Free Agency and Trades Thread: Post deadline wasteland

[WTFMAN99]

I do like Vanek, but I’d rather just go with Marlies promotions to replace any winger positions.

I'd say maybe a PTO to see if the Marlies options are ready, if they aren't then we could sign Vanek. That being said, I don't think Vanek needs to wait for a PTO, he can surely get a 1 year deal somewhere, or a multi year lucrative contract overseas if he wanted.

 

[ToneDog]

With Tavares bargaining position I think we can safely assume he's getting some form of NMC and his deal will be almost buyout proof

I'm not saying you'd want to but his deal would be difficult to move in the last year or two if he's still playing and not on Robidas island

We don't necessarily have to move him the last year. Giving him bonuses up front may make it more attractive.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Vanek is just to.... blah. He is actually putting up a couple points this year, but I'd rather just play a youngin'.

He's not a sexy name by any means anymore but in terms of viable, cheap short-term solutions you can't do much better IMO.

 

[SprDaVE]

I wouldn't bother with a short-term option like Vanek or whatever else going into next season. I think we have more than enough adequate depth and replacements going into next season for wingers. You don't just replace JVR but I can see at least 4 different names that could replace his minutes and provide decent scoring potential. Between Kapanen, Johnsson, Leivo and probably someone like Grundstrom, you're really not in need of a Vanek.

Leafs desperately need to upgrade their defensive depth. This is the only thing that really matters going into next season. Center depth is another thing they probably should look into but it's not a pressing need like the defense.

 

[ToneDog]

He's not a sexy name by any means anymore but in terms of viable, cheap short-term solutions you can't do much better IMO.

Agreed but Maroon might be the better option as he provides some sandpaper. If they can't move Martin or sign Maroon, Vanek is your man.

 

[ToneDog]

I wouldn't bother with a short-term option like Vanek or whatever else going into next season. I think we have more than enough adequate depth and replacements going into next season for wingers. You don't just replace JVR but I can see at least 4 different names that could replace his minutes and provide decent scoring potential. Between Kapanen, Johnsson, Leivo and probably someone like Grundstrom, you're really not in need of a Vanek.

Leafs desperately need to upgrade their defensive depth. This is the only thing that really matters going into next season. Center depth is another thing they probably should look into but it's not a pressing need like the defense.

DeHaan ??? Or sign Tavares and trade Kadri for a dman.

 

[SprDaVE]

DeHaan ??? Or sign Tavares and trade Kadri for a dman.

Maybe? He's a LHD though and will likely get a pretty big contract because of his age and solid play. He's a really good 2nd pairing defenseman though.

I think the Leafs will need to make a trade for a defensive upgrade. I have no idea for what and who but I don't see many UFAs that fit.

 

[ToneDog]

Maybe? He's a LHD though and will likely get a pretty big contract because of his age and solid play. He's a really good 2nd pairing defenseman though.

I think the Leafs will need to make a trade for a defensive upgrade. I have no idea for what and who but I don't see any UFAs that fit.

Sign DeHaan and trade Gardiner for a more defensive RHD ? Lou will have many options but he needs to get it right this summer cause we need to take another step closer to being more serious SC contenders next season.

 

[MyBudJT]

What about James Neal as a plan C or D?

 

[BertCorbeau]

Agreed but Maroon might be the better option as he provides some sandpaper. If they can't move Martin or sign Maroon, Vanek is your man.

Maroon's likely looking for a longer term deal. I'd be hesitant on that fact. I also presume they'd move Martin as well. To me Vanek would be not much more than depth scoring, as you said, to mitigate the loss of JVR under the presumption that management feels the kids aren't quite ready to fully step in.

If Johnsson is in the line-up full time next season, I assume it'll be similar to Brown and he'll get a lot of fourth line minutes:

Hyman - Matthews - Nylander
Marleau - Kadri - Marner
Vanek - xxxxx - Kapanen/Brown
Johnsson - xxxxx - Kapanen/Brown

There is some depth in case of injuries this way.

 

[ToneDog]

Maroon's likely looking for a longer term deal. I'd be hesitant on that fact. I also presume they'd move Martin as well. To me Vanek would be not much more than depth scoring, as you said, to mitigate the loss of JVR under the presumption that management feels the kids aren't quite ready to fully step in.

If Johnsson is in the line-up full time next season, I assume it'll be similar to Brown and he'll get a lot of fourth line minutes:

Hyman - Matthews - Nylander
Marleau - Kadri - Marner
Vanek - xxxxx - Kapanen/Brown
Johnsson - xxxxx - Kapanen/Brown

There is some depth in case of injuries this way.

