The leafs should be getting the 2nd back in that Vancouver trade

I was thinking a 4th maybe. but i've never been a big gardiner fan so....

Nah, Tanev is the better player and is a guy the Leafs need more than Gardiner. I don't care what the advanced stats say because that only shows half the picture. The guy just doesn't defend well and he's lost a step as well. I like him, don't get me wrong but the Leafs won't get a 1 for 1 with this trade, Vancouver has the negotiating power.

That being said I think a 2nd is a bit much. More like Gardiner for a 3rd+, but I'd want to add Martin to that and get some extra cap relief as well.

The only issue I have with this is the Nylander Contract. If TO offers him something like that he's going to get insulted and sign an offer sheet for what the market number should be. Nylander is getting at a minimum 7 years at 6.5 million. I think they should go get an extra year of term and sign him for the cheapest 8 year deal they can get. It provides long term cost certainty and if he improves slightly on what he's accomplished so far, he'll be a bargain at that price point. Something like just under 7 million for 8 years would be right.

I don't disagree but I believe there is a chance Willy is worth well more than 6-7per, he just hasn't proven it yet. So i figured he'd go for his value now, to get to free agency then he could cash in. Leafs could use the money that is coming off the books for marleau or trade willy before it gets to that depending on need. The other side is that i'm not convinced he will prove himself to be an elite player either, this contract also avoids having a bad contract on the books long term when the leafs are true contenders.

Based off what other comparables have done the past 2 off seasons, bridge deals are not happening anymore. He'll get at least 6 years, may as well get 2 more and have him signed through his prime. As for what he'll end up as, I think he'll either be a player that 60-70 % of the time is utterly dominant and then takes a game or two off. Or he'll figure out that when he skates hard all game, he can be one of the best players in the league. His raw talent is off the charts and he's such a good skater, he just needs to improve his consistency.

There were times when he'd dump the puck in, get after the defence and just outsmart them and steal the puck before the opposing defenceman knew what was going on. When he plays like that, he might be better than Marner, the problem is he takes shifts and sometimes games off. Eliminate that and an 8 year deal at 7 million is hilariously underpriced.