Trades and Free Agency 2021 | Trade Deadline 6 weeks away

[123offtheglass]

If Foligno were actually available he'd fit the bill of what they need or could benefit from, but it'd have to be something like Foligno (2m+ retained) for Kerfoot to make the cap work. Given the time of year and the team's success they'd likely want to minimize shaking up the group that they have. I'd think trades involving multiple regularly dressed roster players would be off the table unless it happened to be a really great deal.

So ultimately I could see them upgrading: 1) a single roster forward (ex. Kerfoot -> Foligno+ type); and/or: 2) adding a cheap (<1m) role/depth player, dependent on waiver complications, all while adding very little to no cap hit.

They really can't do anything to change their top 6D this season. They just don't have the cap space to scratch a guy or find an upgraded replacement with the same cap hit or less. Brodie (5m), & assistant captains Rielly (5m) & Muzzin (5.625m) aren't going anywhere; and there won't be any luck find reasonably upgraded replacement with less or equal cap to Holl (2m), Bogosian (1m), or Dermott (<0.9m).

LTIR at the deadline could potentially create some cap flexibility for more deals though, like last year with Morgan Rielly's LTIR injury.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

If Foligno were actually available he'd fit the bill of what they need or could benefit from, but it'd have to be something like Foligno (2m+ retained) for Kerfoot to make the cap work. Given the time of year and the team's success they'd likely want to minimize shaking up the group that they have. I'd think trades involving multiple regularly dressed roster players would be off the table unless it happened to be a really great deal.

So ultimately I could see them upgrading: 1) a single roster forward (ex. Kerfoot -> Foligno+ type); and/or: 2) adding a cheap (<1m) role/depth player, dependent on waiver complications, all while adding very little to no cap hit.

They really can't do anything to change their top 6D this season. They just don't have the cap space to scratch a guy or find an upgraded replacement with the same cap hit or less. Brodie (5m), & assistant captains Rielly (5m) & Muzzin (5.625m) aren't going anywhere; and there won't be any luck find reasonably upgraded replacement with less or equal cap to Holl (2m), Bogosian (1m), or Dermott (<0.9m).

LTIR at the deadline could potentially create some cap flexibility for more deals though, like last year with Morgan Rielly's LTIR injury.

Kerfoot is better than Foligno, so not really sure why the Leafs should ever consider that trade.

Foligno is actually not a good fit for this team at all. I am not sure anyone is really interested in him. Maybe someone will sign him for cheap as a UFA, similar to a guy like Simmonds, but that is pretty much the stage he's at in his career.

Simmonds picked up a conditional 5th round pick at the TDL last year. He came at full salary, but Foligno is no better than Simmonds. That is the kind of return Columbus should expect unless someone stupidly overpays or wants retention. He's really not that good anymore.

 

[123offtheglass]

Kerfoot is better than Foligno, so not really sure why the Leafs should ever consider that trade.

Foligno is actually not a good fit for this team at all. I am not sure anyone is really interested in him. Maybe someone will sign him for cheap as a UFA, similar to a guy like Simmonds, but that is pretty much the stage he's at in his career.

Simmonds picked up a conditional 5th round pick at the TDL last year. He came at full salary, but Foligno is no better than Simmonds. That is the kind of return Columbus should expect unless someone stupidly overpays or wants retention. He's really not that good anymore.

Seems like a Nick Foligno hate train or attempt to troll?... old and not what he once was? Yes, but he's a good player and would very easily aid every single team in the NHL, disregarding cap restraints.

It wasn't that long ago we lost a playoff series to them that we were heavily favorited to win, and he was a big part of shutting us down.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Seems like a Nick Foligno hate train or attempt to troll?... old and not what he once was? Yes, but he's a good player and would very easily aid every single team in the NHL, disregarding cap restraints.

It wasn't that long ago we lost a playoff series to them that we were heavily favorited to win, and he was a big part of shutting us down.

He's 33. He's not young.

He was once a 30 goal, 73 point scorer. Now he has 11 points in 26 games playing 18 minutes a night (which would give him a worse scoring rate than any forward who has played regular minutes for us, including Engvall and Vesey). He's been a 30-40 point scorer over a full season for 4 years now, despite playing the kind of minutes we give to our PPG players.

Can he aid us? Maybe. But cap constraints and cost are a major factor. If he costs us a better player in Kerfoot, is he really helping us?

Columbus did not shut us down. Korpisalo/Merzilkins shut us down. Their defense was solid but still gave up a lot more than we gave to them, even when they tried to collapse when they had leads. Korpisalo/Merzilkins was their difference maker. If they even had Andersen's lofty .932 save percentage against us (instead of the ~.970 they actually had), they don't win that series. They probably don't even win more than a game.

My expectations for him is he can be another Wayne Simmonds. Nothing more, nothing less. He is simply not a 18 minute player on a Cup contender like ours. The price has to be right, and people need to check their expectations for him or else they will be disappointed.

 

[123offtheglass]

He's 33. He's not young.

He was once a 30 goal, 73 point scorer. Now he has 11 points in 26 games playing 18 minutes a night (which would give him a worse scoring rate than any forward who has played regular minutes for us, including Engvall and Vesey). He's been a 30-40 point scorer over a full season for 4 years now, despite playing the kind of minutes we give to our PPG players.

Can he aid us? Maybe. But cap constraints and cost are a major factor. If he costs us a better player in Kerfoot, is he really helping us?

Columbus did not shut us down. Korpisalo/Merzilkins shut us down. Their defense was solid but still gave up a lot more than we gave to them, even when they tried to collapse when they had leads. Korpisalo/Merzilkins was their difference maker. If they even had Andersen's lofty .932 save percentage against us (instead of the ~.970 they actually had), they don't win that series. They probably don't even win more than a game.

