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[Discussion] Button says Leafs should consider getting Edler


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Craig Button

TSN Director of Scouting

The Toronto Maple Leafs are a serious Stanley Cup contender - we can all agree on that.

But each season brings different opportunities. The key question for the Maple Leafs is "How do they maximize this season's opportunity without compromising the future?"

We're going to look at a couple of different scenarios with the biggest asset the Leafs have...cap space - almost $6 million at this point in time.

Where can we look at this team? We'll start on defence - a topic of conversation with Toronto for a very long time.

You can look at pending unrestricted free agent Alex Edler of the Vancouver Canucks - a big shot on the power play and plays the most significant minutes for any Vancouver defenceman. No one knows Detroit blueliners Niklas Kronwall better than former Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock. Both players have big playoff experience and Kronwall has a Stanley Cup on his resume.

Another player who might not come at a higher price is New Jersey's Ben Lovejoy, who won a Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016. He's that big, right-shot defenceman who can add some key minutes to the blue line.

Now we've also heard Babcock saying he wants heavier forwards who can grind it out, outside the dots.  Philadelphia Flyers winger Wayne Simmonds, a UFA next summer, is a great scoring presence on the power play and he plays a heavy game.

Micheal Ferland of the Carolina Hurricanes once played with Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan in Calgary. He contributes offensively and can create a lot of space for his linemates.  

With a manageable $2 million cap hit and one year left on his contract, Kings winger Trevor Lewis could be a real nice piece you can play in different spots in your lineup with two Stanley Cups as well.

So for the Toronto Maple Leafs, using this cap space will be very significant - especially with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner still on entry-level contracts and Jake Gardiner's future with the team still uncertain after this season. Maximize your position this year and you enhance your Stanley Cup chances.

 

 

If Edler would waive to go to the Leafs for their cup run what could we get back? 

Then re-sign Edler in the summer.

 

Edit:  Edler could be an integral part of the Leaf's run for the Cup. Hits, plays big minutes, and can play in any role. Although he would just be a rental I feel like a late 1st and a 2nd round pick or good defensive prospect would be about right.

 

Obviously the challenge would be to get Edler to waive and then the challenge of resigning him in the summer (which I think the Canucks should do).

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He'd certainly help out that defence. They still need a right side upgrade as well, but Edler-Zaitsev could make a solid pairing for them. 

 

But it would have to be a big payout, something like Sandin or Liljegren and a 2nd. 

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17 minutes ago, N7Nucks said:

Dunno if I wanna see Eagle in Toronto, but I dunno. Sure would be nice to snag one of their good young pieces and their 1st. Something tells me the deal would involve Gardiner and Brown or something stupid though.

If that was the case then a hard pass from me also.

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19 minutes ago, N7Nucks said:

Dunno if I wanna see Eagle in Toronto, but I dunno. Sure would be nice to snag one of their good young pieces and their 1st. Something tells me the deal would involve Gardiner and Brown or something stupid though.

The most accurate statement Button makes is this one:

Jake Gardiner's future with the team still uncertain after this season

 

The Leafs will keep him for their Cup run and have no interest in trading him. They will likely let him walk as a UFA in the off-season so they can afford to re-sign Matthews and Marner.

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5 minutes ago, Rick Blight said:

The most accurate statement Button makes is this one:

Jake Gardiner's future with the team still uncertain after this season

 

The Leafs will keep him for their Cup run and have no interest in trading him. They will likely let him walk as a UFA in the off-season so they can afford to re-sign Matthews and Marner.

Bad asset management. What a Dubas.  

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Edler to Toronto for the spring is good with me....I hear it is the nicest time to visit Toronto

We are not getting Liljegren out of there...or Kapanen

So, I figure a first + a conditional 3rd, if they reach the Eastern Conference Finals

You can't expect more than that for a rental, for 5 months

I would give him a 3 year deal, front end loaded, when came back, instead of a 2 year.....

Just our way of saying thanks for doing this. 3 X 4 M (includes a 6 million signing bonus)

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