I'm on board with Vanek but that is a pretty soft group of forwards. Here's hoping Grundstrom can crack the lineup some time next season.

 

[SprDaVE]

Sign DeHaan and trade Gardiner for a more defensive RHD ? Lou will have many options but he needs to get it right this summer cause we need to take another step closer to being more serious SC contenders next season.

Just trade for that upgrade and keep Gardiner. I'd prefer to keep Gardiner over De Haan, especially with the contract he'll sign.

 

[Schenn]

He's not a sexy name by any means anymore but in terms of viable, cheap short-term solutions you can't do much better IMO.

I see your point. I think I'd rather just let guys like Grundstrom, Johnsson, etc get reps. If they are having a problem getting a young guy to stick then we can trade our equivalents of Tyler Motte and Jussi Jokinen to whatever basement team signs Vanek thinking they can flip him for quality assets at the deadline. We would even clear a contract space.

 

[BertCorbeau]

I'm on board with Vanek but that is a pretty soft group of forwards. Here's hoping Grundstrom can crack the lineup some time next season.

Not much softer than we already have?

The priorities are obviously shoring up the #3C role and trying to improve the blue line. IMO we need to find a way to reduce Hainsey's workload.

I still thinking signing Carlson and trading Gardiner is a good swap...

Rielly - Carlson
Dermott - Hainsey
Borgman - Zaitsev
Carrick

Or

Rielly - Hainsey
Dermott - Carlson
Borgman - Zaitsev
Carrick

Etc. And hopefully Zaitsev can rebound into top 4 form again, where Hainsey can be moved to the bottom pairing for 5 on 5 while leading the PK.

 

[SprDaVE]

Not much softer than we already have?

The priorities are obviously shoring up the #3C role and trying to improve the blue line. IMO we need to find a way to reduce Hainsey's workload.

I still thinking signing Carlson and trading Gardiner is a good swap...

Rielly - Carlson
Dermott - Hainsey
Borgman - Zaitsev
Carrick

Or

Rielly - Hainsey
Dermott - Carlson
Borgman - Zaitsev
Carrick

Etc. And hopefully Zaitsev can rebound into top 4 form again, where Hainsey can be moved to the bottom pairing for 5 on 5 while leading the PK.

Why not just keep Gardiner and pull a Bozak/JVR with him?

Rielly - Carlson
Gardiner - Hainsey
Dermott - Zaitsev
Borgman - Holl/Carrick

This is some good quality and plenty of depth. Carlsson would be good but I can't see the Leafs pursuing him because of his skillset (mainly offensive oriented). He's also probably going to sign a ~7.5M+ long-term cap hit contract...

I do see Carrick traded this summer though. He's been really good but like Leivo, he doesn't seem like someone Babcock likes for whatever reason.

 

[ToneDog]

Just trade for that upgrade and keep Gardiner. I'd prefer to keep Gardiner over De Haan, especially with the contract he'll sign.

I don't think DeHaan will get as much as Jake will on the open market and DeHaan. You either have to sign Jake or trade him or risk losing him for nothing next year. If he is not deemed part of the core, trade him sooner than later. Signing DeHaan (if cost makes sense) gives you a more defensively responsible dman and makes Jake expendable. IMO a win-win.

 

[SprDaVE]

I don't think DeHaan will get as much as Jake will on the open market and DeHaan. You either have to sign Jake or trade him or risk losing him for nothing next year. If he is not deemed part of the core, trade him sooner than later. Signing DeHaan (if cost makes sense) gives you a more defensively responsible dman and makes Jake expendable. IMO a win-win.

De Haan will very likely sign close/around 6M over long-term, if not over 6M. Not sure we need a middle pairing defenseman making that much.

If Lamoriello didn't care about losing JVR and Bozak for nothing, not sure they will care about Gardiner. If Dubas/Hunter take over, maybe they will feel differently.

 

[ToneDog]

Not much softer than we already have?

The priorities are obviously shoring up the #3C role and trying to improve the blue line. IMO we need to find a way to reduce Hainsey's workload.

I still thinking signing Carlson and trading Gardiner is a good swap...

Rielly - Carlson
Dermott - Hainsey
Borgman - Zaitsev
Carrick

Or

Rielly - Hainsey
Dermott - Carlson
Borgman - Zaitsev
Carrick

Etc. And hopefully Zaitsev can rebound into top 4 form again, where Hainsey can be moved to the bottom pairing for 5 on 5 while leading the PK.

