A nod to @NHLfan10506 for this one as well. Their thinking being the Devils need a young LHD if they were to trade 'Motor Mike'. I'm not sure how happy Byram would be vying for time with Siegenthaler and Hughes in the long term when the Devils are all fit and healthy but that would of course be their problem. Equally interesting would be cap issues for them long term, though with Siegenthaler, Hamilton, Nosek and Foote moved to LTIR they have about 14 mil in cap to play with this season so it's manageable until the off season at least.
Summary of the points @NHLfan10506 made re: McLeod.
Current face off % leader in the NHL.
As it stands without a drop off will be the single season face off % leader since records began.
3rd in 2023-24 GAR/60 leaders among centers (1.181, only McDavid and MacKinnon above him....more pesky Gaels!)
Currently 7th in xGF% (57.6)
Does not have exceptionally talented linemates most of the time (plays very little with Hischier & Hughes for example).
4th top scoring C under $2mil (also the youngest of the 4 and one of the 4 has just signed a 4 mil per extension and of the 4 McLeod has the second least ATOI)
RFA, 25 years old and eminently signable at a reasonable raise from his current $1.4m per.
In addition I would add that he's 6'2 190 but plays bigger, has chemistry with Wood from their time together in New Jersey. Extremely fast which suits the Avs game (21-22 & 22-23 Speed bursts above 20mph per 60 amongst forwards McLeod ranks 15th) and good in transition which again suits the Avs. Responsible defensively and a good penalty killer.
The questions are:
1. His value?
2. Can he step up to 2C?
3. If he can't step up to 2C is he worth acquiring as a 3C and letting Colton take a shot at 2C? (or in my pipe dream acquiring his brother as well and letting him have a shot at 2C as he's buried in EDM behind McD, Drai and Nuge)
Two and three I personally think the answers are maybe and yes. The first is the trickier part. Personally I would value McLeod at a first, maybe a first plus a small piece if taken in a vacuum. New Jersey would be, and should be, loathe to give up 'Motor Mike' cheaply. He's arguably one of those players who have more internal value to the team than trade value but I'd also argue that the Devils are possibly partially responsible for him not having become more already through their usage of him.
So the Devils give up a decent piece in McLeod but that's not enough for Byram on its own who I'd value at at least two firsts in a straight trade for picks.
Whilst as already stated, New Jersey can absorb a massive hit on the cap with LTIR, there's always going to be something recouped for doing so. Adding $6.45 mil in cap is a LOT in the salary cap era, and there is still also the issue of making it balance next year as it then, in essence, becomes the full $7.85 mil. That hit on the cap alone is probably worth a 1st round pick. Add in the '25 2nd and we now have the equivalent of two firsts and a second for Byram, plus a 3rd for RyJo and the massive amount of cap space generated (albeit some of that would be taken up in re-signing McLeod).
The Avs lose a good young D but their D core is good enough to absorb the blow even if they would probably need to strengthen the depth of the corps as whole. They gain a good young C who might be good enough to be 2C or at least would be a solid 3C allowing Colton to take a shot at 2C. Then there are the picks in the next two drafts. The Avs gain long term cap space but also short term space and assets they can make more moves with at the TDL should they wish to do so (maybe even prising Ryan out of Edmonton to join his brother and make it Highland Central in Colorado lol).
For New Jersey they give up two picks and McLeod and take on cap but get the young D they want plus add a veteran C who still has value (currently on course for a 20 goal season) but simply doesn't have the speed needed on his current team. RyJo will also absorb some of the loss of McLeod in areas such as face offs.
Nobody loses a first round pick at the draft, the premium asset, and everybody wins.
I'm expecting hate from both sides on this one. Too much or too little from whichever side?
I like McLeod and had pitched a deal for him last year. Not sure he can handle 2C minutes and this deal feels like it needs to be paired with getting at least a rental 2C for it to make sense this season.
Tempting deal. Are you valuing RyJo as a cap dump in this?
I’d say McLeod+1st=byram
2nd to dump RyJo.
So McLeod+2nd for Byram+Ryjo
Not a big difference in value but just my take.
Or maybe you could send some later round picks back (4th/5ths/6ths) just so we can keep a few dartboard throws for the draft?
No, in conversations on the other thread we were (I think) in agreement that in this instance RyJo wasn't a pure cap dump as he would replace some of what was would be lost in McLeod. Basically the dumping of cap and McLeod are equivalent of two firsts in value vs the valuation of Byram at 2 firsts +, the plus therefore being the 2nd. The cap dump is therefore in the value of the first rounder and the third is for RyJo's abilities. Not sure if that's made it clearer or not?
McLeod (valued at 1x 1st) + Dumping of cap (valued at 1x 1st) (+ 1x 2nd) = Byram (valued at 2x 1sts and a 2nd, bearing in mind Hronek fetched a first and second, Newhook a first and second)
RyJo is therefore no longer a cap dump so has value in replacing McLeod = 3rd.
I like McLeod and had pitched a deal for him last year. Not sure he can handle 2C minutes and this deal feels like it needs to be paired with getting at least a rental 2C for it to make sense this season.
Yeah, he and his brother have been on my radar for some time as perfect 'Av types'. It is still something of a gamble but would potentially make a Lindholm type rental more palatable as you rightly say.
McDavid, Connor
$250,000)
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