Speculation: Coyotes pursuing trade for Matthews

[RoadWarrior]

All in how you look at the process.

People still throw out the same comments about Lindros now 25 years later with everything being about language and the city of Quebec.

Aubut was as much to blame for Lindros not wanting to go there. They were running their team into the ground in preparation of an inevitable new building or sale and we all know how that worked out.

Matthews situation could not be any more different then that of Lindros. The Leafs have arguably never been as stable since the original 6 era, outside of 4-5 years with Fletcher in the early-mid 90's, then they have now. There's clear definition of roles and people are able to do their jobs without interference or agendas from above. Even under the Quinn era there was a playoff mandate.

Management is definitely a factor but it can't overcome the tax and weather issues completely. Kessel was from cold Wisconsin and didn't want to play here after fellow American Burke was fired. No questions taxes were a factor.

 

[The CyNick]

Ding ding ding, Elite D + top 3 in a deep draft, 7th in a deep draft and a top prospect trumps Mathews.

Very easily.

Another person who hasn't seen Strome play

 

[ChrisCall]

It should scare you a lot more than just a little. If he walks after 3 years we lose the deal by a huge margin, in fact it may go down as the worst trade in Leaf history and that's saying a mouthful.

If the deal is conditional on OEL signing an extension that's another story.

100% THIS.

If there is allowance to negotiate an extension with OEL and that the trade only be completed if an extension is completed, and only at a dollar figure the Leafs are happy with, THEN, and only then, does the Matthews trade make any sense. ... and even then it's a tough call.

And it still has to include the 7th OV ++

 

[Jack Bauer]

Just about every UFA that has said no to the leafs in recent years most notably Brad Richards......and he's Canadian.

Free Agency is a giant evaluation process.

Weather, taxes, city and other factors all go into it.

For a decade now the Leafs have been that team looking to free agency for core pieces. Core pieces go to free agency trying to put themselves in the best position to win which usually means teams with a few other core pieces.

Now that we're starting to see core pieces come through the system as developed in house prospects I would think that over the next few years you will start to see things like weather and taxes play less importance to players who will now see themselves as the complimentary core pieces for a team like the Leafs with a lot of young talent.

Shanahan has changed the teams image 180 degrees over the last 12 months. Over the next 24-36 is when we see the rest of the league and UFA's start to buy into what he's selling in my opinion.

 

[RoadWarrior]

Another person who hasn't seen Strome play

I'm not high on Strome. He reminds me too much of a poor mans Jason Spezza but you get him anyway so Babcock can turn him around.

However I do think that Dvorak will be a top 20 center in the league. If you add in the 7th OA and OEL then it's a good deal.

 

[Jack Bauer]

Management is definitely a factor but it can't overcome the tax and weather issues completely. Kessel was from cold Wisconsin and didn't want to play here after fellow American Burke was fired. No questions taxes were a factor.

You think Kessel's play was because Burke was fired?

I disagree. A lot.

Kessel signed an 8 yr deal here knowing the tax situation. After Burke was fired.

 

[Stephen]

You know when you sign up for a fantasy hockey league and then the GMs start "making McDavid available for the right price" and then proceed to pull off a 12 player mega deal?

Same mentality here.

 

[ACC1224]

You think Kessel's play was because Burke was fired?

I disagree. A lot.

Kessel signed an 8 yr deal here knowing the tax situation. After Burke was fired.

Yeah, they aren't making a lot of sense.

I imagine there may be the odd player that would consider these issues but it's not some wide spread epidemic. IMO, that's a pretty silly notion.

 

[Budsfan]

Although any player can be traded, this would have to be a win, win deal and I don't think Arizona will cough up enough to make a deal work but it will be very interesting over the next few weeks until the draft.

If a trade is made it may involve other players and picks going either way.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Willy Nylander is looking pretty good as a 7th OA pick..........and it's Hunter we're talking about who is one of the best scouts in the biz.

You're also forgetting Dvorak who could easily become a #1C as well.

