God if I’m Toronto I’m all over this. Oreilly is criminally underrated. I think if buffalo does trade oreilly though, it’s for D help, but reuniting the nylander brothers would be good

I don't disagree with the D help. We don't have the young D-men to move. Dermott, Rielly are all but untouchable. Carrick is not enough and well Liligren is back fill for Hainsy and well Gardiner if he walks. We could throw Carrick in for a sweetener and find another asset for the Tanev deal.

Why move one of the most promising young players in the league for a prime C, when the team is building around Matthews.
I get if the leafs pick up a guy like Thornton for a quick fix, but I don't see how trading Nylander, Marner or Matthews would make the team better for when they're supposed to win (3-5 years).

Tanev has never played a full season in his career, he is massively overrated and I think a first is too much for a guy who is that unreliable. (obviously Van wouldn't take a first, but adding him just creates a hole for half of the season)

A stop gap like Big Joe does not help the leafs, they have nobody in the system that will be ready for when his contract expires. Even if the leafs go C man heavy in the draft (and I suspect they will) those guys won't be ready for another 2 -3 years when picking at 25-30. And that's right in time for Kardi to get a huge raise if he continues to score 30 goals.

As for Tanev it's a really good point. Minny is also in some trouble with cap and resigning. Dumba might be a nice coup for the leafs and would likely cost another 2 M more to sign him. I just don't know how much more you wold have to give.

While I can understand it that it's fair trade, why do the Leafs do it? You know what ROR is, and Nylander is good and still has room for potential. And best it's lateral move for Leafs. A more logical move for the Sabres would be trade ROR to a tam that really need a centre...like Carolina and St Louis.

Cameron to your point. You have to know that so many trades with the Leaf just HAVE TO include Nylander or Marner. It seems folks just think the Leafs are so desperate to fill one hole for another. Yea I agree with your Tanev comment. Another player that seemingly can't be traded to any team but the Leafs.

With regards to a lateral trade I think that you are right, but most good trades should be a lateral move. I think with the amount of analysis (scout and stats) most of the time you are not going to steal a player and come out as a winner while the other team a loser. Well, maybe the JVR deal but that's few and far between. I think we are most likely to see deals that are from a position of strength to a position of weakness. That's what this trade is. The leafs have so many wingers and scoring wingers are far easier to come by in the UFA market than a centerman. This year is the 1st year in awhile that a centerman like JT is even available. Don't get me wrong I agree with you 100%, it's risky and there is more that Willy can give. But the leafs are in need of centerman help the only other real option this year is going to cost you at minimum $4 MIL more (JT).