04 Jul 2019 18:09:12
Looks more and more like the Leafs are going to trade Ceci. Dubas has something up his sleeve

Leafs: Ceci, Timashov
Capitals: Gudas

Save some $ and have a dman who we know will thrive with Rielly.

1.) 04 Jul 2019
04 Jul 2019 18:32:42
The UFA market could make a great alternative to a trade, with the added benefit of giving up no assets as part of the player transaction.

Phaneuf
Kronwall
Methot
Lovejoy
Girardi
Engelland

All past-their-prime veteran UFA defensemen with a seemingly soft market.

Hutton
McQuaid
Petrovic
Sbisa
Wideman

All bargain-bin in-their-prime defensemen with depressed values who could absolutely play a depth role.

That's 11 players who have all likely been trade targets in posts on this site over the past year, and most of them could probably be signed to 1.5M or less.

Do any of these players pique your interest?

2.) 04 Jul 2019
04 Jul 2019 18:39:20
Being an advanced stats guy i don't think ceci is a dubas type of player by a long shot. I agree something might be in the works.

3.) 04 Jul 2019
04 Jul 2019 18:52:44
I wouldn’t mind seeing Ceci traded for a draft pick and the Leafs sign Girardi and Methot, I can’t see both players combined making much more then $2 mill. Use the extra $ to sign Marner since we have about $9 mill currently left in cap space currently.

4.) 04 Jul 2019
04 Jul 2019 18:58:18
@MarsBars

None of those guys you listed are any good. If Dubas had any interest in any of them he wouldn’t have signed them by now like he did Gravel.

We have enough depth defensemen that can play bottom pair and substitute higher if need be. In minors we have a lot of quality prospect players that can be called up here and there too if needed.

If Dubas does have something further “up his sleeve”, you can be sure it will be a significant upgrade of some sort. I don’t know how else plans on doing anything when we are so tight in salary cap situation, so moving Ceci would make sense I guess.

5.) 05 Jul 2019
04 Jul 2019 22:24:33
@LeafsGM

The Gravel point is a good one. At the time of signing Gravel, I'm sure Dubas would've made the same pitch to a lot of the guys on my list as he gave to Gravel, and most notably Spezza. I read that Gardiner remains unsigned because he's not getting offered the kind of term he wants, and it stands to reason that the players on my list could be in similar situations where they're looking for something specific that they're just not being offered.

I'm optimistic about Ceci, but I'd like to see him in competition with someone for that last top4 spot until Dermott comes back and probably takes it. We do have bottom pair defenders in spades, but the only one who shoots right is Justin Holl, which is an uninspiring option.

I honestly think Lovejoy, on a 1 year 1M contract, would complete the defense.

Reilly-Lovejoy
Muzzin-Barrie
Dermott-Ceci

Even though I'd prefer Dermott in the top 4, I think Babcock's pairs would look like the above pairings.