'm on board with this.
Until details are released, investigation is concluded and someone is charged, I see no reason to hold it against any players involved.
3.) 25 Jun 2023 01:07:01
@Randy. if he would sign a league minimum contract i'm all for it. need to be creative when you have cap issues.
4.) 25 Jun 2023 14:22:21
I think the Senators still own his rights. No?
5.) 26 Jun 2023 13:42:29
The Senators do continue to own his rights so an offer sheet might be required.
6.) 26 Jun 2023 15:20:31
RSears. I thought Sens still did. The problem with an offer sheet is that it has to be something that the Sens won't match. What could the Leafs offer the Sens won't match? I would think they would just match a League minimum deal.
05 Jul 2023 21:23:45
I do like McBain’s size, grit and upside a lot! Think he will be a playoff performer.
Jukiharju is a top4 Dman, decent size and a very strong skater who is not shy.
Nadeau plays a strong 200’ game, does everything well but nothing elite. Good size, young but very much an average skater.
Brown is Brown, big and not an NHLer.
If Nylander can’t be signed I’d do the trade though I hate to make the Sabres offence any stronger!
05 Jul 2023 20:50:28
@ RLF
We don’t know that the Ducks won’t do it!
They do need a goaltender which will possibly require assets to obtain.
Mrazek was traded to Chicago with a 1st (25th) but Chicago had to give up a 2nd (38th) .
@Loxley
Just like NJD did with McLeod and Bastion the Ducks can sign and recover their not-wanted asset (or at least one they’ve given up on) .
Leafs get a reclamation project and get rid of Murray and his cap space.
Ducks get a goaltender.
It’s a trade that might work for both.
04 Jul 2023 22:45:34
I do know Comtois is a UFA, so pay him the money and you have him!
Roght?
But then you still have Murray.
Ducks might do the trade for Murray and Leafs won’t need to add a sweetener
That’s my point.
03 Jul 2023 22:21:58
What about getting Ducks to sign Comtois to $2mx3 and trade him to Leafs for Murray?
Seems they are ready to give him up they may feel it works for them.
I’d take a flyer on Comtois, big body, can skate and defend.
30 Jun 2023 23:35:38
Forget checking in on Puljujarvi; he just went through double hip surgery.
05 Jul 2023 21:03:04
Need to fix the cap before other adds are considered! Just my view.
I proposed this earlier but perhaps poorly explained a trade I’d definitely consider.
Assuming Murray is the odd one out, send him to the Ducks who have but one goalie under contract. They trade Max Comtois. Of course they would need to reacquire him just like NJD did with McLeod and Bastion after they were non-qualified.
Why would the Ducks do this? Well perhaps they dont want any of the other UFA goalies (too expensive or too old) and realize and other non-UFA goalie would cost them an asset.
By reacquiring Comtois they then get to use this asset otherwise viewed as not in their plans.
To trade Murray Leafs would need a sweetener like the Mrazek deal to Chicago when they added a 1st R pick #25. Chicago sent back a 2nd #38. No need for draft pick exchange as a sweetener on this trade. Comtois becomes the sweetener by reacquiring what was considered superfluous.
Now, the Ducks may not bite which is okay but the trade logic is solid.
Alas, we will never know! LOL.
26 Jun 2023 13:42:29
The Senators do continue to own his rights so an offer sheet might be required.
23 Jun 2023 12:03:28
Originally, the NHL Constitution granted each team an exclusive territorial right - a 50 mi radius from the city's corporate limits - and a team had an effective veto power over any move into its home territory. A team would have to negotiate and pay a territorial indemnification fee in order for a team to waive their "home territory" exclusive rights. The Isles paid $4M to the Rangers, the Devils paid a combined $12.5M to the Rangers/ Isles/ Flyers, and LA received half of Anaheim's $50M expansion fee (numbers all from memory) .
However, the league later adopted a new rule (Bylaw 36) which (on paper at least) removed the ability of a single team to veto a move - instead just requiring a majority vote of the BoG. That said, it is still VERY unlikely that a mjority of the BoG would approve a move unless the "home territory" team acquiesced and a territorial rights fee was paid.
22 Jun 2023 22:51:14
@WB
Pesce is under contract so Leafs would have to trade someone.
20 Jun 2023 13:05:42
A buyout is definitely “kinda silly”; in fact a stupid suggestion.
Brodie still has value and would be in demand for some team. His skills are waning so now is the time for a trade.
The Leafs can get something back now while a buyout or losing him in 24/ 25 yields nothing.
He has a M-NTC so that limits the options. LAK would benefit from Brodie’s declining skill set so shop him there or in Minnie.
I’m game!