04 Apr 2018 09:26:18
Leafs trade Gardiner

Devils 1st rounder 2018

Dear FT4A STINKS & RANDY

Lets look at leafs nest year what do they have and need. Toronto has 3 top end players that are just scratching surface. We can expect more impact from these three year in and year out that will only make team stronger by a large margin

Matthews
Marner
Nylander

All 21 or younger with unlimited potential.

The next two we really don't know how much impact they can have but seem to have potential to be high end players

Kapanan
Johnsson

These two move higher in lineup next year and I expect 20 goals plus from both of them.

Then you have 4 solid lunch bucket guys who can contribute plenty of offence and are very steady

Marleau
Kadri
Hyman
Brown

That's a impressive top 9 forwards

So what is next

The next leaf rookie to make the forward group out of camp next year will be

Carl Grundstrom

Similar player to Komarov hits everything in sight and good defensively but with much more offensive upside than Komarov.

So what do leafs need? They need three pieces plus a cheap 4th line center. The center they could fill with Antonen. But it's minor problem and gets resolved easily.


So upfront leafs need two wingers. I'm already giving the third Line center position to Nylander. Let him be the middle of a powerful third line next season.

So leafs will add two wingers. Babcock and Lou know what type of wingers really push this team to next level. So weather they are long term commitments or two short term guys this summer they are here .

These two wingers will bring the team to a higher level and fill any holes that Babcock and Lou feel need to be addressed in a flat out Stanley cup chase.

With solid goaltending the leafs have only one remaining hole after they bring in their two new wingers.

Final hole to fill is first pairing right handed defenceman. This doesn't have to be a allstar big ticket item. It needs to be someone defensive that solidifies the rest of leafs defence.

Example of a team shaky defence and one average player fixing it was 1992-93. Leafs needed a solid piece they brought in top Gil he put leafs in higher position and leafs made final four in 1992 and 1993. Leafs need that missing piece on back end.

So mr stinks and randy say something worthwhile who is on your roster in 2018-19. Let you guys out there submit a roster.

1.) 04 Apr 2018
04 Apr 2018 09:54:14
Tod Gil was the defencemen that helped round out leafs in 1992-93.

2.) 04 Apr 2018
04 Apr 2018 11:28:54
Hi David, I agree with a lot of what you say in the post above. We will definitely need a 4th line center, and if the Goat or Aaltonen is not ready to be that guy, that's a pretty easy find through free agency. Here is where our thoughts differ:

I don't think Nylander is a good fit at 3rd line center right now, and frankly I'm not sure if he ever will be. I think Nylander is great, but he's much better suited on the wing, especially given his great chemistry with Matthews. He does not like going to the gritty areas and is not great battling along the boards. He just seems to lack the "jam" you need to play with to be a really effective center.

And that's totally okay. Every Ace centreman needs a go to winger. It's not always easy to find a center and winger that jive the way they do (look at Edmonton trying to find the right fit with McDavid, or the players who have and have not worked well with Crosby) .

So, I think the Leafs will have a hole to fill next season at 3rd line center. That's a trickier fix. Maybe Marleau can convince his buddy Joe down in San Jose to shave his facial hair for a season and reunite for a run at the cup in Toronto.

That said, I don't think the Leafs do ANYTHING until Tavares makes a decision. A player of his calibre almost never hits free agency. If he decides to test the market, the Leafs will back up the Brinks truck to bring him to Toronto. If you can get that guy on your team for nothing but cash, you do it, and worry about the cap later.

As for a top pairing RHD, everyone knows we need one. Everyone also knows they are incredibly hard to find. Maybe we should call Todd Gill.

Kidding aside, Tavares is what this offseason revolves around. While I don't think it's likely he's a Leaf come October, you can't deny it is a non-zero chance. The Leafs will have the cap space and the surrounding cast to make a very enticing offer. I'm sure you'll respond with "he's going to the Rangers" since the two of you are such close pals and spew some nonsense about New York having better looking women. But at the end of the day, Toronto is a pretty sweet city to live in too. It's also a lot closer to home. And we have Babcock, Matthews and a way better supporting cast than the Rangers do.

Maybe signing Tavares is also part of the solution to obtaining that elusive top RHD. We would be deep enough down the middle to part ways with Kadri, and as much as I love Kadri, and his sweet contract, I'd be willing to bet you could use him as trade bait to bring in an equally good RHD.

