Which RD do you go after?

[GordieHoweHatTrick]

Also, guys who aren’t afraid to take a hit in order to make a play. Gardiner is not one of those guys.

Size, skill and speed would help keep the opposition on their toes. The Leafs are lacking only in the size department from their core.

A guy like Austin Watson would be fantastic to keep the opposition on their toes, force turnovers and throw players off their game.

 

[ACC1224]

Not sure. He likes Weber which is my entire fear from my post.
And there is no way I'd give Gardiner 8 years.

True enough, didn't think of that.

 

[Liminality]

So I don't know if the Wild view Brodin as expendable with Suter, Spurgeon and Dumba there but if they did I'd try and go after him. Similar age group and good defensive numbers. The only thing I see against him is he's left handed which might not fit with our group. Still, would love someone like that on the Leafs.

I think ranking in how desperate I am to have a RD on the Leafs next year is as follows.

1.Sign Carlson
2.sign lower tier UFA stopgap like Patyrn?
3.Do nothing
4.Trade Nylander for a really good RHD like Hamilton or Trouba.

 

[Critical13]

I'd say that they would be in the same tier as Gardiner. If we had them on the team, I'd use them as our match up pairing and let Rielly do what Gardiner does now, feast in big minutes against secondary matchups.


Yes. We've got a good team, but the way this team is built, we need tenacious and fast two-way forwards. As many as possible.

This is the biggest reason I am excited about JVR and Bozak being possibly out....good players, will be very good on an underskilled team, but we need guys with more tenacity.

 

[Nithoniniel]

This is the biggest reason I am excited about JVR and Bozak being possibly out....good players, will be very good on an underskilled team, but we need guys with more tenacity.

Jup. Johnsson taking JvR's minutes likely (but not necessarily) means less offensive production, but it also means a whole lot more two-way ability and tenacity in the puck pursuit. Bozak out will likely mean the same.

If you look at how our forwards that go through Marlies are developed, it certainly seems like they want to push these qualities.

 

[ShaneFalco]

This is the biggest reason I am excited about JVR and Bozak being possibly out....good players, will be very good on an underskilled team, but we need guys with more tenacity.

And have known it for years
They changed the culture and yet kept the 2 weakest 2-way players

 

[Skin Tape Session]

I am in the "overreacting and will probably regret it" camp who is dissapointed with Willy's play this season and baffled by his playoffs. If we can trade him and get back a Colton Parayko type player, I would be ecstatic.

The ONLY way I will be ok with trading Nylander for a d man is if we sign Tavares.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Does Calvin de Haan play right side? If Dermott solidifies himself as top 4 defenceman and Zaitsev bounces back we're fine, but getting another top 4 defenceman would be good so Gardiner doesn't get too overused in situations not suited for him.

Draft Metkley and keep developing works for me.

 

[Pucker77]

It depends on how realistic we are trying to be here.

Pipedream: Drew Doughty, Erik Karlsson, Jacob Trouba, Josh Manson, Colton Parayko, Matt Dumba

Bit more logical: Jonas Brodin, Niklas Hjalmarsson, John Carlson, Travis Hamonic, TJ Brodie, Jake Muzzin, Mark Pysyk

Who I think they actually go after: Connor Murphy, Chris Tanev, Jason Demers

 

[HC7]

Rasmus Andersson.

He's the right handed Dermott.

 

[HC7]

The ONLY way I will be ok with trading Nylander for a d man is if we sign Tavares.

Agreed, even then I'd rather not trade Willy.

 

[7even]

I saw Tyler Dellow post about Washington trading us Niskanen and Orpik to free up cap to keep Carlsson. Niskanen is a sold top 4 RHD and Orpik's deal is up next year. Perfect fit really. Depending on the Caps of course.

 

[Visnovsky]

I saw Tyler Dellow post about Washington trading us Niskanen and Orpik to free up cap to keep Carlsson. Niskanen is a sold top 4 RHD and Orpik's deal is up next year. Perfect fit really. Depending on the Caps of course.

