I’d agree with your point, but unless you feel you have a legitimate shot to win the Cup, trade your pending UFAs. However, I find it funny that while 0/4 guys you mentioned were traded, 3/4 left and signed massive deals elsewhere.

Dewar and Holmberg are more on the defensive end and are not real point getters.

2-way guys would be more like

Toffoli, Stephenson, Teräväinen, etc

Guys who can be on a PP and PK, give yah points, and just be effective


Now if I was to look at reasonable options

Heinen and Foegele would be interesting additions.


If we want to trade Texier is a name that would spark interest

My #1 target this summer would be Brandt Clarke.

From LA's perspective, they have problems in net and upfront that are much more pressing than adding to their D core. They also have Doughty and Spence who are similar offensive minded RHD. I just don't see them doing well if they go into next season with Doughty, Spence, Clarke as their RHD. They wouldn't be able to maximize the value of any of them given there is limited PP time to share and they wouldn't have a single D pairing with two guys who can play real solid in the defensive zone.

So as much as LA fans will say he is untouchable, I think if you really look at their lineup, it doesn't make sense. Maybe they do what they did last offseason and trade the proven commodity in Spence to make space for Clarke (the same way they traded Durzi to make space for Spence) but that didn't go well last time.

From Toronto's perspective, Clarke is unproven and would likely cost a significant asset (Marner) but he profiles exactly like Bouchard when looking at his style and point production at the junior/AHL levels while being better than Bouchard in his own zone (low bar but he clears it). Toronto could afford to pair him with a solid DFD to support him at 5v5 then let him lose on the PP. He'd finally give the Leafs a legit PP QB with a wicked shot, great vision and solid passing. I think having his shot on the PP will massively improve the PP cause right now forwards really cheat on Matthews because Marner and Rielly don't have great shots. If the guy at the top can wire it and you have Bertuzzi or another big body in front of the next then they need to cover that lane which should leave Matthews and Nylander open on the halfwalls to take shots.

I personally think this is the biggest need for the team immediately. Obviously if you could rebuild the team from scratch there is lots about the identity that we'd all want to change but if you are asking me the easiest way to get this team out of the first round, then IMO its getting a PP QB like Clarke to ensure we score 4/5 PP goals per series, that alone should be enough to overcome the 1/2 goals we always seem to lose by.

Second priority would be getting support for Woll, again if we have him at his best and we save 2-3 more goals per series suddenly these two changes are increasing out goal differential in a 7 game series by 6/7 goals.

LA aint giving him up so put that to rest

Fans already told yah 0 interest in Marner and we have 0 interest in PLD

And I doubt LA has actual interest in trading for and extending Marner to 11.5-12.5m

LA's gonna move on from Roy giving Clarke a spot.

I think if LA moves on from Roy, the Leafs should be all over him for a 5-6 year deal.
Don't have to give up assets and I think he'd be a great 1RD

LA aint giving him up so put that to rest

The teams fans already told yah in the ACGM's 0 interest in Marner and we have said 0 interest in PLD

And I doubt LA has actual interest in trading for and extending Marner to 11.5-12.5m. Look how the last big trade went for them lul

LA's gonna move on from Roy giving Clarke a spot and thats his chance and considering Doughty is gonna be done soon Clarke makes all the sense in the world for them to keep lul

If he is in the 5-5.5m range sure but this also factors if we can move off from one of the core and stuff

If not then stay clear and target someone cheaper but good defensively like Demelo, Tanev, etc.

Like im honestly rn seeing

Tanev + Walker coming next year

Fair enough, I've looked at Foegle a little bit and I think he could be a good FA addition

Walker isn't coming. He's the farthest think from what Tre wants.

Again I don't think it's that simple. They have Doughty at $11M for 3 season. They are likely giving Spence a new deal this summer.

