Would This give the Leafs Their Best Chance at a Cup?

[BillyD]

Bringing in conversation points from two threads, I'm curious what people think about this idea.

If Mitch Marner won't sign long term at a decent price, and Toronto instead agrees to bridge him for 3 years at let's say 8.5 million...

And Jake Gardiner really wants to stay in Toronto and is willing to take a bit of a discount to do so, let's say 3-4 years at 5.5- 5.75 million...

Would you trade Cody Ceci's last year at 4.5 million (even if it takes a non roster sweetner), because Jake is a much better player, and roll with this team?

Johnsson / Matthews / Nylander
Hyman / Tavares / Marner
Mikheyev / Kerfoot / Kapanen
Moore / Spezza / Shore
Gauthier

Reilly / Gardiner
Muzzin / Barrie
Dermott / Liljegren
Marincin

Anderson
Hutchinson or Neuvirth

You can nickel and dime that roster under the cap... In the off season you let Muzzin walk and use his money to pay Barrie. The rise in the cap gives you the money to bridge Dermott, and he takes Muzzin's spot in the top 4 in 2020, as Sandin emerges to play alongside Liljegren.

What say you?

They tried it before, Rielly/Gardiner does not work

 

[Randy Randerson]

Gardiner in place of Ceci is definitely a monstrous improvement, but I think the bed has been made. I think you could get a minor asset for Ceci without having to eat anything, but I think we will be very disappointed in him as a player in a few short months.

on the flip side, Dermott is a very good young dman who deserves more attention/excitement than he's received. I think he'll be good on the right side and will end up trading places with Ceci for 5v5 minutes

 

[The Iceman]

So you want Ceci playing top minutes with Reilly proving in Toronto, what he proved in Ottawa... That he isn't a top 4 guys who should be playing big time minutes?

Passing to Reilly or our forwards has a much higher possibilty of being successful than trying that in Ottawa. RHD, give him a shot for 1 season. Lily up for playoffs if he completely soils the bed.

Interesting with Ceci is coach DJ Smith has been in charge of the team that has traded him twice...does DJ know what he is doing??

 

[Notsince67]

Marner in a package for Seth Jones would give us the best chance for a cup

If we are playing this game id say matthews + nylander for McDavid.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

This is a cup or bust year rookies do not belong on the defense

 

[Yorkshire Leaf]

If we are playing this game id say matthews + nylander for McDavid.

But then we would have the best player in the league, the highest points scorer but not worry when we fail to make the play offs.

 

[Holymakinaw]

Why don't Leaf fans ever live in any kind of reality?

We're not, and we could not trade Cody Ceci, and bringing Gardiner back "on the cheap". It would never ever happen. So why suggest it? To go to La-La Land? That's sure fun.

Jesus.

 

[bentharbs]

Give me Jake on a two-year low AAV deal or let him go. That won't happen, so bye bye Jake.

I like him overall, but we just can't commit. I think he gets a lot of unwarranted (but also warranted) dislike on here. He is a good NHL player with question marks.

 

[Spirit of 67]

Bringing in conversation points from two threads, I'm curious what people think about this idea.

If Mitch Marner won't sign long term at a decent price, and Toronto instead agrees to bridge him for 3 years at let's say 8.5 million...

And Jake Gardiner really wants to stay in Toronto and is willing to take a bit of a discount to do so, let's say 3-4 years at 5.5- 5.75 million...

Would you trade Cody Ceci's last year at 4.5 million (even if it takes a non roster sweetner), because Jake is a much better player, and roll with this team?

Johnsson / Matthews / Nylander
Hyman / Tavares / Marner
Mikheyev / Kerfoot / Kapanen
Moore / Spezza / Shore
Gauthier

Reilly / Gardiner
Muzzin / Barrie
Dermott / Liljegren
Marincin

Anderson
Hutchinson or Neuvirth

You can nickel and dime that roster under the cap... In the off season you let Muzzin walk and use his money to pay Barrie. The rise in the cap gives you the money to bridge Dermott, and he takes Muzzin's spot in the top 4 in 2020, as Sandin emerges to play alongside Liljegren.

What say you?

I loved Jake and, as you can imagine, had to defend him many times.
But there comes a time when a team has to move on.
That time has come.

Rielly, Muzzin and Dermott are perfect down the left side.
We shouldn't be looking to play guys on their off side.

 

[Notsince67]

But then we would have the best player in the league, the highest points scorer but not worry when we fail to make the play offs.

So uou think the leafs will make the playoffs without Marner?