That sounds like a capdump to me, which means there needs to be an incentive for us to do that.

Now if we were to talk about Orpik+Orlov...

 

[Nithoniniel]

That sounds like a capdump to me, which means there needs to be an incentive for us to do that.

Now if we were to talk about Orpik+Orlov...

What? Niskanen would pretty much be the perfect player for us to add. He's a terrific, defensively reliable RHD. He'd give us the same value except on the right side where we actually need help.

 

[Trapper]

What? Niskanen would pretty much be the perfect player for us to add. He's a terrific, defensively reliable RHD. He'd give us the same value except on the right side where we actually need help.

Very viable solution. Take advantage of the situation.
3 more years at 5.75 cap hit.
Move Gardiner out to address the center needs. Look at the salary demands of De Haan at the same time.
Opportunity exists to reshape.

 

[Erndog]

What about Zaitsev and something (our 1st?) for Niskanen?

Capitals save about $1.75M (which is significant and goes straight to Carlsson) while replacing Niskanen.

 

[ToneDog]

What about Zaitsev and something (our 1st?) for Niskanen?

Capitals save about $1.75M (which is significant and goes straight to Carlsson) while replacing Niskanen.

I am not ready to give up on a 25 year old dman who had a rough sophomore year. Niskanen might fit but I think we can find better use for $5.75m x3.

 

[Pyrophorus]

This is the biggest reason I am excited about JVR and Bozak being possibly out....good players, will be very good on an underskilled team, but we need guys with more tenacity.

Defensive positioning. Find people who don't need sheltering.

 

[Pyrophorus]

no one is thinking deHaan?

 

[sparxx87]

no one is thinking deHaan?

Seems pretty redundant with the current group and doesn’t really add anything new IMO.

Could be a fall back option but I have to think they’re aiming a little higher than Calvin DeHaan.

 

[Nithoniniel]

Rasmus Andersson.

He's the right handed Dermott.

There was an article on the Athletic that called him exactly that. I agree completely. His list of comparables is ridiculously good.

Ideally, we'd add him for Kapanen or Brown+, and then move on someone who can step in right away.

 

[HC7]

There was an article on the Athletic that called him exactly that. I agree completely. His list of comparables is ridiculously good.

Ideally, we'd add him for Kapanen or Brown+, and then move on someone who can step in right away.

Andersson would step in right away. He's basically the same age as Dermott, and outproduced him marginally in the AHL in terms of offence.

Leafs need to trade Brown + for Andersson. If McIssac is around at 25 which is unlikely you take him, then find a way to get another 1st, or early 2nd and make sure you get Merkley.

That's a bit of an armchair GM idea, but the purpose is to strengthen our D at the expense of our wingers.

Imagine having Rielly, Dermott, Liljegren, Andersson, Merkley, and McIssac all under your organization. It's likely 1 probably won't succeed however that would become a position of strength in a couple years, and they'd all come in on ELC's which would help us build a deep team.

 

[Nithoniniel]

Andersson would step in right away. He's basically the same age as Dermott, and outproduced him marginally in the AHL in terms of offence.

Yes for sure, I meant step in right away on the RD top pairing role. I don't think that would be a good idea with Andersson.

 

[613Leafer]

Rasmus Andersson.

He's the right handed Dermott.

Seems like a pretty good fit. Calgary has a good top 4, and have Valimaki, Kylington, and Fox in their farm system.

They could use more skill up front though. I'd imagine one of Kapanen, Brown, or Johnsson make a good basis for a trade for Andersson.

 

[Macallan18]

And have known it for years
They changed the culture and yet kept the 2 weakest 2-way players

Yeah because they were pretty much on bargain contracts, and could be sheltered on the third line. And then kept them for the playoff run, which I think may have been a mistake but whatever.
They won't be back.