There's no guarantee Mathews stays in Toronto beyond 7 years either.

Yea, there is no guarantee of anything. Should Edmonton trade McDavid then? They would get a king's ransom for him too. Fact is: players that do play here, love it here. Even Americans. Just ask some Blue Jays players or Raptors players. Toronto is a great city to be in. Personally, there is no place that I'd rather be than Toronto.

 

[Leafsforlife98]

If the offer is OEL + Dvorak + Strome + 7th OA for 1st OA pick plus Lupul and Michalek then I pull the trigger on the deal. That's a solid return and the leafs dump useless contracts in the process.

Holy serious over payment batman.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Holy serious over payment batman.

Well, that's what it would take. Leafs are extremely happy to be picking 1st.

 

[Antropovsky]

We need a #1 center more than anything.

However if management thinks that Dvorak or strome have a pretty good chance of being a #1 center, than I'd be interested.

Oel is a deal breaker, without him it doesn't make sense to make a deal.

Really depends on how high hunter is on Dvorak and tkachuk

 

[diceman934]

Management is definitely a factor but it can't overcome the tax and weather issues completely. Kessel was from cold Wisconsin and didn't want to play here after fellow American Burke was fired. No questions taxes were a factor.

Weather. ...what a joke. Many teams have worse weather then us....so no!

Taxes can be a minor issue but again not a deterent. Kessel signed his extention after Burke was fired.

The issue has been our team has sucked and attracting free agents is always difficult when your team is poor. People have also blamed the media etc...which again is a joke. As we improve so will our chances of signing top free agents as well as being on list of teams that players will accept a trade to.

 

[diceman934]

We need a #1 center more than anything.

However if management thinks that Dvorak or strome have a pretty good chance of being a #1 center, than I'd be interested.

Oel is a deal breaker, without him it doesn't make sense to make a deal.

Really depends on how high hunter is on Dvorak and tkachuk

Tkachuk will not be there at 7....

He will go 4th or 5th.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Yea, there is no guarantee of anything. Should Edmonton trade McDavid then? They would get a king's ransom for him too. Fact is: players that do play here, love it here. Even Americans. Just ask some Blue Jays players or Raptors players. Toronto is a great city to be in. Personally, there is no place that I'd rather be than Toronto.

I have nothing to base this on other than just a general sense of things so take it FWIW - Toronto is truly a world class city and word is getting out. Our reputation as a city is >>>>>>> what is used to be.

This talk about Matthews bolting is the worst case of paranoia I've ever seen on this board. Expect him to be a Leaf for a very ... long ... time.

 

[Leafsforlife98]

OEL, Strome, Domi and both 1sts is plenty. But I would go further after consummating this deal.

I would attempt to pry the 2 OA pick from Columbus and add to our youth with Laine. Trade 7OA and 30th, Percy and Leivo for 2OA.

We then secure OEL, Strome, Domi and Laine for our 1st overall. That would be a sweet haul. And go grab Stamkos as #1 center.. and still have 20th overall pick and 31st in 2nd round for D and goalie.

Future looks bright.

So much wrong with this I won't even bother lol

 

[ajp4to]

Just about every UFA that has said no to the leafs in recent years most notably Brad Richards......and he's Canadian.

Richards was never offered a contract by Toronto; so, no way of knowing if he would have come.

 

[Drew75]

I would look to the Lindros trade for an example. Matthews does not have the 'generational' label that Lindros did - but realistically we'd have to look at a package that would be a significant over payment.

OEL + one of Dvorak / Strome + 7th overall is a starter - but you'd likely have to add to that along the lines of a 2nd rounder and a goalie prospect for it to be considered.

Having OEL, Reilly, and draft Sergachev and the D corps is looking pretty good. Dvorak / Strome + Nylander & Kadri is not bad down the middle.

 

[mallory67]

I'm not high on Strome. He reminds me too much of a poor mans Jason Spezza but you get him anyway so Babcock can turn him around.