The goal is to add truculence not remain as soft

I have been saying sign DeHaan and trade Gardiner as DeHaan is a cheaper option than Gardiner and Carlson but we are thinking alike. Carlson would be a no go if we sign JT

 

[BlueForever75]

Here we go with trading Kadri again!!!! He's going no where. You don't sign Tavares to trade Kadri. Two vastly different players and both needed. Tavares is signed to strengthen our center position with the Bozak loss and no one internally to replace him.

If we need to trade anyone to be able to acquire Tavares as a free agent it would be Gardiner or Zaitsev. But I personally do not see that happening to be able to get Tavares.

I would rather target a true second line center like RNH. Trade Edmonton Gardiner and Brown along with a pick. He fills the Bozak void, and provides Edmonton with what they need, offensive D and winger. In turn the Gardiner and Brown contracts equal what RNH makes. Use the freed up cap from the departures of Bozak, JVR, Komarov, Moore, and Polak to fill in 2 dmen and a 4th line center. There will be better dmen available on FA market then Gardiner (ie Karlsson, or Da Haan), not to mention a better 3rd pairing guy then Polak. We then need to replace the Plekanec or Moore loss at the 4th line C spot.

 

[ToneDog]

De Haan will very likely sign close/around 6M over long-term, if not over 6M. Not sure we need a middle pairing defenseman making that much.

If Lamoriello didn't care about losing JVR and Bozak for nothing, not sure they will care about Gardiner. If Dubas/Hunter take over, maybe they will feel differently.

I would be out on DeHaan at $6M. Those are the types of contracts that kill you down the road.

 

[SprDaVE]

I would be out on DeHaan at $6M. Those are the types of contracts that kill you down the road.

I'd be surprised if he doesn't get at least close to that on the open market. He's pretty solid and I think a lot of teams will want him at that price.

 

[MyBudJT]

I'm starting to question why Nylander's contract should be much higher than the one Rielly signed 2 years ago...

At this point, I'd guess:

Nylander: 6 @ 5.5 per
Marner: 7 @ 6.25 per
Matthews: 8 @ 9.5 per

People are going to bring Eichel's contract into this, but I think Eichel is overpaid and not the best comparison.

Lamoriello has a good track record with contracts, so I have faith he'll get good deals on our big three.

 

[SprDaVE]

I mean they signed Zaitsev to a 7 year 4.5M cap hit contract and Marleau to a 6.25M cap hit for 3 years... I wouldn't say his track record is that good. Plenty of questionable contracts in his track record.

I don't think Marner and Nylander will get as much as people think and they might not even get 7-8 year contracts. Matthews will get at least as much as Eichel though.

Nylander will get around Ehlers. Marner will depend on his next season but I assume he'll get

 

[ToneDog]

Here we go with trading Kadri again!!!! He's going no where. You don't sign Tavares to trade Kadri. Two vastly different players and both needed. Tavares is signed to strengthen our center position with the Bozak loss and no one internally to replace him.

If we need to trade anyone to be able to acquire Tavares as a free agent it would be Gardiner or Zaitsev. But I personally do not see that happening to be able to get Tavares.

I would rather target a true second line center like RNH. Trade Edmonton Gardiner and Brown along with a pick. He fills the Bozak void, and provides Edmonton with what they need, offensive D and winger. In turn the Gardiner and Brown contracts equal what RNH makes. Use the freed up cap from the departures of Bozak, JVR, Komarov, Moore, and Polak to fill in 2 dmen and a 4th line center. There will be better dmen available on FA market then Gardiner (ie Karlsson, or Da Haan), not to mention a better 3rd pairing guy then Polak. We then need to replace the Plekanec or Moore loss at the 4th line C spot.

I would love to sign Tavares, DeHaan and Vanek and keep Kadri but if the numbers don't work if you sign Tavares, selling Kadri high for a top 4 dman is a viable option. RNH might be an option but he is not in the same class as Tavares.

 

[MyBudJT]

I mean they signed Zaitsev to a 7 year 4.5M cap hit contract and Marleau to a 6.25M cap hit for 3 years... I wouldn't say his track record is very good.

I think its too early to judge Zaitsev's contract... I think it'll be fine... Marleau wasn't signed for his offensive contribution... I think the signing is more valuable than most fans realize.

You look at NJD's history
You look at the Kadri and Rielly contracts
You look at the Hyman and Brown contracts

I think history more than shows that Lamoreillo knows what he's doing.