Fun question. If you were to rebuild, who do you keep? who do you trade?

[Hyperglide]

Trade
Phil Kessel -- Get rid of him now while his trade value is high, he's not a player you win with. Doesn't do anything worthwhile other then score goals. He is a problem on our top line because he is poor defensively, doesn't hit and go into the corners and shys away from contact. Probably the softest player in the league. I don't want him on this team at 8 million dollars just shooting pucks
Franson -- Another piece that has a lot of weaknesses but has value right now cause he is putting up points and he's RFA IIRC.
Fraser -- Useless 7th-8th plug on most good teams. Don't want him anymore. I like his toughness but that's not enough to stay in the NHL.
Ranger -- Reclamation project is taking to long. He is a liability defensively and one of our issues on defense.
Clarkson - If you can get anything for you you move him. I like his game but he's not producing enough points to pay him what he's earning. I doubt this contract is easily movable however.
Kadri -- He has talent but is still way to inconsistent and has many chances to succeed and fail. Also he's not mature and doesn't appear to have the right attitude to win in this league.
Reimer -- I like him he's a good goalie but we have a better goalie now and one of them needs to go and we could get good assets for Reimer. He's too good to be a backup let him go to a team where he can start.

Keep
Bozak -- Good two way forward on a decent contract and brings a lot of good intangibles to a team.
JVR -- Great body in front of the net and is a decent net presence and top forward.
Lupul -- The Captain away from the Captain. A leader a veteran and great forward who brings it.
Bernier -- Our savior. Best player we have at the moment
Phaneuf -- Our captain and best defenseman. If we can get someone better the he'd make an excellent D Partner for one of the best D corps in the league.
Gardiner -- Still makes a ton of mistakes but his talent is just off the charts. Worth keeping and has a decent contract.
Rielly -- Sky is the limit for this kid. He's going to be our best defenseman in a couple of years. Untouchable if you ask me.
McClement -- Our captain of intangibles. Best 4th line Center in the league if you ask me. Is great at everything you want from your 4th line Center and is a hometown guy who likes it here on a good contract.
Holland -- I see lots of upside in him and he's working to become a better player on his scouted weaknesses. I see bright potential with him.
Bolland -- He's probably one of the best 3rd line C's in the league. Just like McClement he does a lot of various things that help you win hockey games in a myriad of ways.
Kulemin -- The most underrated Leaf on the team and longest serving. If he can find his scoring touch again he'd make our 3rd line deadly.

Don't care about
Raymond -- Expendable very soft player and inconsistent just like Canucks fans told us a bout. He's fun to watch dangle and a pretty good player but he'll want a raise and he's not worth it.
D'Amigo -- Expendable 4th line grinder at best.
Gunnarson -- Not top pairing material and will want to get paid top line money

Wait and See
Gleason -- At this point we'll have to wait and see. JML was on my expendable list and he already got shipped out.

Fire -- Carlyle
Keep -- Nonis

Hope I didn't forget anyone.

 

[Bluejaysfan*]

I don't want my core players to be swiss cheese soft. Sorry. I like Kessel but I don't see him or Phaneuf as being core of a cup winning team.

They are very good players that can be complementary, but not cup winning core material.

Kane is swiss cheese soft.. Doesn't mean he can't be part of a cup winning team.

 

[Wheels]

I dont like the idea of a rebuild but if I was GM and Rogers/Bell insisted on a rebuild, here's what I'd be looking at:

1. Kessel and Bozak to COL for MacKinnon and a first.

You couldn't get MacKinnon for Kessel, Bozak and a 1st coming from Toronto, let alone geting MacKinnon and a 1st for Kessel and Bozak. Why would Colorado do this?

 

[Durkin67]

Fair enough we'll disagree here. It's just a heavy price to pay for two expensive players who don't exactly scream leadership.

