Free Agents and Trade Thread - Training camp edition

[LeafChief]

If your a defenseman looking for a job to up your value that 2nd unit PP job has some value add

We'd like the ability to PK but I was looking at it from a player adding value perspective and points seem to be what drives the AAV up on contracts

Do you have any examples of players that would fit this category? I'm wondering what options we may have.

 

[Kiwi]

Do you have any examples of players that would fit this category? I'm wondering what options we may have.

I haven't really gone through the pending UFA list to see who may fit the bill, this theory is also working on the premise of players taking short term deals because the market is all screwed up

I may go and do that

 

[Cor]

I’m honestly not sure we sign any FA forward’s, unless they are the Agostino/Aberg/Kossila’s of the world.

I think we likely look to see which D on the Tanev/Brodie/etc tier might be cheaper or shorter term than usual.

Goalie wise I think we’re fine. Maybe we replace Kaskisuo with someone else to split time with Woll, but even then, I can see us sticking with Kaskisuo, and should Campbell or Andersen go down, give Woll a look as the backup.

On another note, I wonder if Ian Scott gets loaned overseas. We really have no idea if or when the ECHL will get started up again. Might make sense to loan him to a SHL, NLA, DEL, Liiga type league for the year.

 

[ShaneFalco]

screw Brodie

 

[Cor]

screw Brodie

Lots of players make their lists strategically. It’s pretty well known the Leafs need to improve Defense, so it makes sense for us to be on any d-man’s NTC, so they can control whether they go or not.

Reports said Kadri killed the Calgary deal, not Brodie.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Lots of players make their lists strategically. It’s pretty well known the Leafs need to improve Defense, so it makes sense for us to be on any d-man’s NTC, so they can control whether they go or not.

Reports said Kadri killed the Calgary deal, not Brodie.

I seem to recall, and I could be wrong, that he put the Leafs on his NTL after the deal almost went down

 

[ACC1224]

Lots of players make their lists strategically. It’s pretty well known the Leafs need to improve Defense, so it makes sense for us to be on any d-man’s NTC, so they can control whether they go or not.

Reports said Kadri killed the Calgary deal, not Brodie.

Yep, being on a list doesn't mean he won't waive it.

 

[LeafChief]

screw Brodie

The move really just gives Brodie control. He may not have wanted to get traded mid-season and have to uproot his family during the season. He knew the Leafs had prior interest.

BUT it could also mean he does not want to play here.

 

[Magic Man]

I think Hamonic and Tanev make sense and I assume neither would break the bank.

 

[ShaneFalco]

The move really just gives Brodie control. He may not have wanted to get traded mid-season and have to uproot his family during the season. He knew the Leafs had prior interest.

BUT it could also mean he does not want to play here.

I take it as he doesn't want to be here. But who knows. I think he had 8 teams on his list

 

[Morgs]

I think Hamonic and Tanev make sense and I assume neither would break the bank.

Hamonic is a third pairing defenseman that people think is a defensive defenseman that always has bad defensive numbers to go along with bad offensive (besides 2018-19??) numbers. He doesn't play the way Keefe is coaching the team too, so I don't see it.

Tanev just had his first healthy season since like 15-16 (if you count missing only 13 games healthy) and he was for the FIRST TIME in his career a negative defensive player while as always being a negative offensive one. I still like his upside, and he actually has good puck skills for a defensive defenseman, but it would have to be a Shattenkirk-type "prove you can still play" contract. Even then, I strongly doubt he's the answer beside Rielly.

 

[hockeynorth]

Can we just like, trade for Mackenzie Weegar before he goes all Brett Pesce

 

[LeafChief]

Can we just like, trade for Mackenzie Weegar before he goes all Brett Pesce

Mackenzie Weegar would be ideal but unlikely I think. DeMelo would be shrewd if he came at a reasonable AAV.

 

[hockeynorth]

Mackenzie Weegar would be ideal but unlikely I think. DeMelo would be shrewd if he came at a reasonable AAV.

What would Weegar cost? 2 2nds? Trade AJ for him or for picks to use towards him is what I want to do. I really like DeMelo though and think that'd work well. I also think we're going to see Dermott make a Weegar-esque breakout next season.