That's my two cents David. Apologies to everyone else for the long rant.

3.) 04 Apr 2018
04 Apr 2018 14:20:01
FT4A stinks nice response

Here is why I want nylander at center and again we will know when season over leafs plans next season.

By putting nylander at center you can still max out nylander plus you can max out Kapanan.

Kapanan numbers would go through roof with Matthews plus he is really good defensively. Hyman is on the first line only to be the gritty guy hit hard loosen up puck and also one on one battles to get puck behind opposing net.

The New York thing is not my love for a New York I prefer Philippines as the song says the girls are really hip I really dig those clothes they wear or don't wear hahaha .

New York represents a certain lifestyle and that's why athletes like it. So whenever I'm mentioning New York it means the life off the ice maybe very appealing to the player.

Anyway I love making pals here and we all love the maple leafs so cheers.

4.) 04 Apr 2018
04 Apr 2018 17:01:26
No Skill Todd Gill was definitely NOT the player who Leafs brought in to round out the defense and bring Toronto to the conference finals. No Skill Gill was LHD and was drafted by Leafs and was a member of the team since 84/ 85 until 95/ 96. No Skill Gill was horrible. By far the worst defenseman I’ve ever seen play on the Leafs. This guy would cough the puck up every single time he touched it. It must have been extremely frustrating for Dave seller to have played beside him all those years, watching his defensive partner practically passing the puck to the opposing team game in and game out. No Skill Gill did anything for us except suck. He certainly was not the player you are thinking of that Leafs brought in to help them make conference finals. Leafs were able to do that despite having No Skill Gill on the team dragging them down.

5.) 04 Apr 2018
04 Apr 2018 17:06:08
Mackin

I’m pretty sure the player you are thinking of was Dave Ellet. We traded Mark Osborne and Ed Olczyk for him in 1999/ 1991. It definitely wasn’t No Skill Gill. If you think Gardiner stinks and coughs puck up a lot, you should have watched No Skill Gill practically pass the puck to the other team.

6.) 04 Apr 2018
04 Apr 2018 21:12:56
I think for the leafs top pair rhd we should go after Tyler Myers on the off season. I'm thinking Jake Gardiner plus to make it happen. Maybe the plus is Carrick and a second? Babs clearly doesn't trust him and even though I like Carrick if he's not being played over Polak he'll never play. Or maybe just Gardiner and a first. Leafs could sweeten the pot a bit if needed but this would def get the conversation started. Thoughts?

7.) 05 Apr 2018
05 Apr 2018 01:31:47
Alright david heres my lines next season, resign bozak and komorov to cheap deals.
hyman matthews nylander
Marleau kadri marner
Johnsson bozak kapanen
Leivo komorov brown.

Defense much the same as this year
Reilly hainsey
Gardiner zaitsev
Dermott carrick
Unless someone from the farm changes things on D
I say the year after you try to get a high end D, could target carlson but I don't think the leafs will pay what he is after. The leafs have a lot of young guys to test out I don't think going out and signing guys to keep them supressed is the answer.

And I still say that the odds of kovalchuk going to toronto are less then 1 percent because of the history between him and lams.

8.) 05 Apr 2018
05 Apr 2018 04:16:07
Jconn

I think you are valuing Myers too high. Gardiner straight up is fair. No need to add a first round pick.

This trade makes sense for both teams as it fills a need for each of the respective teams involved. Leafs get a defensive RHD, and Jets get offensive LHD. They both make close to the same amount of money, and both are UFA next summer.

This trade only makes sense if Leafs are going to try to re-sign Myers after for a 3-5 year deal. He would be a stabilizing presence on top line RHD until Liljegren is ready. Once Liljegren takes the top spot, Myers would be past his prime and on the downslope and we could drop him lower in the depth chart, or trade him.

If we would just be bringing Myers in as a plug at RHD for a season, there are cheaper options available. Leafs would be better off trading Gardiner for a pick or prospect that would be sticking around for a while.

9.) 05 Apr 2018
05 Apr 2018 04:47:10
Leafs gm
you maybe right. That 10 player trade did it all as well. But I just don't remember a team like this ever. Three centres 2 of them less than 22. God knows what marner becomes but he is much more than Doug Gilmour ever became. I want to see what Kapanan and Johnson become. Certainly Thaler have much more upside than Brown and Hyman.

This cap just never becomes problematic sign big three 8 years. And marleau and Martin disappear in two more seasons that saves you 8.5 million.

