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Joined: May 2018
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This is a terrible trade. I don't get most Leaf fans, we have the best centre depth in hockey. Before July 1 we had a huge question mark at centre because we only really had Matthews and Kadri and then we add Tavares and half of you want to trade Kadri and a quarter of you want to trade Matthews.
How about everyone just settle down and enjoy this ride we are on. Kadri isn't getting traded, neither is Marner, Nylander or Matthews. Guys who could be traded are the following.
Gardiner because he's an expiring contract and won't be resigned (there isn't enough cap space next year to do it)
Brown because he's a decent player on a good contract who is mired in the bottom 6 in TO so he could bring some return while also clearing 2.1 million.
Kapanen because he could have a break out season which could make him to expensive to keep next season.
Johnsson - see Kapanen
Zaitsev because if he doesn't rebound enough, his contract is something the Leafs would be motivated to get rid of
Those guys and any of the prospects not name Liljegren or guys drafted last season.
As far as a trade for Pesce is concerned, all the Carolina fans will say it will begin and end with Nylander coming the other way. That's a pipe dream, the Hall trade has shown exactly what trading an elite offensive producer for a defensive defenseman does to a team. With that being said, its really hard to judge, I was certain Skinner was going to get at least a 1st round pick or a A level prospect, but instead it was a guy taken in the 3rd round, a 2nd and the other later picks. So that makes me believe the market isn't strong right now and people want to hold onto their assets. Carolina is going to have to decide if they want a better return or not on their next trade. Faulk is not more valuable than Skinner, I'd put him as equal to or higher value than Pesce as well so I wouldn't be very confident in getting a big return for 2 reasons.
1) Its hard to argue that a defensive defenceman is worth more than your best offensive weapon so Pesce < Skinner
2) Carolina has a surplus of defenceman so they have all the pressure to move one out, that'll give the opposition some negotiation strength.
So with those two things in mind, Faulk and Pesce will not get an allstar roster player, they won't bring back an A+ prospect and a first. You'll get a B+ prospect, a 2nd and then maybe another asset or two. Its a bad reality but its what Don Wadell has put you guys in for accepting such a weak return for Skinner.