Reilly-Dermott
Muzzin-DeMelo
Sandin-Holl/Liljegren

or

Reilly-Weegar
Muzzin-Holl
Sandin-Dermott/Liljegreb

are the 2 reasonable blue line options I'd be happy with for next season

 

[LeafChief]

What would Weegar cost? 2 2nds? Trade AJ for him or for picks to use towards him is what I want to do. I really like DeMelo though and think that'd work well. I also think we're going to see Dermott make a Weegar-esque breakout next season.

Reilly-Dermott
Muzzin-DeMelo
Sandin-Holl/Liljegren

or

Reilly-Weegar
Muzzin-Holl
Sandin-Dermott/Liljegreb

are the 2 reasonable blue line options I'd be happy with for next season

I'd be pleased with either. If we could parlay Johnsson into Weegar that would be a stroke of brilliance. We also have Lehtonen who should be in the mix next year as well.

 

[TML1967]

What would Weegar cost? 2 2nds? Trade AJ for him or for picks to use towards him is what I want to do. I really like DeMelo though and think that'd work well. I also think we're going to see Dermott make a Weegar-esque breakout next season.

Reilly-Dermott
Muzzin-DeMelo
Sandin-Holl/Liljegren

or

Reilly-Weegar
Muzzin-Holl
Sandin-Dermott/Liljegreb

are the 2 reasonable blue line options I'd be happy with for next season

I like Dermott, but im starting to think we wont have a spot for him if we keep Reilly/if he cant make a transition to the right side.
I dont see him as better than Reilly or Muzzin (at least not in the next 3 or so years)
Sandin is younger, and seems to think the game a bit better (although a bit let physically gifted)

Would it be smarter to move Dermott+AJ for RHD? Keep the extra space and sign a veteran/cheap guy to play 3rd pair with Sandin for a year.

Reilly - (RHD)
Muzzin Holl
Sandin - Rutta type (cheap guy around 30)

If we are targeting a guy who may be hidden behind teammates, I like Phillipe Myers.
Niskanen and Sandheim ahead of him, both good RHD. He might not be able to be protected in expansion draft (Provorov, Gost, Sanheim, Niskanen, Myers all need to be protected).
Hes an RFA, and they are not flush is space. (did a base line, didnt add anyone in free agency and only resigned the guys who did well Stuff - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps)

 

[Magic Man]

Mackenzie Weegar would be ideal but unlikely I think. DeMelo would be shrewd if he came at a reasonable AAV.

I would support signing DeMelo as well. Though, given his age and upward trajectory I'd be worried he'll be given a term that will not age well given his fairly average skill set.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Lots of players make their lists strategically. It’s pretty well known the Leafs need to improve Defense, so it makes sense for us to be on any d-man’s NTC, so they can control whether they go or not.

Reports said Kadri killed the Calgary deal, not Brodie.

Kadri was ‘very close’ to accepting off-season trade to Flames | Calgary Sun

DENVER — Nazem Kadri was nearly wearing the Flaming C for Thursday’s season-opener at Pepsi Center.

The 28-year-old centre squashed a summer swap to Calgary — one of the no-go destinations on his partial no-trade clause — but admitted prior to his regular-season debut with the Colorado Avalanche that he seriously considered green-lighting the move.

“Yeah, I did, I came very close,” Kadri said before facing the Flames in the Mile High City. “I just didn’t really get the impression that I was being shopped around (by the Maple Leafs) and my initial feeling was to stay in Toronto, and that’s kind of why that whole situation panned out the way it did. It was nothing against Calgary. I obviously love that city and I love going there as a visiting team, but I just had aspirations of staying put."

“That’s the truth. It’s genuine. It was nothing against the organization. That all being said, I still almost came to the decision of actually going there, so it was tempting.”

..............

For a couple of days in June, he had pondered how he might look like in red.

“It was a tough decision actually,” Kadri said after morning skate. “It was a lot to think about for me and my family. It’s not just me that’s going to be living there, so I have to take everyone else’s feelings into consideration."

“So . . . yeah, it was close. But at the end of the day, I think I made the right decision.”

 

[Merrrlin]

I like Dermott, but im starting to think we wont have a spot for him if we keep Reilly/if he cant make a transition to the right side.
I dont see him as better than Reilly or Muzzin (at least not in the next 3 or so years)
Sandin is younger, and seems to think the game a bit better (although a bit let physically gifted)

Would it be smarter to move Dermott+AJ for RHD? Keep the extra space and sign a veteran/cheap guy to play 3rd pair with Sandin for a year.