It's the equivalent (not in term of quality but player type) to use playing Rielly, Sandin, Dermott as your LD. Anyone who has watched a single hockey game knows that team isn't winning anything. No matter how good those three guys are at their role.

I'd also point out that Villardi was seen as untouchable by Kings fans last summer and got moved. Kings fans think their window is with Byfield/Clarke, Management thinks its with Kopitar/Doughty. Honestly i think their Management it right. In 3 seasons you likely lose both, Danault is in his mid 30s and unless they move Dubois or Byfield back to C they will have no centers and likely a bottom 5 forward core and goalie tandem.

If they can turn Fiala + Clarke into Marner + Saros I think they'd be crazy not to do it.

Again they could move Doughty or Spence or run a D core that will crumble (like this year) but if you ask most hockey analysts moving Clarke makes the most sense, they get a 100point forward (they didn't have a single PPG player last year and there were 33 last season not including guys with under 60 games played).

I also generally think this attitude that LA won't move him so we shouldn't try is BS. If we are going to be moving off of guys like Marner, Tavares (more points than any UFA center) then we shouldn't just be doing it for random returns we should do it for specific players we are targeting. I'd easily do Marner + Tavares for Clarke and LA can pay Chicago or Anaheim a 2nd after July 1st to retain 50% on each (like 800k in real money). That's deal that makes LA infinitely better (especially if Marner comes extended) they can move Fiala for Saros, cap works and they have a serious cup contender.

Its very simple Clarke plays the second pair next season and when Doughty slows down they lower him down and Clarke takes more responsibility lul. No need to bring Roy back to a big contract when you got the replacement right there

Andersson-Doughty
Gavrikov-Clarke
Englund-Spence

And sure Kings traded Vilardi but look where that got them. They now stuck with a worse deal and a potential anchor you think they want that again hell nah.

In the end Clarke fits the current plans for the kings, Marner does not

The fans of their team told yah that and now we have

Again sounds good in theory until you actually look at that that D core and realize you don't have any pairing you can put out in a 1 goal game. None of Doughty/Clarke/Spence are guys you want out when you are up by 1.

Andersson-Doughty or heck Gavrikov-Doughty

Man the takes be getting rougher for yah lul

Like Doughty has been in the league for a long time and has been good at both ends of course he's gonna be out there the final min unless hurt or on rotation.

Andersson-Doughty
Gavrikov-Clarke
Englund-Spence

I'm sorry I try not to post in a critical way but you are insulting someone with a crazy level or arrogance when you are so wrong it's not even funny.

Roy gets the majority of D zone starts for LA. He is on PK1, he is out in the last minute.

Doughty is not a defensive D. It's the equivalent of playing Morgan Rielly in the last minute when up by 1 goal. It's not a winning strategy.

Having worked for Rob, I would be shocked if he went into the season with Doughty, Spence, Clarke. If they did that I wouldn't be surprised if they were nowhere near playoff contention, it would be a disaster.

Which of the three they move I'm not sure. It's definetly not Doughty. Spence likely fetches a 2nd or 3rd in a Durzi type trade and can be replaced by DeMelo/Desharnais/Tanev or any other DFD. That is likely the plan.

But to say Clarke is untouchable is absurd. Pretty much every insider reported at the deadline that he was on the table. LA fans don't want him to move cause he has Erik Karlsson type potential but as the other poster said, those fans don't understand the current window has 1-3 years.

There isn't a window in 5 years from now. Dubois killed that. If they still had Byfield/Dubois(as a 1C)/Fiala/Spence/Clarke/Andersson after Doughty/Kopitar left then he would be untouchable.

Now they have nobody to play down the middle and no goalie. It's too many holes to consider that a window. Kings will either retool (highly unlikely) or go all in next year.

The Fiala for Saros/Marner for Clarke suggestions isn't far off from what LA management is actually thinking. Ulmark is their goalie target but I can see them trading a winger for Ulmark then trading Clarke for Marner. That would make them an instant top contender next season.