My expectations for him is he can be another Wayne Simmonds. Nothing more, nothing less. He is simply not a 18 minute player on a Cup contender like ours. The price has to be right, and people need to check their expectations for him or else they will be disappointed.

Points per minutes can be misleading if you disregard the context. A lot of times those guys who aren't putting up crazy numbers yet are given high minutes nightly are done so for a reason. In Foligno's case like many others, they're given a lot of pk time, & ice time with the emphasis/focus on shutting-down/limiting the other teams top offensive players. Although minutes are higher, they're given less offensive opportunity. In the Leafs case Holl & Muzzin have done excellently in similar circumstances. A guy like Lehtonen or Thornton on another extreme have a large portion of their opportunity in sheltered or highly offensive opportunistic situations/shifts (e.x. Hyman taking a very large portion of the defensive zone draws on the Matthews-Marner line compared to their actual linemate Thornton), whether it be offensive zone starts, powerplay time, or playing in an offensively structured system. Torterella & Columbus play very much in a tight checking defensively structured system (much like the New York Islanders or Dallas Stars, they're just better than Columbus); it hinders the offense but they can't win their games with offensive firepower like the Leafs can.

You're right about the goaltending, they robbed the series with absurdly good play, but defensively the team was solid; it's too bad Andersen let in some weak ones. He played well otherwise but Columbus also wasn't very dangerous with offensive opportunities in the series, making it pretty easy for him.

Another Simmonds would be a good add; I guess I just personally think that Nick Foligno is currently better than Alex Kerfoot with defensive play, character, & grit being the difference maker even if Kerfoot has the edge offensively. He too can play center along with wing (and rw additionally).

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Points per minutes can be misleading if you disregard the context. A lot of times those guys who aren't putting up crazy numbers yet are given high minutes nightly are done so for a reason. In Foligno's case like many others, they're given a lot of pk time, & ice time with the emphasis/focus on shutting-down/limiting the other teams top offensive players. Although minutes are higher, they're given less offensive opportunity. In the Leafs case Holl & Muzzin have done excellently in similar circumstances. A guy like Lehtonen or Thornton on another extreme have a large portion of their opportunity in sheltered or highly offensive opportunistic situations/shifts (e.x. Hyman taking a very large portion of the defensive zone draws on the Matthews-Marner line compared to their actual linemate Thornton), whether it be offensive zone starts, powerplay time, or playing in an offensively structured system. Torterella & Columbus play very much in a tight checking defensively structured system (much like the New York Islanders or Dallas Stars, they're just better than Columbus); it hinders the offense but they can't win their games with offensive firepower like the Leafs can.

You're right about the goaltending, they robbed the series with absurdly good play, but defensively the team was solid; it's too bad Andersen let in some weak ones. He played well otherwise but Columbus also wasn't very dangerous with offensive opportunities in the series, making it pretty easy for him.

Another Simmonds would be a good add; I guess I just personally think that Nick Foligno is currently better than Alex Kerfoot with defensive play, character, & grit being the difference maker even if Kerfoot has the edge offensively. He too can play center along with wing (and rw additionally).

I am looking at PTS/60 at ES. Would be the worst on our team. I disregard PP (although he is not great there) and PK minutes, and even without PK minutes, he still plays 16.5 minutes a night. That is still similar to the guys who put up a PPG on our team, and he is not even a 0.5 PPG player on Columbus.

 

[123offtheglass]

I am looking at PTS/60 at ES. Would be the worst on our team. I disregard PP (although he is not great there) and PK minutes, and even without PK minutes, he still plays 16.5 minutes a night. That is still similar to the guys who put up a PPG on our team, and he is not even a 0.5 PPG player on Columbus.

well, that is a good point.

 

[Leaffan1991]

Last year I was pushing hard for Comtois I guess that's never going to happen now.. having a really good season.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Rakell's been on fire the last two weeks (5 goals, 7 assists) ... That's not going to help his cost.

 

[TMLAM34]

Foligno would be a great add, just not for Kerfoot which then makes it near impossible to happen.

 

[LaPlante94]

I really like the idea of Mantha on this team if he's available.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

I really like the idea of Mantha on this team if he's available.

Still young enough for Detroit to keep around and makes too much money for us. Dubas still needs to sign guys like Hyman this off-season too. Teams are going to be offering up a lot for him.

 

[TMLAM34]

I really like the idea of Mantha on this team if he's available.

I really like the idea as well, but that’s more of a move that happens in the off-season. Something between Nylander + for Mantha and Bertuzzi.

Hyman - Matthews - Marner
Bertuzzi - Tavares - Mantha

 

[Rielly4]

Not gonna lie Im starting to wish we could trade JT. Nylander is clearly ahead of him for me. Maybe he would be better suited for the wing as he declines further.

 

[TMLAM34]

I really like the idea as well, but that’s more of a move that happens in the off-season. Something between Nylander + for Mantha and Bertuzzi.

Hyman - Matthews - Marner
Bertuzzi - Tavares - Mantha

Another option for the 2021-2022 season could be:

Bertuzzi - Matthews - Marner
Robertson - Tavares - Mantha
Hyman - Hallander - Mikheyev
Anderson - Spezza/UFA - Simmonds

 

[willmma]

Can someone change the thread title to say "5 weeks"?

 

[Critical13]

Not gonna lie Im starting to wish we could trade JT. Nylander is clearly ahead of him for me. Maybe he would be better suited for the wing as he declines further.

You wish we could trade JT?

So that we could run Matthews - Kerfoot - Engvall - Boyd as our C depth...?