14 Oct 2020 04:31:12
Leafs management isn’t done tinkering
They have a few trade chips like Kerfoot, Dermott, Rosen, and Korshkov to trade.
-? Joe Thornton isn’t an option, since Spezza at 37 y/ o is pushing things.
- A good trade (for both teams and players) is Sam Bennett, 3rd rounder from Flames to Leafs for Kerfoot, Dermott, 5th rounder
- Sign Gauthier to a two way $700K deal as insurance and a promise to play harder
- Sandin, Liljegren, Robertson don’t play (not going over games played) avoiding expansion draft.

MY ROSTER:
Hyman-Matthews-Nylander
Mikheyev-Tavares-Marner
Engvall-Bennett-Simmonds
Korshkov-Spezza-Barbanov
Reilly-Brodie
Muzzin-Bogosisn
Lehtenon-Holl
Andersen
Campbell.

1.) 14 Oct 2020
14 Oct 2020 05:01:29
I agree we need an upgrade with 3rd line center. I b happy if they signed Brassard or Soderberg for 3rd line C. Bogs has no business being in the top 4. Maybe trade Kerfoot and Holl or Dermott. somehow get a top 4 defensive dman at worse Hamonic at best Savard.

2.) 14 Oct 2020
14 Oct 2020 05:26:22
A promise to play harder? I love that statement lol.

I like Bennett. But all in all I would probably just keep Kerfoot.

3.) 14 Oct 2020
14 Oct 2020 11:59:58
Sandin, Liljegren, and Robertson are all guaranteed not to be eligible for the expansion draft regardless how many games played this year. They are exempt because of the 2 year protection rule.

I’m going to begin by listing who was on the bottom 6 during the qualifier: Kapanen, Kerfoot, Spezza, Engvall, Robertson, Johnsson (one game), Clifford.

Clifford, Johnsson, Kapanen gone and Engvall remains to be seen. You’ve traded Kerfoot for Bennett, which is a bit of a wash, though I do like Bennett’s physical play for sure. We will also assume Robertson and Spezza are back.

I seriously hope we aren't counting on Vesey, Boyd, Andersen or Hallander to upgrade any of the players we had or have left on the bottom 6! That really only leaves Simmonds as replacing or upgrading someone and the rest, 2 spots, are downgrades.

Take Kerfoot out of the equation and all those guys listed above add up to what Nylander makes. Let that sink in for a moment - you are relying on HALF your forward lines on league min players. The top 6 has not been changed and yet, it was them mainly who failed to do what they are there for in the qualifier. As always, they get an endless free ride.

4.) 14 Oct 2020
14 Oct 2020 12:36:35
I will also add, that this scenario assumes Mikheyev re-signs and is playing in the top 6. If he doesn’t return, then someone from the bottom six needs to be promoted and the depth gets further depleted.

Not good.

5.) 14 Oct 2020
14 Oct 2020 13:29:58
I agree with a lot of that @hockeyluvr.

We need another top 6 forward who can play a heavier game like Hyman. This moves Mikheyev down to 3rd line. If we can move Kerfoot and sign a good faceoff guy like Huala for less than Kerfoot makes, than we can start to balance things out.
It is why I have Nylander in most of my trades and keep trying to get Weegar. Nylander has value, but we have enough of this type of player and he should get the best return based on player and contract combination. Get a good offensive prospect/ plus for Nylander and we are not having to protect that prospect. To get Weegar, Dermott and Holl become movable. As much as I like a lot of the moves so far, it is our top 6 that also needs work and we shouldn't be done on D. Lehtonen as the answer is risky as most KHL D-men do not transition well to the NHL game and ice size.

6.) 14 Oct 2020
14 Oct 2020 17:30:01
@RLF. I wouldn’t be surprised one bit if you are eventually proven correct. After this year if Leafs don’t do well again, one of the big four is likely to be traded.

We can’t sit around and wait for Boston or Tampa to regress. In the meantime, Habs have taken extraordinary measures to improve, Senators have the best or second best pipeline depending how you view Rangers, Buffalo signed Hall and wants to compete before Eichel demands a trade, and though Detroit won’t be competitive until our four year window of contention is finished, now that they have Yzerman running the show, they will turn it around soon.