I think Bozak is a pretty solid team player with 5 years experience and while Kessel isnt a vocal "leader", he has his poop together. COL needs a little maturity to round out their group, which has been called out more than once for their lack of t.

I agree; it's a high price to pay, But Bozak also make Stastny somewhat expendable.
If I'm the GM in COL, I'm looking for guys with a track record like what Kessel and Bozak offer.

Nate will be great, but Kessel and Bozie put them in the winner's circle a lot sooner.

I'll agree to disagree

 

[Hyperglide]

You couldn't get MacKinnon for Kessel, Bozak and a 1st coming from Toronto, let alone geting MacKinnon and a 1st for Kessel and Bozak. Why would Colorado do this?

Colorado would probably do Kessel Bozak and a 1st for MacKinnon. If they want Kadri they can take him to instead of Bozie.

Kessel is one of the best wingers in the league, his value is almost equal to Mackinnon alone.

 

[ECanuck]

I think Bozak is a pretty solid team player with 5 years experience and while Kessel isnt a vocal "leader", he has his poop together. COL needs a little maturity to round out their group, which has been called out more than once for their lack of t.

I agree; it's a high price to pay, But Bozak also make Stastny somewhat expendable.
If I'm the GM in COL, I'm looking for guys with a track record like what Kessel and Bozak offer.

Nate will be great, but Kessel and Bozie put them in the winner's circle a lot sooner.

I'll agree to disagree

Colorado GM says "yeah that's a nice cake. This one that's baking over here is worth waiting for."

 

[Trapper]

I really wish if Nonis,Carlyle and Lewieke had a master plan on a chalk board, we as Leaf fans could see it and know that everything was going to be ok. Everything was going as planned.

 

[thewave]

Colorado would probably do Kessel Bozak and a 1st for MacKinnon. If they want Kadri they can take him to instead of Bozie.

Kessel is one of the best wingers in the league, his value is almost equal to Mackinnon alone.

Just wow, never would this team do that for Mackinnon. With Kadri even? You would sen this team back to the stoneage in a single trade.

There is no incentive for either team to do the deal at all. Look at the cap differential alone!

 

[Bluejaysfan*]

Just wow, never would this team do that for Mackinnon. With Kadri even? You would sen this team back to the stoneage in a single trade.

There is no incentive for either team to do the deal at all. Look at the cap differential alone!

If the Leafs get offered that, they would be idiots not to take it. Mackinnon in his prime will be a top 5 center imo. In fact, the only centers that I would say are better than him in his prime are Crosby and maybe Stamkos. He will imo, be at least as great as Tavares. Yes I am hyping him up but he is absolutely filthy. The trade would be Sundin-esque in that Toronto trades a face-of-the-franchise type player for a young potential #1 center that was chosen #1 overall. You get Mackinnon...go hard his year for Ekblad/Reinhart and then one more year for McDavid/Barzal or Eichel and now your future is Mackinnon, Ekblad/Reinhart, Mcdavid/Barzal/Eichel, Rielly, JVR and Bernier. And you also have guys like Phaneuf, Lupul, Bolland, Kadri, Gardiner Clarkson, McClement and Gunnerson that are great complementary core pieces and provide leadership to ensure we don't end up like Edmonton. Just my 2 cents. If the Leafs could trade Kessel, Kadri and a 1st for Mackinnon, you absolutely have to make that deal.

 

[Diatomic]

Like I said before, the only players I would keep are Rielly (too young, so much potential), JVR (Young, Cheap #1 Winger) and Bernier. I would initially take offers on anyone else, literally anyone else. That doesn't mean I wouldn't want them apart of our team, its a matter of upgrading on players that are either overpayed, dumb, lazy, or a mixture of all three of those.

 

[Faltorvo]

Kane is swiss cheese soft.. Doesn't mean he can't be part of a cup winning team.

Sure but can we get a
Toews 6.3
Hossa 5.2
Keith 5.5
Seabrook 5.8
Sharp 5.9

Around him and his 6.3m , oops wait thats Kane

Kessel is 8m. <Kane 6.3?