Fair enough, I've looked at Foegle a little bit and I think he could be a good FA addition

Yea this aint looking good for your statment.

Doughty’s 5v5 expected goal share would be the highest of his career at 57.64%, according to Evolving Hockey. He leads the Kings blueliners in 5v5 relative expected goal share (on-ice xGF% – off-ice xGF%) and on-ice Corsi at 57.59% during 5v5 play, according to MoneyPuck.com.

As for Goalie go trade for Markstrom that aint hard was it

And man you say you worked for an NHL FO, claimed to be talking with NHL executives left and right but Kings fans and others fans have questioned it numerous times on your ACGM's which is making me very doubtful anything said is legit past and present. As why would a person who claims to be a "Former NHL Executive" be on CF of all places and make questionable posts and not good trades of all things using unprofessional arguments and speech to justify things. Should have the knowledge to know thats not correct in the hockey or real world. Like Domi + Brodie + Robertson for K'Miller come on you should know better thats never gonna happen if yah actually worked in the gig. Thats what people who have no idea what trade values are do or trolls just wanting attention/to mess around

Or could just be Howard Berger's CF account lul

Why are we talking about the Kings in the Leafs prospect forums???

Yea this aint looking good for your statment.

Doughty’s 5v5 expected goal share would be the highest of his career at 57.64%, according to Evolving Hockey. He leads the Kings blueliners in 5v5 relative expected goal share (on-ice xGF% – off-ice xGF%) and on-ice Corsi at 57.59% during 5v5 play, according to MoneyPuck.com.

As for Goalie go trade for Markstrom that aint hard was it

And man you say you worked for an NHL FO, claimed to be talking with NHL executives left and right but Kings fans and others fans have questioned it numerous times on your ACGM's which is making me very doubtful anything said is legit past and present. As why would a person who claims to be a "Former NHL Executive" be on CF of all places and make questionable posts and not good trades of all things using unprofessional arguments and speech to justify things. Should have the knowledge to know thats not correct in the hockey or real world. Like Domi + Brodie + Robertson for K'Miller come on you should know better thats never gonna happen if yah actually worked in the gig. Thats what people who have no idea what trade values are do or trolls just wanting attention/to mess around

Or could just be Howard Berger's CF account lul

Why are we talking about the Kings in the Leafs prospect forums???

Does anyone think at least one of

Webber, Mattinen, Kokkonen, Chadwick, Villeneuve or Niemela will play in the NHL next season for at least a couple games?

Does anyone think at least one of

Webber, Mattinen, Kokkonen, Chadwick, Villeneuve or Niemela will play in the NHL next season for at least a couple games?

Does anyone think at least one of

Webber, Mattinen, Kokkonen, Chadwick, Villeneuve or Niemela will play in the NHL next season for at least a couple games?

Mattinen may get a look, I feel like he will be callup option number one. Hell, he may even be apart of our plans at 3RD.

I'd love to see Niemela get games. I'm such a big fan of his, he has been excellent with the Marlies every step of the way. Kokkonen received high praise under Keefe, but LD is a complete log jam. I think Webber would fill in as an LD replacement before Kokkonen. Chadwick will probably not touch NHL ice next season, and same goes for Villeneuve who was very disappointing this season.

Chadwick no

Villenueve maybe

Kokkonen idk as Keefe aint here anymore

Mattinen yes

Webber maybe

If you are all looking for a name most fan won't know who is going to impact the Leafs next year the answer is Jacob Quillan. He is higher on the center depth chart than Minten (not as high of potential but closer to reaching his).

I'd be shocked if he didn't get some games in the NHL and wouldn't be surprised if he got a job out of camp or earned a place on the roster during the season.

Out of the names you provided, Webber will be the 7-9th D so likely to get games. Niemla could honestly be traded, he isn't going to be a stud and even if he hit his potential today he's at best a Lili replacement if Lili flops. But he could get games if he's in the organization.