I'd have to agree. Nylander is more likely to be able to replace Lupul on a skills basis. Nevertheless, I don't think it's a good idea to trade him. His contract isn't as bad as people think it is. Instead, he should be better utilised and probably play away from Kadri/ Kessel.This. Leivo doesn't have Lupul type talent. He's probably better on the boards but Lupul has the shot and the wheels
Nonis might need to make the post season but Shanahan isn't going to let him make lame duck decisions for the team here. Shanahan brought in Hunter who is one of the best junior scouts there is at the executive level and this is one of the deepest drafts in a decade combined with Lupul who has had extensive injury problems. If we can get a late 1st out of a contending team for Lupul, depending on where we are in the standings, it could be the right decision to make and if it is Nonis will have to make the deal.
Agreed, but it really wont happen unless Lupul is deemed replaceable. Right now we have bottom 6 players contributing at a much higher rate then their career averages (Komarov, Winnick), which probably can't be sustainable. Until someone like Leivo can step in and make an impact there is no way I can see Lupul being traded when we are going into a wide open eastern conference, we simply don't have the offensive depth. Franson on the other hand, he should be traded by the deadline, I will personally find it a serious failure by management.
I actually really liked MacArthur and was sorry to see him go. I think letting Raymond go was the right decision. Lupul was just so good leading up to that extension that I can't blame management for that decision.
He's got more value then people think I'd say. The Leafs really need to move away from Lupul though. He's a good player but the Leafs need the cap space more and have players coming up that will require the ice time.
I'd accept a soft deal for him, like a 2nd or 3rd round pick and a decent prospect or two.
Any trade for Lupul will be done in the summer though, probably around the deadline. Teams looking for some firepower upfront and/or a veteran or two would probably target someone like Lupul. Let's not forget that he has had a huge impact since joining the Leafs, having 150 points in 188 games is excellent to be perfectly honest for a player paid just above 5M. Even with his slow start offensively this season, he's been pretty snake bitten and has been playing very well.
This post makes no sense. You say he's got more value than people think and then follow that up by saying you'd take a 2nd or 3rd plus a prospect
the leafs are in no position to be trading away quality top six scoring talent.
2012-2013 NHL GP: 16 ,G:11 ,A:7 ,+8healthy or not, Lupul is not an impact player.
Weak defensively, over rated as a leader, hasn't ever won anything in this league.
It's not coincidence that we made the playoffs when Lupul only played less than 20 games.
I would take a low 1st rounder, and a prospect, if it were offered!
Agreed, but it really wont happen unless Lupul is deemed replaceable. Right now we have bottom 6 players contributing at a much higher rate then their career averages (Komarov, Winnick), which probably can't be sustainable. Until someone like Leivo can step in and make an impact there is no way I can see Lupul being traded when we are going into a wide open eastern conference, we simply don't have the offensive depth. Franson on the other hand, he should be traded by the deadline, I will personally find it a serious failure by management.
Lupul was a bad long term investment. He's like a short term reclamation like Clarke MacArthur or Mason Raymond that Leaf management mistook for an important piece. Add to the fact that he's so brittle, it's just not the best fit.
Actually Lupul has a really good cap hit.
Great veteran voice, unbelievable skills when not on the trainer's table. He needs to go to a contender out west where his secondary scoring adds insurance for a team making a cup run. He's got three years after this one. on a team with cap like Nashville, a deal for Lupul would make sense, but there would have to be a willingness to eat some cap as NSH operates on a budget close the the cap floor.
Consider something like Lupes and Gardiner for Seth Jones, or maybe talk to CGY about a great young forward like Monahan. Sure it would suck to give up Monahan, but they also have Bennett, Goudreau, Klimchuk, Granlund, Backlund, Reinhart and Baertschi. Id even add Holland to make that go. A centre corps of Kadri, Monahan and Bozak wouldn't suck.
CGY needs depth and they need leadership. That might be an option for Lupes who is an Alberta boy, And Burkie thinks highly of him.