10.) 05 Apr 2018
05 Apr 2018 04:53:37
jconn

Carrick is just there while we wait Liljegren. Carrick is not in leafs long term plans he is a tradeable piece soon in a package.

With Leafs future not much can really go wrong this is quite a incredible piece of work. Sky the limit like for 10 years look at the number of pieces they have.

11.) 05 Apr 2018
05 Apr 2018 05:33:20
Offseason if you can't trade Matt Martin just send him down to marlies next season. His contract doesn't really cause leafs any problems. That 8.5 million coming off books in two years with Martin and marleau covers Johnson and Kapanan as they become great players.

Leafs cap just so you guys see how perfect this is.

Matthews 10.5 million
Marner 7 million
Nylander 6 million
Marleau 6 million
Kadri 4.5 million
Martin 2 million
Hyman 2 million
Brown 2 million
Kapanan 1 million
Johnson 1 million
Leivo 1 million
Grundstrom 1 million
Aantonen 1 million

45 million

Reilly 5 million
Zaitsev 4.5 million
Gardiner 4 million
Hainsey 3 million
Dermott 1 million
Carrick 1 million
Liljegren 1 million
Borgman 1 million
Rosen 1 million

21.5 million

Anderson 5 million
Mcbackup 1 million

6 million

Kessel 1 million

Total cap 73.5 million

Matthews marner are not up for another year.

12.) 05 Apr 2018
05 Apr 2018 05:51:50
Randy

Bozak last kick at the can he looking to score at least a 3 year deal worth 5 million. That takes him to 35 years old.

Do you really want Bozak til he 35 at that coin.

I say no thanks.

Some team will pay Bozak that anmount.

13.) 05 Apr 2018
05 Apr 2018 08:14:12
Randy

When Komarov is on ice he like a third defenceman. You could sign komarov but he on forth line and penalty killing. Do you want to leave Grundstrom on marlies next season.

But then you need to ask yourself what do want to pay Komarov. These 3 UFA with leafs r all looking to cash out.

14.) 05 Apr 2018
05 Apr 2018 09:43:24
Leafs 2018

I get it 36 pts in 47 games is quite amazing. The problem is you just don't know when Thornton is going to fall off a cliff. From Toronto will he accept a one year deal.

I like the idea of Kapanan playing on Matthews right side. Kapanan reaches his maximum potential playing up there with with Mathews. As a third line I would love to see.

Johnsson nylander Grundstrom

Grundstrom could fill the role of Hyman on that third line. He is a real banger goes get the puck. That pushes Brown down to the forth line.

Leivo Aantanen Brown

The only problem in going through with these four lines. Is the team would be very young. But Brown is great on penelty kill. kapanan and Brown could be your 2 top penelty killers on two different penelty kill units.

Hyman Matthews Kapanan
Marleau kadri marner
Johnsson Nylander Grundstrom
Leivo Aantonen Brown

That's why we need to bring in 2 wingers too much youth.

15.) 06 Apr 2018
05 Apr 2018 23:29:34
Jim Bening is going to overpay Bozak. Bening and too much cap space are a disaster in the making. Watch what this guy does in free agency write it down somewhere.

16.) 06 Apr 2018
06 Apr 2018 01:24:33
Komorov won't ask for much and if you read what I put on my lines you would see komorov on the 4 c spot. And i'd be fine with grundstrom gwtting a full year with the marlies to learn the system. if bozak can't be had cheap you move marleau or nylander to centre which opens up room for a winger, either martin starts on 4th lw or one of the marlies impresses in camp, but say you don't resign any ufas run these lines
hyman matthews kapanen
Marleau kadri marner
Johnsson nylander brown
Martin altonen leivo.

Reilly haibsey
Gardiner zaitsev
Dermott carrick

Andersen
Sparks

No trades, unless you hands down win the trade. I don't feel like any trades you proposed toronto handa down wins, you want to trade gardiner for a first it better be top 10 or you likely lose that trade.

17.) 06 Apr 2018
06 Apr 2018 07:08:02
I can handle Komarov as forth line center that's good. Plus penelty killer. Leafs would have 4 top penelty killers komarov Brown kapanan Johnsson.

18.) 06 Apr 2018
06 Apr 2018 07:16:38
Midround first will b just fine for Gardiner and you sign a Green or some other right hand shot dman. Or package Gardiner and upgrade defenve on right side that way.