Hrmm ok well

Dion 7m.<<<Keith 5.5?
Lups 5.2 <<< Hossa 5.2?
Clarkson 5.2<<<<<<<sharp 5.9?
JVR 4.2<<<<<<Toews 6.3?
Gleason 4m <<<<Seabrook 5.8?


We starting to match up yet?

 

[Faltorvo]

Colorado would probably do Kessel Bozak and a 1st for MacKinnon. If they want Kadri they can take him to instead of Bozie.

Kessel is one of the best wingers in the league, his value is almost equal to Mackinnon alone.

Their owner might not be interested in the 38 million in cash that Kessel is owed in the next 4 years.

 

[gamer1035]

undo the kessel trade and fap to the young cup contending core we have

#1 centre : seguin
#2 : kadri

#1 dman : phaneuf
#2 : reilly
#3: hamilton
#4:gardiner

#1 goalie : Riems

wooooooooooot

 

[Bluejaysfan*]

Sure but can we get a
Toews 6.3
Hossa 5.2
Keith 5.5
Seabrook 5.8
Sharp 5.9

Around him and his 6.3m , oops wait thats Kane

Kessel is 8m. <Kane 6.3?

Hrmm ok well

Dion 7m.<<<Keith 5.5?
Lups 5.2 <<< Hossa 5.2?
Clarkson 5.2<<<<<<<sharp 5.9?
JVR 4.2<<<<<<Toews 6.3?
Gleason 4m <<<<Seabrook 5.8?


We starting to match up yet?

Toews and Kane will have deals worth greater than Kessels deal when they sign their next contracts. Kessel signed his as he was becoming a UFA, Kane and Toews were both RFAs... I would use Rielly for Keith and Dion for Seabrook seeing as their playing styles match that way.

 

[-DeMo-]

Brad Richards has a decent chance to get bought out this summer.

If he does and we can get him on a 2 or 3 year contract I'd pay him big.

Richards could replace Kadri or Lupul in our top 6 who could be dealt for other assets. Richards regularly plays the point on the PP which would allow us to easily deal Franson and focus on getting a better 5 on 5, PK Dman in his place.

if there was no deal to be made for Mackinnon/Duchene I guess I would look at Richards but I'd be more looking to find that long term solution not short term.

With Jones in Nashville there is a shot at Weber I guess. Mackinnon is not going anywhere I think.

I realize it would be a hard sell to get Mackinnon/Duchene but like I said if we give up quality assets like Phaneuf, I think there might be a chance considering they currently have 4 top 6 centers in Mackinnon/Duchene/O'Rielly/Stastny.

 

[Stephen]

Kane is swiss cheese soft.. Doesn't mean he can't be part of a cup winning team.

A couple of things you have to give Kane a huge edge is he will cut to the center of the ice regularly, he is a more cerebral player than Kessel and is a much more dangerous dangler, which opens up space for him to do something creative when a low percentage shot is not available.

 

[Penalty Kill Icing*]

Kane is swiss cheese soft.. Doesn't mean he can't be part of a cup winning team.

Kane is good enough to dangle around players and come clutch. There were questions around him too.. but he answered them with a Conn Smythe.

Kane is part of Chicago core, not everything.

Look at Leafs, Kessel is pretty much the only thing. Isn't it obvious? When Kessel is your core player, you build around him. You use a C that is compatible with him than the best one out there. Same with defense. When Phaneuf is your core, you use Gunnarsson on top pairing rather than someone better because Phaneuf plays better with Gunnarsson.

 

[Teeder9]

if there was no deal to be made for Mackinnon/Duchene I guess I would look at Richards but I'd be more looking to find that long term solution not short term.



