Team: 2017-18 Toronto Maple Leafs

Initial Creation Date: Jan. 16, 2018

Published: Jan. 16, 2018

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

So there are three trades I proposed in order to better the team now and in the future. The first one is a rumour that has been making the rounds and to be honest, makes a lot of sense for both teams. Bozak for Johnson solves a little bit of both team's problems. The leafs automatically upgrade their defence with a defensemen that can play 20 mins a night. Columbus get the depth down the middle they are looking for. Both are rentals and the cap hit is essentially a wash meaning the move has very little risk long term.

The second deal is the blockbuster deal. While Gardiner is a good defensemen, I don't see him fitting long term with the leafs. I see Dermott surpassing him within a year or two and his next contract may make him unattractive long term. Instead we package him, next year's first, second this year and a decent prospect in Timashov for Trouba. From the last negotiations, we know Trouba demanded a trade and coming to Toronto will be a huge change in environment for him. With the emergence of Myers and Morrisey, I believe if there ever was a time that Trouba were expendable, it is now. In return Winnipeg get a solid 2-3 defensemen in Gardiner, and assets that either help them in the future or can be flipped to beef up their roster even more before the playoffs. I think the value is fair, because while Trouba is younger and an RFA, Gardiner has one year left at a very affordable cap hit and is coupled with two high picks and a prospect.

Finally, we trade Carrick for Cole. Cole has fallen out of favour in Pittsburgh. In return they get a younger player who can log 14 mins a night and clean up more than 1 million in cap space to make a move for a centre. Im sure the leafs could throw in a low pick if that was what was needed to get the deal done.

Offensive Lines
Hyman-Matthews-Nylander..No surprises here, they work well so leave them be.
JVR-Marleau-Marner..they had this line when bozak was hurt and would be a solid 2a/2b line
Komarov-Kadri-Brown..This line was stellar at shutting down top lines last year while also scoring.
Martin-Gauthier-Kapenen..great defensively and with kapenen on it, has some offensive flair. Would easily outmatch most others 4th line.

Offensively we would have a huge advantage over most other teams matching lines.

Defensive Lines

Rielly-Trouba..Solid top pairing that can play 25 mins a game if need be. Plus both are almost the same age so this could be our version of Keith-Seabrook for years to come.
Johnson-Zaitsev..A solid second pairing. Both can play between 20-22 mins a game.
Cole-Hainsey..Great shutdown pair that is a huge upgrade over what we have now. Both can step up incase of injury and both can play 20 mins a game if needed.

Depth wise, we still have Soshnikov, Moore and Leivo that can fill in if needed on forward. We have Brogman, Dermott and Polak in case of injury. Goalies are good with Anderson likely starting a majority if not all of the games in the playoffs.

Once the season ends, we have more than 25 million coming off the books in JVR, Komarov, Moore, Johnson, Cole, Fehr, Marincin and Polak. With the cap space going up plus the cap space we have right now, it gives us almost 40 million to resign Nylander and Trouba next year and replace JVR and Johnson.

1.

2.

3.