However I do think that Dvorak will be a top 20 center in the league. If you add in the 7th OA and OEL then it's a good deal.

Dylan Strome 3rd OA = Ryan Strome 5th OA

Isn't Ryan the better skater too?

 

[LWOSLEAFS]

Richards was never offered a contract by Toronto; so, no way of knowing if he would have come.

The Leafs, among several other teams made a pitch to Newport and Richards. They just didn't offer the term his negotiators were seeking. One of Burke's most astute decisions as the Leafs' GM.

 

[highslot]

I would look to the Lindros trade for an example. Matthews does not have the 'generational' label that Lindros did - but realistically we'd have to look at a package that would be a significant over payment.

OEL + one of Dvorak / Strome + 7th overall is a starter - but you'd likely have to add to that along the lines of a 2nd rounder and a goalie prospect for it to be considered.

Having OEL, Reilly, and draft Sergachev and the D corps is looking pretty good. Dvorak / Strome + Nylander & Kadri is not bad down the middle.

having a star centre under contract for 7 years is what you are using to measure the trade. oel is only there 2 years. so 1c vs 1d, 7 years vs 2 years.

you are asking strome or dvorak to be at least a 2c, and you are picking a top 4d.

imo, that's not an overpayment.

i'd have no incentive to make an equal trade, they'd have to massively overpay for a 1c who will likely be an allstar and is a native to the city.

also think about what you'd have to give up if you are signing a rfa, i believe 5 firsts?

so it would have to be for me oel, dvorak and strome, and 2 firsts and they take lupul. if they wanted some non core players like lindberg, leivo, hymen or percy back to make the deal look more balanced, or one of our 3rds i'm fine with that.

so it would be something like having

nylander
dvorak/marner
strome

down the middle long term.

and

rielly-chychrun/serg
gardiner-dermott

it's balanced, and our d looks a lot better, but i think i'd still prefer matthews on second thought.

 

[Menzinger]

People don't have a fear of drafting Mathews. I think the concern that Mathews doesn't want to play in Toronto has some validity especially in light of what has happened with another American Phil Kessel who basically quit on the team.

Even if you don't think he wants to play here you draft him anyway and start fielding offers because Mathews could fetch a kings ransom in quality players and prospects from an American team OR you take Laine. Swedes and Finns have never had a problem playing in Canada.

Kessel's nationality had absolutely nothing to do with the Leafs - he signed an 8 year contract extension with the team once he finished being a UFA.

The idea that Americans will be less inclined to play for a Canadian team is 100% without merit or any tangible supporting evidence.

Matthews and his family left the US for another continent to further his hockey career - he's a professional.

 

[Purity*]

Screw this.

Arizona would NEVER be willing to pay the price to get Matthews. And if they did, it would honestly be worse in the long run for them given how much they'd need to give up.

Matthews will be a Maple Leaf, its pretty much 99.999% guaranteed at this point.

 

[KeonsCurse]

Let me get this straight. After cheering with emotional investment for 82 losses this season...

...and emotionally cheering for Edmonton, Vancouver and Winnipeg to WIN their games...

...and cheering every time we traded away a piece that might help us win, like Kessel, Phaneuf or Reimer...

...and then after locking up 30th place on the LAST game of the season (because it's hard enough to finish 30th in the NHL as it is, with all this parity)...

...and even then mentally preparing ourselves to pick 4th overall, because those were the odds...

...and then actually winning the lottery with a 1/5 shot, in other words if we finished 30th overall for the next 4 years in a row (unlikely in of itself), we might not even win the lottery ever again in that timespan...

...and even then, lucking out that we won the lottery in a year where Matthews was available, and not Yakupov or RNH...

...some of you want to trade that away for Domi, Strome and a 7th? You are out of your mind.

I created an account, after years of just enjoying reading, to do this....

I have 100% confidence in Shanahan/Lou/Hunter ( and how nice of a feeling is that? ), that they will step up to the podium next Friday and choose Matthews, to represent this franchise, for the next 10-15 years.

There will be no trade!