I realize it would be a hard sell to get Mackinnon/Duchene but like I said if we give up quality assets like Phaneuf, I think there might be a chance considering they currently have 4 top 6 centers in Mackinnon/Duchene/O'Rielly/Stastny.

They'll let Stastny walk before they trade the other three. Ror might get traded, but i think they go the Pens route and have 3 good centers

 

[-DeMo-]

They'll let Stastny walk before they trade the other three. Ror might get traded, but i think they go the Pens route and have 3 good centers

plausible but I also see a terrible defense and so does the Avs fans on there board, they continually post in there forum how the only reliable defense they have right now are Johnson and Hejda. Varlamov routinely bails them out with big saves. there bottom four consists of rotating dmen of Wilson, Sarich(UFA), Benoit(UFA), Barrie, Holden and Guenin(UFA) which is very weak and 3 of them are set to be UFA's at season's end. that's probably weaker then our bottom 4. they could really use a top pairing guy and there only gonna get one by moving one of those center's or by signing a UFA but I don't see any on the horizon. as they don't have the prospects with that type of potential right now.

 

[StringsAttached]

If it absolutely must come to a rebuild only players i'd keep are;

JVR/Bernier/Rielly
Bolland - small sample size I know but he's clutch and has heart
Holland - he just seems like a legit prospect
Kessel - pair him with a #1 and no doubt in my mind he is a 40+ goal player and snipers of his calibre are hard to come by in the league, we will regret it if we trade him and our GF dries up.

 

[pucci2001]

We don't need a rebuild. We do need some bigger changes. I would make all of Kadri, Franson, Gardiner, Lupul, Ranger, Frazer and Kulemin available for deals that shore up our defensive game.

The fact you put Kulemin in there doesn't make sense. He is one of our better defensive forwards and is also one of our better forecheckers.

 

[DaveT83*]

Leafs have invested far too much in a bad idea.

Nonis is too close to this Burke built roster to make any significant changes.

All the wrong guys are signed to big money for long term.

Too many BIG pieces are missing to simply fill through trade/ufa

Nobody in Pipeline that will make any significant impart to NHL roster - ever.


Very little left to be positive about in Leafland. A lot of personal changes have to made. By a GM who by all accounts is not interested in changing anything.

 

[Al14]

Leafs have invested far too much in a bad idea.

Nonis is too close to this Burke built roster to make any significant changes.

All the wrong guys are signed to big money for long term.

Too many BIG pieces are missing to simply fill through trade/ufa

Nobody in Pipeline that will make any significant impart to NHL roster - ever.


Very little left to be positive about in Leafland. A lot of personal changes have to made. By a GM who by all accounts is not interested in changing anything.

You might be right! Nonis needs to grow some balls and make a SHOCKING trade to get the attention of these players. Either that, or he needs to fire Carlyle and acquire a coach whose style of play fits the player assets we have!

Tim Leiweke needs to come front and centre and PUSH Nonis for a SIGNIFICANT change to SHAKE UP our LAZY, PATHETIC squad!

 

[theIceWookie]

Sure but can we get a
Toews 6.3
Hossa 5.2
Keith 5.5
Seabrook 5.8
Sharp 5.9

Around him and his 6.3m , oops wait thats Kane

Kessel is 8m. <Kane 6.3?

Hrmm ok well

Dion 7m.<<<Keith 5.5?
Lups 5.2 <<< Hossa 5.2?
Clarkson 5.2<<<<<<<sharp 5.9?
JVR 4.2<<<<<<Toews 6.3?
Gleason 4m <<<<Seabrook 5.8?


We starting to match up yet?

Are you really going to keep ignoring that Dion and Kessel's contracts we're signed at different times than Keith and Kane?

Come on.

 

[catgoldfish]

I remember people saying we need more North American players on our roster. Or was that Don Cherry? With the exception of Kulemin and Gunnarsson our team is all that. Really doesn't matter where a player is from it's his work ethic. We have a lot of floaters on this team no compete level. So sad.