Ladies and gentlemen, take a deep breath and put your toasters back in the closet. The EK trade couldn't have gone better for us. EK was going to a Western team. That he's going to a team in their 5 year cup window is fantastic for us. The Coyotes will be (G-d willing) entering their cup window just as SJ leaves theirs to retool.
Seriously, our window won't open for at least 3 years. One to two years to get into the playoffs, one to two years to get to the WCF, and then a serious run at the cup for a number of years.
This isn't football. The NFL gets all their players ready to play on the big team. The NHL, like baseball, has to groom the vast majority of players. It takes 5 years to go from rock bottom to a sustained contender. . IMO the clock started ticking with Tocchet's first year.Yeah maaaaybe...a lot of ifs there. The biggest one being IF we can find another goaltender like Raanta if he’s gone by then. I’m starting to think that the windows for championships are opening and closing much faster than we have been used to. You could make a strong argument that our window starts next year and goes for the next 2-3 years from there. We have to take advantage of OEL in his prime, the large number of ELC’s we have that could potentially play way above their contracts, and the last good years of Stepan, Hammer and Raanta’s careers. Raanta could have another 6-7 good years in him but for Step and Hammer it’s like 3-4 realistically.
We are seeing this now as an NFL model too. Draft a QB you really like and if you hit and he’s really good, you take advantage of that rookie contract where you’re paying him next to nothing and stack the team up around him. In the NHL it’s similar with young stars on ELC’s. Our window to win should be while OEL is still in his prime and while we have guys like Keller, Hayton, Chychrun, Perlini, Fischer, and maybe a couple more recent prospects either on ELC’s or on bridge deals where they are producing above their pay grade. If it takes this team another 3-4 years just to make a run to the WCF I don’t think that’s mission accomplished or that Chayka and Toc would be at all satisfied with that.
California team winning a ton and attracting top talent and making smart moves is sustainable even after the older crew retires. Especially since they keep stealing players for prices that don’t hurt. Tampa will probably be very good for a very long time for similar reasons plus the state tax situation. We could too, if we had an owner and if we made better decisions.This isn't football. The NFL gets all their players ready to play on the big team. The NHL, like baseball, has to groom the vast majority of players. It takes 5 years to go from rock bottom to a sustained contender. . IMO the clock started ticking with Tocchet's first year.
worst part about that is their pick is going to Colorado. Terrible asset management. I would have held onto Karlsson until the trade deadline. They must realllllllly believe in Balcers and Norris. I have a feeling Karlsson stays in SJ
Would you guys trade Jacob Chychrun and this years 1st for RFA William Nylander?
Wonder if Toronto would.
No, but I also wouldn't make any moves until January so that we can evaluate a few pieces and see where we sit. If both Gally and Strome fail, we need a center. I also wouldn't move our first until we have an idea of how we will sit in the standings. If this turns into another top 10 pick, we will want to keep it.Would you guys trade Jacob Chychrun and this years 1st for RFA William Nylander?
No way. They're going to keep Nylander
Then sign Karlsson, Panarin and Skinner to contracts next offseason because everyone wants to play for the Leafs.
They'll all wear matching pajamas to training camp, outnumber fans in opposing buildings, scream "go leafs go" all year long.
.
Then get swept in the first round.
No. That 1st could bring in a top notch RW or even Jack Hughes. Let's use the pick and keep Chychrun.Would you guys trade Jacob Chychrun and this years 1st for RFA William Nylander?
Not at the moment. I wonder how much of Nylanders production is because of AM?Would you guys trade Jacob Chychrun and this years 1st for RFA William Nylander?
Toronto hands out Letters.
Matthews gets none.
Maybe, just maybe, there is something there we don’t know.
Maybe, just maybe, he comes back here when he’s an UFA.
...and I’m just saying there’s a chance
NO.Would you guys trade Jacob Chychrun and this years 1st for RFA William Nylander?
We spent years hoping for an owner while Ottawa is spending the last few years wishing they didn't have an owner.
Until proven otherwise this team is still a lottery team. Trading the 1st is out of the question IMO.
I am a lifelong Leafs fan and have said for awhile now that something always seems off with the Matthews and Leafs combination?? It could just be Matthew's personality but it never looks like a good fit. I would have little surprise if his career in Toronto isn't long.Toronto hands out Letters.
Matthews gets none.
Maybe, just maybe, there is something there we don’t know.
Maybe, just maybe, he comes back here when he’s an UFA.
...and I’m just saying there’s a chance
Detroit sustained for a long time now they are in a recycle. Same for Hawks now. You overpay vets and sign UFA's to sustain a cup run team but it eventually catches you at a cap ceiling with underperforming vets/NMC/NTC contracts. It will catc San Jose/Anaheim/LA as well, they'll be in recycle mode next 3 years or so.California team winning a ton and attracting top talent and making smart moves is sustainable even after the older crew retires. Especially since they keep stealing players for prices that don’t hurt. Tampa will probably be very good for a very long time for similar reasons plus the state tax situation. We could too, if we had an owner and if we made better decisions.
Yeah - every time I feel upset that we don't have a "real owner," I look at Carolina and Ottawa and think, "Be careful what you wish for, son."
I am a lifelong Leafs fan and have said for awhile now that something always seems off with the Matthews and Leafs combination?? It could just be Matthew's personality but it never looks like a good fit. I would have little surprise if his career in Toronto isn't long.
Are you though? Literally all of your posts are on the Coyotes board.