Finishing Touches for Dubas in 2020

Team: 2020-21 Toronto Maple Leafs

Initial Creation Date: May 5, 2020

Published: May 10, 2020

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

With these trades the leafs add the final pieces needed to boost their defense while keeping their offensive game steady. Here is what I have come up with. Noted I did not include a CBO trade as in this scenario the leafs really don't need to use theirs or trade another with another team with the CBO as leverage.

1. The first trade is simple Johnsson and engvall for Sorenson a 3rd and 5th. Engvall and Johnsson are young and should help the sharks get back into cup contention. While Sorenson can be another hyman (minus the amazing offense). Dubas can get him to sign a 3 year 1.85 mill extension when he arrives.


2. Finally the trade with Columbus. Toronto trades a 2021 2nd and 2021 3rd and b level prospect in Greenway in exchange for Savard with 1.5mill retained. Savard is a reliable defenseman in his own end so he should be an excellent partner for rielly. The retention in salary is fair as Columbus will only have to pay for 1 season. Also if savard resigns with the leafs (i.e. 4.5 x 5yrs) than the 2021 3rd will become a 2022 2nd. I chose Savard as he his playstyle is similar to muzzin in terms of shot blocking and ability to play in his own zone.

3. Trade Dermott for a 2021 3rd as Toronto has to many LD and Dermott will be better off going to another team.


4. As for free agency the leafs were not busy there. They resigned spezza to league min but gave him a bonus while still keeping it 700k. For RFA's brought Mikeyv on a 2 year 1.5mill deal as that kid despite getting injured can probs get a 50 point season. The other RFAs signed were gauthier who will get league min deal for 2 years and he can replace spezza should he get tired and bracco who signs a 1 year 750k deal and gets his shot to show Dubas and other GM's he is not just an AHL player but can succeed in the NHL.

Overall the trades made are fair to all parties as not only get cap space but keep this team competitive into the foreseeable future.

As a special interest I went to the KHL to sign a goalie to potentially replace freddie. Anton Krasotkin. With Freddies contract ending in 2021 Toronto needs to make a tough decision, resign him for (7-8.5mill) or replace him with a solid younger goalie. Now Scott and Woll are candidates but they just aint ready yet and I am not sure they will be ready by the time freddie is up either. Anton Krasotkin on the other hand is a prime candidate as he is young, tall, and his numbers are pretty solid. The leafs can do what the rangers did with shesterkin, place him with the marlies, let him play and see how he does then if he does well bring whichever they signed up to see how he plays in some NHL games. If it works out toronto has a cheaper alternative to resigning freddie to a new contract and can let him go. Which would give the leafs 5 mill cap to possibly extending barbanov, lehtonen, hyman, and even sigh rielly to an early extension, etc.

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