[Rumour] Three Leafs on the block

[IBatch]

On 12/29/2019 at 8:12 PM, Elias Pettersson said:

I agree.  No way I trade any of our recent picks for rentals.  It would have to be for established NHL players who are young enough to blend in with the core and won't become UFA's for several more years or they are on great long term contracts like Miller.  Little Bertuzzi and Anthony Mantha would be 2 players I would consider trading some of our prospects for.  There are others but those are 2 that I really like.  Not saying we should trade anyone but it is obvious we have a big hole in our top 6 and I'm not sure Benning wants to wait several more years to fill it.  BO needs help now.

The only two prospects we gave Detroit would be interested for those guys is Podz and Hogs - and even then they'd want us to add high  pick(s).   Both are part of their next core and proving their mettle. 

[IBatch]

On 12/31/2019 at 1:49 AM, DeNiro said:

It would have to be Brandon Sutter to make the cap space and roster spots work.

 

My guess is they would not want to trade with us unless we really overpaid. Probably a 2nd rounder and a prospect like Lind or Hoglander.

 

We’re not in the position to be selling prospects for rentals. We’ll be getting Leivo and Ferland back for the playoff push anyways. Potentially even Tryamkin. We don’t have room.

Had to read way too many posts before this one really resonated (although others too made good points - got to pay to play - and those that brought up the cap too).   

 

JB made those comments before JV turned the jet engines on and scored at close to a PPG clip the past 15 or so games...Pearson is also a PPG the last 22-23ish games.   For JV he's just scratching his full potential now - maybe he's just being streaky and things will revert - or maybe not - but based on his actual minutes he's leading or close to leading the team in points per 60 5 x 5 and I'd bet he'd also get a boost with continued 2nd unit PP time - him and Myers have made it look pretty dangerous as of late.  

 

The point is our L side is packed right into UTICA...our weak right side doesn't look so bad at all anymore with JV - give the guy a permanent spot in the top six and if you want another top six player use the one we already have in Bear and move JV up to the top line, re-unite the Killer Bees and drop Pearson down and create a scoring third line. 

 

We have the guns.  Best offense in the division already based on games played.  Actually on pace to score more goals then all but one Sedin year - and even that is within striking distance.  Leivo out means more LE in the lineup so I get that the R side is thin.  But our L side and C positions are just fine.   So good that we can play Miller on the wing but still use him in the dot from time to time (60%...wow!). 

 

We need to re-sign JM and up JV, that's 4 million right there at least.   Unless actual roster players are going out to replace the salary going in this is a non-starter.   As far as Lind, Podz and Hogs go they should be absolutely untouchable - we will need their cheap ELCs desperately after next season to help pay for QH and EPs raises.  

[Gaudette Celly]

On 12/30/2019 at 6:08 PM, D-Money said:

I could see Benning packaging a decent pick/prospect with Baertschi for him. Part of it would be for Toffoli, and the other part for talking Sven’s cap hit next year.

Give them Baertschi and Lockwood with salary retained on Toffoli as they have the cap space.  Tyler can't expect $4.6mil on his next contract so perhaps we consider re-signing him.  He'd be a pretty decent rental, reuniting him with Pearson.

[D-Money]

21 minutes ago, Gaudette Celly said:

Give them Baertschi and Lockwood with salary retained on Toffoli as they have the cap space.  Tyler can't expect $4.6mil on his next contract so perhaps we consider re-signing him.  He'd be a pretty decent rental, reuniting him with Pearson.

No retention - that defeats the purpose.

[Gaudette Celly]

On 1/3/2020 at 11:58 AM, D-Money said:

No retention - that defeats the purpose.

LA retains.

[Phil_314]

i still wouldn't sleep on Det maybe taking Sven at TDL, they'll have $11 mil in cap by then and they're icing an awful lineup (Zadina's playing top 6 but I wonder if it's best to ease him into a winning culture instead of forcing tough minutes on him?  They also have Glendening, a 4th line checker, on 2nd line left wing.)

[oldnews]

No interest in Bracco. 

 

The idea that he'd have been a better fit on Horvat's line is odd - considering the role that line has been playing in the absence of Sutter and Beagle.. Bracco is an upside or bust type player imo, pads his production on the powerplay, isn't really a fit for a line that sees matchup duty on a regular basis.  I don't see another small, relatively one-way, skilled forward as a need - and if they're spending assets, I doubt they'd go that kind of route.

 

The Canucks have a better option imo in our own system in any event.

 

Lind is a better fit than Bracco.  Lind also has excellent vision, he too is an excellent playmaker, he skates well - but imo he has a better two-way game than Bracco - and he has more edge to his game - while being a very good transition, north-south player - all of which would make him a better, more versatile fit on Horvat's line. 

No need to go wasting assets on peripheral Leafs prospects approaching waiver status.

Lind is a homegrown, drafted and developing Canuck - the last thing the franchise needs to do, imo, is overlook or underestimate players like this in favour of shopping for lateral at best assets that other teams are shopping.  it sends the wrong message.   Lind gives you more versatility and flexibility - and he also give you more time.

With a lineup that is healthy and has it's shutdown forwards back, there could be an opportune time to give Lind a look in a relatively less matchup weighted context for Horvat's line - however, Eriksson's presence in the lineup isn't exactly holding the team back (and the team is in a tight race where experiments aren't necessarily at the top of their to-do list - so there is literally no urgency to call anyone up, or shop for marginal assets.   I think if they're serious about competing into the playoffs this year, they'd target a (relatively proven) replacement for Ferland, not an AHL tweener.  Not to mention Justin Bailey - who again, has also been more productive than Bracco this year - may not be a 'playmaker' but he brings size, skating, a great shot, and a lot more physicality - all things that could also fit well on a Horvat line.