Trade Ideas and Free Agency XXVIII

[2Pair]

I don't know what metric exists that shows that Spurgeon isn't good.

Have you watched him play this season? Has he looked like a borderline #1 Dman? Because that's what he was considered to be, coming into this season.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Have you watched him play this season? Has he looked like a borderline #1 Dman? Because that's what he was considered to be, coming into this season.

Not really, but I'm also not going to let 5 games overwrite 5 years.

 

[2Pair]

Not really, but I'm also not going to let 5 games overwrite 5 years.

FTR- I'm not saying Spugeon has been bad at all, I'm just saying that if the thought is to trade him, every game he plays with Brodin is a detriment to his value.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

I'd think about offering Brodin to Montreal for their first, while they're very likely over-achieving and thinking that they might be contenders, and before they realize that Brodin might not be that good.

Or that they already have three left d under contract who are about as good and two more who are cheaper and provide the same offense. Why Montreal? Haven't we done enough for them?

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Or that they already have three left d under contract who are about as good and two more who are cheaper and provide the same offense. Why Montreal? Haven't we done enough for them?

Illusions of grandeur before the fall. Good shot at Hughes.

Of course, if Montreal gives up an unprotected first for Brodin they'd be absolutely insane, I know that.

 

[TaLoN]

I don't think Nino will finish the season in a Wild uniform.

 

[BigT2002]

I don't think Nino will finish the season in a Wild uniform.

You misspelled Coyle

 

[Bazeek]

You misspelled Coyle

Love it or hate it, Coyle's handedness, ability to play center and contract make him much more likely to stay.

 

[Uberdachen]

Love it or hate it, Coyle's handedness, ability to play center and contract make him much more likely to stay.

You misspelled contract twice.

 

[FVM]

Making the case for the Wild to go after young Leafs stud William Nylander

But perhaps the Wild agree to solve Toronto’s biggest roster problem — their lack of right-shot defensemen. Minnesota could offer them a first-pairing defenseman in Jared Spurgeon, who is 28 and has two years left on a contract that already pays him more than $5 million per season. By itself, that’s not enough to pique the Leafs’ interest, but what if Spurgeon came with a 25-goal-potential, shutdown winger like Nino Niederreiter? Surely, that’d have to be interesting for a team already oozing with star power and looking to make a Cup run.

Something like that would be a seismic shake-up for a Wild roster that has had a remarkable amount of continuity over the past six years. It might also seem like a net loss to some. Nylander would be an upgrade from Niederreiter, but is that upgrade enough to offset the loss of (arguably) Minnesota’s best defenseman? This is an especially crucial question, given that there is no heir apparent to Spurgeon unless somebody like 2018 first-round pick Filip Johansson eventually develops into a top-pairing guy.

It isn’t just Nylander’s production that makes him a great fit for the Wild. He also brings some things to the table that are noticeably absent among Minnesota’s forward corps. Nylander is a right shot, which has been an area of weakness for the Wild. Currently, their only right-shot forwards are Charlie Coyle, Eric Fehr and J.T. Brown. Nylander’s handedness would be useful, particularly on the power play.

More importantly, he’s a wizard in transition, which would be a godsend to a Wild team that has struggled mightily moving the puck up the ice. Nylander is strong at exiting the defensive zone and is absolutely elite at entering the offensive zone.

Nylander’s youth also would make his acquisition a move that could pay off in the short or long-term. Let’s say a Nylander trade isn’t able to significantly alter the course of the 2018-19 Wild. Fenton could choose to sell off some assets, and try re-grouping in a couple of years with Nylander, Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Dumba and/or Zucker. That’s a much brighter future than Minnesota is facing now.

I'm intrigued. This could be the first real shot for Fenton to really make a big move.

 

[Bazeek]

Making the case for the Wild to go after young Leafs stud William Nylander






I'm intrigued. This could be the first real shot for Fenton to really make a big move.

It's an interesting situation, but I wouldn't be surprised if the trade speculation dries up pretty quickly once they get him under contract. Then again I wouldn't be surprised if it got louder either.

Spurgeon + Nino is too rich for my blood, but maybe I'm missing something with Nylander.