Reilly - (RHD)
Muzzin Holl
Sandin - Rutta type (cheap guy around 30)

If we are targeting a guy who may be hidden behind teammates, I like Phillipe Myers.
Niskanen and Sandheim ahead of him, both good RHD. He might not be able to be protected in expansion draft (Provorov, Gost, Sanheim, Niskanen, Myers all need to be protected).
Hes an RFA, and they are not flush is space. (did a base line, didnt add anyone in free agency and only resigned the guys who did well Stuff - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps)

Myers is pairing with Sanheim

 

[jaric1862]

a good lineup for next year

Nylander-Matthews-Hyman
Mikheyev-Tavares-Marner
Barabanov-Kerfoot-Kapanen
Clifford-Gauthier-Spezza

Muzzin-Holl
Rielly-Dermott
Lehtonen-Mayfield

Andersen-Campbell

 

[hockeywiz542]

Quick Shifts: Maple Leafs' Dubas scouting free agents in bubble - Sportsnet.ca

1. The trade deadline is more than five months in the rear view. Bubble rosters are locked and loaded. So, besides moral support, agonizing over their teams’ mistakes and providing a soundboard for their coaching staffs, what purpose do general managers serve in the bubble?

They’ll be scouting, with a keen eye to next season, which — if all goes according to plan — will fly at them faster than a Connor McDavid rush. The Stanley Cup, fingers crossed, could be hoisted as late as Oct. 4, and the league is targeting Dec. 1 to drop the puck all over again.

In the case of the Toronto Maple Leafs, coach Sheldon Keefe is immersed in the day-to-day, and while president Brendan Shanahan and GM Kyle Dubas certainly care about the next game, they’re also undergoing daily COVID-19 tests so they can step back and see the big picture — which could involve bubble personnel wearing other uniforms.

“The long term is where I’m spending a lot of my downtime,” Dubas explains. “Thinking about where our team will be going and looking at various different free agents that might be available that are here and playing, or even the games that are going to be on from Edmonton."

“This is a great chance to watch a lot of games of those players and really deeply study them before we head into what we hope will be a rapid succession of events from Stanley Cup Final to draft and free agency.”

Between a champagne-soaked Rogers Place and a brand-new training camp, executives will need to cram in all their signings, trades, draft picks, offer sheets and arbitration cases into a month-and-a-half whirlwind.

Toss in the fact that new CBA has eliminated the week-long wine-and-dine period for UFAs, and the pressure to quickly identify and pursue your targets will be hastened.

“A lot will have to get done in that time. So I think this is just an awesome opportunity: you’re in the same hotel or the same areas in the same facilities as a lot of these other teams, and you can learn a lot about teams and their players just by watching and observing the way they are off the ice and on, and I think this is a great opportunity for us,” Dubas says.

What a unique opportunity, to observe how other teams function and how opposing players carry themselves around their teammates and in public.

“It’s great,” Dubas says. “You’ve got 12 NHL teams playing for very high stakes, and they’re happening, essentially, 200 steps from where you’re living for the next number of months. So, if we don’t have a practice or a set team function, I think most of us will be there watching.”

 

[Dion TheFluff]

I noticed that Edmundson was listed on the right side next to Skjei today?
How did he look?
I only caught the last 10 minutes of the game.

Seems like he would be a good fit next to Rielly

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I noticed that Edmundson was listed on the right side next to Skjei today?
How did he look?
I only caught the last 10 minutes of the game.

Seems like he would be a good fit next to Rielly

Slow... Like he typically does. He would get torn apart against top pairing competition.

He's Carolina's #6 in a full lineup. He was #4 with Hamilton and Pesce out. He's also not a RD... They only did that out of necessity (i.e. Gardiner sure as hell could not play RD, since he is enough of a liability at LD and Fleury had to play on RD as well, where he is not great either).

 

[Dion TheFluff]

Slow... Like he typically does. He would get torn apart against top pairing competition.

He's Carolina's #6 in a full lineup. He was #4 with Hamilton and Pesce out. He's also not a RD... They only did that out of necessity (i.e. Gardiner sure as hell could not play RD, since he is enough of a liability at LD and Fleury had to play on RD as well, where he is not great either).

what about Vatanen?

 

[SeaOfBlue]

what about Vatanen?

Better, but he wouldn't fit well with Rielly. Small and I think they are too similar in terms of strengths and weaknesses. A Dermott or Brodie would likely work a bit better.