Speculation: According to Mirtle/Siegel Leafs were trying the sign Derek Ryan on July 1st.

[ottomaddox]

Source: the Athletic Podcast ("In Tavares We Trust")

According to Mirtle, Derek Ryan might have been signed if TOR didn't land Tavares.

CGY signed him for 3 years 3.125 million a year and he might have been "signed for more in Toronto".

They also mentioned De Haan as another UFA they were going after.

Even though it didn't happen this raises several questions:

1. Ryan no doubt would have played 3C for TOR. Does this finally lay to rest this idea that Nylander is going to be a Center for TOR?

2. If Tavares didn't pan out, the leafs would have had extra money to push harder to sign De Haan. If they signed him that obviously means Gardiner is on the trade block. Is he still on the trade block? Dubas obviously feels a need to improve the defense. Does he move Gardiner to explore upgrades on the right hand side?

3. What does Derek Ryan bring to TOR? We obviously become so much better with Tavares and not Ryan.

What do you think?

Click to read more...

 

[AppsSyl]

I think Dubas is about asset management, and if he can get quality players for FREE at an affordable cap hit, it means that he can move guys out to fill positions of need and be ahead of the game.

Signing De Haan would have likely made Gardiner expendable which would likely land us a top 4 RHD or the assets to get one.

As for the rumored Ryan signing, Babcock likely wants to keep Matthews and Nylander together.

 

[Stacker29]

...

It means if we didn't get Tavares we were trying to get Derek Ryan.

It also means we had interest in Calvin DeHaan, likely in a scenario where we didn't give a centreman $11,000,000.

I don't think the fact that we were interested in two players raises a single question...I'm actually still confused about what's happening in this thread...

 

[BertCorbeau]

I think CDH didn't sign here because the Leafs weren't offering the term the Canes were offering, probably less about the AAV.

Ryan would have been centre depth, and Nylander likely would have been tried at the #3C spot as well for the best fit. Ryan would have been a suspect #3C heading into the season.

The two don't really have a connection.

 

[MyBudJT]

If only Tavares didn’t sign with us... we could have had Derek Ryan!!!




Said no one ever.

 

[LeafFever]

Ryan was like Guy Boucher when we were trying to sign Babcock.

 

[Buds17]

If they struck out on Tavares and Ryan, then perhaps Nylander to C was a next option. Familiarity with coach Peters might've been a plus with Ryan too. Ryan isn't Tavares, but that was the reality of this UFA centre crop. Could also add Bozak as a possibility, not sure about Stastny.

de Haan would've been a good signing, but it's tough to say where the bidding would had to have gone to for him to be a Leaf. Believe there was a report previously of discussion with Gardiner's agent, so that doesn't sound like a player soon to be on the outs.

 

[TootooTrain]

"What do you think? "

Thank god we landed Tavares.

 

[ottomaddox]

No speculation about de Haan and what that means?

So...we are trading Dermott then? Rielly?

Not Gardiner huh?

So why did TOR go after de Haan?

 

[ottomaddox]

I think CDH didn't sign here because the Leafs weren't offering the term the Canes were offering, probably less about the AAV.

Ryan would have been centre depth, and Nylander likely would have been tried at the #3C spot as well for the best fit. Ryan would have been a suspect #3C heading into the season.

The two don't really have a connection.

I disagree because you don't pay Ryan 3.125 mill a year for 3 years to play 4th line C. Even if you're Calgary you don't pay that. TOR was supposedly going to offer him more. So you put Nylander at 3C and pay Ryan over 3.125 mill for 3 years at 4th line C?

 

[Cor]

It was reported before July 1 that the Leafs were interested in Ryan.

De Haan was well documented as wel

 

[A1LeafNation]

Leafs could have signed Dehaan, but doubt they wanted to commit to that cap hit and that term.

Centers if we missed in Tavares would have been:

Matthews
Nylander
Kadri
Ryan

 

[ottomaddox]

Leafs could have signed Dehaan, but doubt they wanted to commit to that cap hit and that term.

Centers if we missed in Tavares would have been:

Matthews
Nylander
Kadri
Ryan

Supposedly TOR was going to offer more than CGY. So you pay our 4th line C over 3.125 million?!

 

[Cor]

No speculation about de Haan and what that means?

So...we are trading Dermott then? Rielly?

Not Gardiner huh?

So why did TOR go after de Haan?

Because he’d be a top 4 D acquired for no assets.

 

[Cor]

Supposedly TOR was going to offer more than CGY. So you pay our 4th line C over 3.125 million?!

He would have been our 3rd line center

 

[ottomaddox]

Because he’d be a top 4 D acquired for no assets.

Ok but that leaves someone out unless Babs goes with dressing 7 defensemen.

 

[Paladin2799]

Supposedly TOR was going to offer more than CGY. So you pay our 4th line C over 3.125 million?!

Maybe the intention was to move Kadri up to top6 wing and move Hyman down to 3rd line?

Kadri-Tavares-Marner
Marleau-Matthews-Nylander

Thats pretty sexy to me.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Supposedly TOR was going to offer more than CGY. So you pay our 4th line C over 3.125 million?!

1. I don’t know that they would have offered him more.

2. It may have been short term to bridge Nylander into a full time center.

 

[zeke]

Ryan would have been a great #4C / passable #3C.

I doubt the Leafs were in on him as more than a #4C though, tbh, who could play #3C in a pinch.

 

[Goggles Pisano]

Leafs were looking at players that could improve the team, if they were not able to sign Tavares, while negotiations with John Tavares were ongoing. News at 11.

 

[Menzinger]

Would have been likely the best (which unfortunately isn’t saying much) option if the Leafs hadnt gotten JT. Cheap depth C, and likely could have helped the team shelter/ease Nylander into the role.

No speculation about de Haan and what that means?

So...we are trading Dermott then? Rielly?

Not Gardiner huh?

So why did TOR go after de Haan?

Getting him would make a potential Gardiner trade an easier option.

 

[ottomaddox]

Maybe the intention was to move Kadri up to top6 wing and move Hyman down to 3rd line?

Kadri-Tavares-Marner
Marleau-Matthews-Nylander

Thats pretty sexy to me.

Let's fulfill this fantasy:

Kadri Tavares Matthews
Marleau Nylander Marner
Gardiner Brooks Kapanen
Grundstrom Ennis Brown

Rielly Liljegren
Johnsson Dermott
Sandin Carrick

Andersen
Sparks

 

[Cor]

Ok but that leaves someone out unless Babs goes with dressing 7 defensemen.

It would leave Carrick out.

Which would be nothing new

 

[BertCorbeau]

I disagree because you don't pay Ryan 3.125 mill a year for 3 years to play 4th line C. Even if you're Calgary you don't pay that. TOR was supposedly going to offer him more. So you put Nylander at 3C and pay Ryan over 3.125 mill for 3 years at 4th line C?

Well he's quality depth and the Leafs would have had to pay that in the market. Likely he would have been a safety net/competition for Nylander, in case there are struggles.

 

[Nithoniniel]

It's not just about creating a nice roster when everybody is healthy, it's also about making sure that you can handle injuries in different parts of your lineup without being left without answers. We were always getting another center, even if the plan had been to have Nylander take Bozak's spot. If we hadn't, we would have had zero real options in case one of our top three centers got injured.