How much do the Leafs regret trading Connor Brown?

[GermanSpitfire]

Connor Brown was Ottawa’s best forward throughout the season, definitely grew into a leader for Ottawa and a legit top-6 scorer. He’s now leading the world championships in points and is a leader on that team

A guy like Brown is exactly what the Leafs could’ve used in the playoffs for better secondary scoring. Instead they traded him off with Zaitsev who has been solid in Ottawa also to get some cap space. The Leafs wound up replacing Brown with Kerfoot who has been disappointing in his tenure as a Leaf.

How much do the Leafs regret trading Connor Brown?

Click to read more...

 

[tstracuzza]

They must be punching the air big time

 

[member 298589]

It was an unfortunate cost of dumping Zaitsev's cap hit and fixing the previous management's mistake.

He had stone hands for a large portion of his tenure on the Leafs, but a lot of that was usage being 3rd/4th line based on forward depth. He was an excellent scorer in the AHL, so it's not a big surprise how well he's doing.

Honestly, the general sentiment I see is that he is still well liked by Toronto fans and there's only happiness that he's doing well for himself and Ottawa.

 

[CatchyTune]

Literally not at all. I would have paid twice as much to dump Zaitsevs terrible deal.

 

[LeafalCrusader]

Yup.

 

[HSF]

MacArthur 2.0

 

[SpezDispenser]

Literally not at all. I would have paid twice as much to dump Zaitsevs terrible deal.

Very odd. Nothing wrong with Zaitsev at all, he was misused by whatever coach was there, Babcock I presume.

 

[Black Kevin]

I just can't help myself but wonder if Brown is yet another average player scoring way above expectations on a bad team. Don't get me wrong, those points don't just appear out of thin air, but going forward with Jimmy Stu, Tkachuk, Norris, Formenton, Batherson, maybe an UFA signing or two or a late blooming Logan Brown, is Connor really the guy Ottawa fans and other people around the league see as a core top-6 guy?

 

[Jozay]

Not much. They needed to get rid of Zaitsev.

 

[CatchyTune]

Very odd. Nothing wrong with Zaitsev at all, he was misused by whatever coach was there, Babcock I presume.

We couldnt afford to pay him $4.5 for the next half decade. This trade freed up $6.6 long term which was huge during our cap crunch.

 

[JT Kreider]

Literally not at all. I would have paid twice as much to dump Zaitsevs terrible deal.

Should have just traded another 1st instead of wasting it on the likes of Nick Foligno.

There is a reason the most complete and hardest working team was during Matthews and Marner's rookie years.

Giving away Brown for nothing as a cap dump is the worst move Dubas made.

Lou set him up soooo pretty and he managed to ruin it all within one two years.

 

[AuraSphere]

TBH, Connor Brown hasn't changed, he's always been this good and everyone has known it. When you have cap issues theres not much you can do... We had to get Zaitsev off the books and at that time we were still loaded with Kapanen, Johnsson etc.

We miss him so much, he has the heart and the instinct, I'd want him over marner at this point lol

 

[SpezDispenser]

We couldnt afford to pay him $4.5 for the next half decade. This trade freed up $6.6 long term which was huge during our cap crunch.

It's a peculiar thing when a cap is mismanaged that badly. I assume that was Lamourello?

 

[Gurglesons]

They probably lose him for nothing because of Zaitsev and the pandemic.

 

[JT Kreider]

We couldnt afford to pay him $4.5 for the next half decade. This trade freed up $6.6 long term which was huge during our cap crunch.

But could afford to pay Alex Kerfoot $3.5 million in the midst of said cap crunch.

Or if you know a cap crunch is coming don't unnecessarily add to that by signing Tavares... or better yet more like don't create a cap crunch by unnecessarily signing Tavares in the first place

 

[AuraSphere]

It's a peculiar thing when a cap is mismanaged that badly. I assume that was Lamourello?

Nope, all dubas, giving out trash deals to everyone. Not sure how he hasn't been fired with the mismanagement of assets.

Zaitsev deal was given by Lou I believe

 

[CatchyTune]

Should have just traded another 1st instead of wasting it on the likes of Nick Foligno.

There is a reason the most complete and hardest working team was during Matthews and Marner's rookie years.

Dont see how these trades correlate.

I would much much much rather have traded Brown and his cap hit over a 1st.

our 2019 1st was used to acquire Muzzin, and our 2020 1st was used to dump Marleau, an even worse contract. So not sure what 1st you are talking about.

 

[CatchyTune]

But could afford to pay Alex Kerfoot $3.5 million in the midst of said cap crunch

I'd much rather have Kerfoot at his current deal then Zaitsev at his current deal.

 

[CatchyTune]

Should have just traded another 1st instead of wasting it on the likes of Nick Foligno.

There is a reason the most complete and hardest working team was during Matthews and Marner's rookie years.

Giving away Brown for nothing as a cap dump is the worst move Dubas made.

Lou set him up soooo pretty and he managed to ruin it all within one two years.

Brown was the sweetener in the deal to dump the actual cap dump. Not even close to being the worst move.

 

[JT Kreider]

Dont see how these trades correlate.

I would much much much rather have traded Brown and his cap hit over a 1st.

our 2019 1st was used to acquire Muzzin, and our 2020 1st was used to dump Marleau, an even worse contract. So not sure what 1st you are talking about.

My point is Dubas is flying by the seat of his pants with zero long term planning if he is just going to throw a 1st at an older worse broken down version of Brown to replace that lost grit

 

[SpezDispenser]

Nope, all dubas, giving out trash deals to everyone. Not sure how he hasn't been fired with the mismanagement of assets.

Zaitsev deal was given by Lou I believe

I must say...he's done his fair share of video game GMing if he's the one who decided Tavares was the right was to spend 11 million.

 

[TheDoldrums]

There is a reason the most complete and hardest working team was during Matthews and Marner's rookie years.

Those teams were always bad defensively, this years team was more complete. But yeah, it helps to have your best players on ELC's, very shrewd observation.

 

[SpezDispenser]

I'd much rather have Kerfoot at his current deal then Zaitsev at his current deal.

Really? Why is that?

 

[hotcabbagesoup]

I would like to add:
Alex Barabanov was one of San Jose’s best forwards at the end of the season, definitely grew into a leader for Ottawa South and a legit top-6 scorer. He played for Russia in the world championships and is a leader on that team.

A guy like Barabanob is exactly what the Leafs could’ve used in the playoffs for better secondary scoring. Instead they traded him off with Zaitsev who has been solid in Ottawa also to get some cap space. The Leafs wound up replacing Barabanov with Kerfoot who has been disappointing in his tenure as a Leaf.

How much do the Leafs regret trading Alex Barabanov?

 

[CatchyTune]

Really? Why is that?

Cheaper contract, shorter contract, fills a more pressing need.