Disclaimer: not a Leafs fan, I'm just curious to see how things are lining up in 2 years once Tavares' contract bumps down to something more reasonable and Marner is extended.
UFAs that IMO aren't there in 2 years: Bertuzzi, Brodie, Lyubushkin
RFAs that IMO aren't there in 2 years*: Liljegren, Gregor, Holmberg, Robertson, Steeves, Timmins
*likely traded, I'm not going to guess at returns and how that shakes out. Probably as parts of deals for rentals, or shipped for picks/prospects that aren't there in 2 years anyway.
The holes**: 1LW or 2LW, 2LD, 1RD***
LD: Pettersson. He's a good veteran defensive D that should be a good fit on the 2nd pair. If Pittsburgh is entering a rebuild, they move him as a rental at TDL 2025 for a good return and he likely hits free agency. Option 2: Provorov, who plays a different style but is probably a similar situation and a similar cost.
1RD: Andersson, see the trade below for details
2LW: Duclair. Not the most attractive option, but realistically you're getting a proven, skilled top-6 scoring winger at what could be a bargain price.
Signed in 2024, he's likely not getting extended by TBL. He's a sign/buy-low candidate, which is what Toronto probably resorts to here. Essentially swapping Bertuzzi for Duclair and saving some money. Option 2: Nyquist, though he probably sticks with Nashville. Option 3: Buchnevich, though the cap situation is going to make that basically impossible.
**I'm filling these with guys that, as of now, don't have a clear long-term future with their current teams. They are probably 2024 or 2025 TDL rental trades that are available in free agency. Not, for example, Hanifin, who I could see re-signing with Vegas.
***with the exception of 1RD, who you'd need to acquire via trade in all likelihood.
Final note: I know it's over the cap, even if it jumps $8M total over the next two years. There's also no 13th or 14th F. I'm just not going to deal with those details on a team's roster 2 years from now that I'm not a fan of. I'm simply not going to bother another fanbase with a Kampf-for-retained-4C deal that's more feasible when he's got less term. The point here is just to look at the missing pieces and see how dangerous this team could be if they play their cards right.
He's realistically the only long-term established 1RD option that may become available...and it costs everything that's not tied down. Assuming Calgary opts for a rebuild over making him their next captain/part of the future.
Flames would want any conversation around Andersson to start with Knies and a 1st, then add from there. Toronto won't make Knies available which means there won't be any trade and Calgary will probably just opt to re-sign him.
IMO the Leafs should be targeting guys like Roy and Pesce this summer if they hit the market. I would even kick tires on Spurgeon
It'll take quality not quantity for Calgary to consider trading Andersson.
Quoting: Ledge_And_Dairy
Flames would want any conversation around Andersson to start with Knies and a 1st, then add from there. Toronto won't make Knies available which means there won't be any trade and Calgary will probably just opt to re-sign him.
IMO the Leafs should be targeting guys like Roy and Pesce this summer if they hit the market. I would even kick tires on Spurgeon
Agreed, in fact signing UFAs fits Brad's M.O. well. The only problem is he's usually too cheap to get the best free agents and winds up paying almost as much for 3rd rate UFAs.
Flames would want any conversation around Andersson to start with Knies and a 1st, then add from there. Toronto won't make Knies available which means there won't be any trade and Calgary will probably just opt to re-sign him.
IMO the Leafs should be targeting guys like Roy and Pesce this summer if they hit the market. I would even kick tires on Spurgeon
I get that, it's hard to get a good roster player without giving up a good roster player or prospect. Roy and Pesce would be the obvious targets this year, I just don't see LA or Carolina not extending them; they'd be a priority for either team. Minnesota likely isn't moving Spurgeon. Even if Faber makes him expendable, he's already 34, I just don't know that the Leafs view that as a long-term 1RD option.
Quoting: MoxNix
It'll take quality not quantity for Calgary to consider trading Andersson.
As it should. It really feels like even with Tavares' deal dropping down to something more manageable, Toronto is going to have to choose which obvious hole on the roster they can live with as long as Matthews, Marner, and Nylander are here. Maybe they get lucky and hit on a RD randomly instead in the draft.
Quoting: MoxNix
The only problem is he's usually too cheap to get the best free agents and winds up paying almost as much for 3rd rate UFAs.
The cruel irony: the cap crunch makes it impossible to land top UFAs (I was going to try to add Buchnevich here but lol), but bargain-shopping UFAs leads to overpayment and a further cap crunch.
As it should. It really feels like even with Tavares' deal dropping down to something more manageable, Toronto is going to have to choose which obvious hole on the roster they can live with as long as Matthews, Marner, and Nylander are here.
That's the Leafs biggest problem right there. Moving on from Marner is the obvious solution but they won't get what they think he's worth especially not now that his full NMC has kicked in.
They're stuck between a rock and a hard place. Moving him next year probably takes retention or taking a bad contract in return and the other options are trading his rights just before free agency opens for even less or letting him walk for nothing at all in return.
McDavid, Connor
$250,000)
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