 

[FVM]

It's an interesting situation, but I wouldn't be surprised if the trade speculation dries up pretty quickly once they get him under contract. Then again I wouldn't be surprised if it got louder either.

Spurgeon + Nino is too rich for my blood, but maybe I'm missing something with Nylander.

It sounds like too much for me too, but I guess you have to take risks when a potentially elite young forward is available. The problem could be that Spurgeon and Nino together take up way too much cap for Toronto to swallow. Probably some other combo of assets would entice them more.

 

[57special]

It sounds like too much for me too, but I guess you have to take risks when a potentially elite young forward is available. The problem could be that Spurgeon and Nino together take up way too much cap for Toronto to swallow. Probably some other combo of assets would entice them more.

We'd have to take on the contract of some mediocre Leaf player or two, like....wait for it... Tyler Ennis!

Uberdachen would be SO pleased.

I think that Spurgeon and a 2016-17 Nino would be an overpay. 2017-18 Nino, not so much.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

It's an interesting situation, but I wouldn't be surprised if the trade speculation dries up pretty quickly once they get him under contract. Then again I wouldn't be surprised if it got louder either.

Spurgeon + Nino is too rich for my blood, but maybe I'm missing something with Nylander.

I think he's probably a lot better than a lot of us are giving him credit for. It would be a risky deal, no doubt, but there is some significant upside to it.

 

[2Pair]

I think he's probably a lot better than a lot of us are giving him credit for. It would be a risky deal, no doubt, but there is some significant upside to it.

It's always hard to judge a player when he isn't the best player on his line. I personally see a right handed Granlund when I watch Nylander play.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

It's always hard to judge a player when he isn't the best player on his line. I personally see a right handed Granlund when I watch Nylander play.

I can’t claim to watch Nylander a lot, but a 60-70 point forward signed to $8 million over the next 8 years wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.

And like the article said, you couldve made the exact same statement when Columbus traded for Panarin. Maybe it works out the same and maybe it doesn’t, but that’s the risk when making these types of deals.

 

[2Pair]

I can’t claim to watch Nylander a lot, but a 60-70 point forward signed to $8 million over the next 8 years wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.

And like the article said, you couldve made the exact same statement when Columbus traded for Panarin. Maybe it works out the same and maybe it doesn’t, but that’s the risk when making these types of deals.

I would love to see them go after Nylander, but if it's Spurgeon and Nino I think a little something would have to come back Minnesota's way.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I would love to see them go after Nylander, but if it's Spurgeon and Nino I think a little something would have to come back Minnesota's way.

If it’s someone like Liljegren, I think very, very hard about it.

 

[2Pair]

If it’s someone like Liljegren, I think very, very hard about it.

Yeah, that's about the value that I would be looking for.

 

[Wabit]

We'd have to take on the contract of some mediocre Leaf player or two, like....wait for it... Tyler Ennis!

Uberdachen would be SO pleased.

I think that Spurgeon and a 2016-17 Nino would be an overpay. 2017-18 Nino, not so much.

Ennis is a league min contract, so he's no real cap savings for Tor when they could just ship him to the AHL for 0 cap hit.

Horton's LTIRetired ($5.3m x 2) contract would probably be coming back to MN. LTIR doesn't cover ELC bonuses and Tor is looking at ~$5m of those this year.

 

[2Pair]

Ennis is a league min contract, so he's no real cap savings for Tor when they could just ship him to the AHL for 0 cap hit.

Horton's LTIRetired ($5.3m x 2) contract would probably be coming back to MN. LTIR doesn't cover ELC bonuses and Tor is looking at ~$5m of those this year.

Adding Horton's contract to that deal would remove Nino from it

 

[Wabit]

Adding Horton's contract to that deal would remove Nino from it

It's either that or retain money on Spurgeon or Nino.

 

[2Pair]

It's either that or retain money on Spurgeon or Nino.

Yeah, that's not how trades work.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

It's either that or retain money on Spurgeon or Nino.

Retaining on Spurgeon isn't all that bad with only 2 years left.

 

[Wabit]

Yeah, that's not how trades work.

Wow, so the cap isn't a thing anymore?