The Leafs have benefited (somewhat) from having three of the worst teams in the league in their division. That won’t be happening much longer. The competition from below is getting much better.

7.) 14 Oct 2020
14 Oct 2020 17:37:57
Everyone saying a heavier forward is needed really befuddled me. I don't understand what good that does when the big 4 don't perform. Could have had tom Wilson beside Tavares and Marner, wouldn't have helped in that CBJ series.

Only 2 guys that showed up ready to compete were Reilly and Mathews (Muzzin as well but he got hurt) . You can't pay guys that much money if they need top linemates to perform well. At 10.9 Marner needs to drive play by himself. Same with Tavares. At 6.9 Nylander really just needs a better effort than we saw in that series.

Say what you want about the defence and goaltending needing to be better but at the end of the day, when half your cap is on 4 guys, they need to perform or you might as well give up. That's just the reality of it.

8.) 14 Oct 2020
14 Oct 2020 19:04:11
Don't disagree with a lot of that LeafsLife.
A heavier player though like Hyman does all the hard work so that players with higher skill set can have more room as they are not the ones battling to free pucks, they are the ones picking up the loose pucks instead.
A more balanced heavier lineup allows these guys to do what they do best instead of doing the dirty work. It also wears on the other teams D more if they are getting hit everytime they touch the puck, like what happened to our D against Columbus.
Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Tavares grew up their whole life never needing to do any of this kind of work. Hyman etc did and still have to to survive and be useful.
All skill and no will has been pretty much shown not to be the answer.

9.) 14 Oct 2020
14 Oct 2020 20:18:25
@LeafsLife

I am in full agreement with you here as well. Leafs absolutely need those guys to show up. Getting shut out in their own home in the first and last games of the Columbus series (the most important games of any series I might add), not to mention that awful game four that necessitated a miracle comeback, is nothing short of embarrassing. These guys need to score when it mattered. And they didn’t. It doesn’t matter how many goals they score during the regular season. If all teams have to do is clog up the neutral zone a bit and push our guys to the perimeter, we won’t score, which means we won’t win.

They need a change of culture in the locker room. Leafs are still not going to be playing an aggressive hard-nosed style of hockey, and that will be a major weakness in the playoffs yet again. Unless the whole team buys in, adding guys like Simmonds, Bogossian, and Vesey (who isn’t as physical as you would expect given his rather large body) won’t make a difference. Their efforts will be wasted same as Kadri’s were.

10.) 15 Oct 2020
15 Oct 2020 03:56:22
I agree @RLF that Hyman is a valuable player. But once again, my argument is why do Marner and Tavares Need Hyman? Your making 30% of the cap between 2 players. If you can't drive play then you shouldn't be making that much money.

I'll inform MacKinnon he can chill when his team is destroyed by injuries. Or Mcdavid who finds some magic no matter who he is with. How about drais? Makes less than Marner by a lot but still got it done without the world's best player. I'll even throw Panarin in the mix. The guy drives a line no matter who he is with. Obviously better results from better players but the fact is the same. You make 3-4 as a middle six 20 goal guy. You make 7+ as a 30/ 70 kind of player. When we start talking 10+ you need to be driving play and winning games. Unless the core 4 play better you can bring in every grinder in the league and it won't help.

11.) 15 Oct 2020
15 Oct 2020 14:47:01
As I said LL, I agree with most of what you were saying.
I am for moving one of the 4 to get a more balanced team. As for the other stars, they have performed better most of the time, but none of them have won anything either at this point even though they have put the team on their back at times.
Balance typically wins championships. Tbay figured it out. There are always guys who become big parts of championship teams during the playoffs, who are not the stars on the team.
I agree, you need your stars to step up, but you also need your Hyman, Kilorn etc guys to compliment. We do not have enough complimentary hard working players. On top of the top 4, we had Kerfoot, Kapanen, Johnsson, Engvall, Mikheyev for instance. They are all good skaters, but none are really physical or great at puck battles. Even with the current moves, we are still too much skate and not enough grind. imo That is the point I was making. Get more Hyman types and less Nylander/ Kerfoot/ etc types. I was not trying to disagree with you.