The Leafs must add a couple of rental players (small cheap changes) or make a big trade, to better there chances of a Cup.

Leafs aren't getting rentals. Dubas has already said they're not interested in guys just for this year.

parayko gon cost u. fabbri on top of that, will cost ya more. i would say nylander, but that just gets ya'll leafs fans triggered, so the trade proposed above is good, but fabbri needs to be dropped

GM's never mislead the media, they are always 100% truthful and forthcoming. Correct?

ohh yes that's sarcasm if you can't tell.

Pretty close in value, I actually posted something similar to this a little while ago. I just don't see the Leafs giving up players like Kapanen or Johnsson right now. They're gonna be the reasonably cheap contracts to play secondary for a couple years until they sign bigger deals (Kapanen probably around 2.5-3 on a 2-3 year bridge deal) Johnsson probably the same. Guys like that are invaluable and easy to fit under the cap. It'll be more guys like Brown to go since he plays further down in the lineup. That being said, I think an offer of more prospects going to St.Louis works better for both teams (except Toronto would have to work out their cap situation in the summer but that can be handled in the summer). That being said, I think the Leafs should be all in for a guy like Parayko as it puts them well into top 4 teams IMO. What do you think of the offer I thought of? Keep in mind the cap situation can be figured out later

To St. Louis:
Jeremy Bracco
Rasmus Sandin
Nikita Zaitsev
2019 Toronto 1st round pick
2020 Toronto 2nd round pick (conditional - if Toronto wins the cup in 2019 or 2020 the pick becomes a first)

To Toronto:
Colton Paryako
Zach Sandford
conditional 2020 STL 4th round pick (if Toronto's 2020 2nd round pick upgrades to a 1st, Toronto gets this pick)

I compared it to the Ryan McDonagh trade to Tampa. The higher picks entice St.Louis to take Sandin (could be NHL ready next season or the year after) over Liljegren (I wouldn't move Liljegren if I was Toronto), Zaitsev is still the roster player that goes back for cap reasons and can still play top 4 in St.Louis and produce more if he plays PP. Bracco is one of Toronto's top prospects producing at almost a point per game in the AHL as a 21 year old (not easy to do) and could be NHL ready next season. IMO it's a slight overpayment by Toronto but it puts them over the top and a contender for years beyond this one.

Dubas has also said he isn't trading Nylander either. Please don't start with your dumb, pointless comments again.

Fabbri seems to permantly injured/damaged. No way his ceiling is high as Kapanen This trade doesn't really help the Leaf this season, the lose of Kapanen and Zaitsev for one Parayko. Long term it's a bad deal for Leafs, losing Sandin, who is Gardiner's replacement. This fascination about other teams RHD as being the difference makers for a Leaf Cup seem absurd.

I agree that Fabbri isn't worth Kapanen with his injury history. If Toronto upgraded from Zaitsev to Parayko thats a massive win, he only makes $1M more too. and I wouldn't say Sandin is Gardiner's replacement. IMO that's Dermott who is more defensively responsible than Sandin with a little offensive side to his game still. and with Rielly and Dermott already on the left side, Sandin could be expendable because he'll be way too good for a third pairing role. I agree that the Leafs need for a top 4 RHD can be a bit absurd at times, but Parayko could be a guy to put them over the top for a long term solution

But Dermot is already here, so he isn't replacing Gardiner. Someone has to replace Gardiner. I know it's subjective but why would Parayko put the Leafs "over the top" He hasn't done it with the Blues. And the Blues have that other RHD, Pietrangelo, that would put the Leafs over the too. How many difference makers do the Blues have have on defence when they look like they can't make the playoffs for a second straight year. I read about the four RHD that Carolina has and how those guys are so much better than any of the Leafs Dman, and look how successful the Canes have been.

The Blues would have to have a sweet offer to deal Parayko. The Note doesn't want to invest the money in Pietrangelo, and he's got to go. He's a top 15 defenseman though. Toronto does need a playoff performer who can play top-notch hockey in the playoffs, and Petro is one of those guys and available. Lots of Leafs fans keep balking at dealing Kapanen, Liljegren, etc. I agree those are all nice pieces and giving them up is difficult. However, the Leafs need to win now; have the right coach; have the right superstars; and a guy like Petro puts them in the top four in the NHL. Leafs fans need to button the lip, accept Petro when they'd prefer Parayko, go win their cup for the first time in forever, and bask in the sunlight now and perhaps in the future.. It's not like Petro is only going to be good for one year.

Dermott is playing third pairing right now though. He's much further along and more well rounded than Sandin. Sandin is an offensive guy, he's okay defensively but Dermott is much more responsible in his own end. Dermott will take Gardiner's spot next year on the 2nd pair LHD and Sandin could come up to the Leafs next season to play 3rd pairing LHD but long term Sandin's skills are wasted on the 3rd pairing so he could be moved to get his value for a guy that will play. Parayko is also a much better fit than Pietrangelo. Pietrangleo is more offensive and is okay in his own end, Parayko is defensively sound and still puts up points (consistenly a 35 point dman) if he played on Toronto he could easily hit 50 points and still play his defensive and is bigger and on a better, longer term deal than Pietrangelo. Carolina's defense hasn't been bad. They're goaltending was and they struggle to score a lot of the time. That's why they're where they're at in the standings, not because of the defence core

Pietrangelo is good, but realistically where does he fit on Toronto? He's more offensive with average defence. He wouldn't get time on either Toronto PP as they only use 1 d on each unit and he's not replacing Rielly or Gardiner on either this season. Just having him for the PK when that's not his strength is kind of a waste of getting him and just making a trade to make a trade. Parayko is the guy who's better defensively and just kill penalties and be worth it. He wouldn't need PP time cause he wouldn't be expected to put up point like Pietrangelo would be. You can sit here and argue all day both ways who's better, Pietrangelo or Parayko. Both cases could be made. But Parayko is just the better fit for Toronto, and is also on a better contract for longer where they might lose Pietrangelo after next season and with his cap hit being harder it would make it harder to sign all the RFA's

Couldnt agree more on your thoughts with Kappy and Johnsson. And i get the appeal of adding Parayko, the guy is a beast. But if we get him and Z goes are we really that far ahead moving forward? Getting Parayko means that Gards is very likely gone next year. So, that leaves us with a top 4 of Mo/Parayko and Dermott/Oz? While we wait for Lily to hopefully pan out.

I think there is still an outside chance that Gards gets re signed, but even the relatively small difference in salary between Parayko and Z could be the difference between Gards staying or going. But after seeing 2 bad giveaways tonight by Gards, maybe he should go..

Anyways, if we stay the course and Gards stays we're looking at a d core somewhere down the road of Reilly/Dert (you see him out there with Mo a few times a game now) Gards/Z and Sandin/Lily (hopefully) That dcore could be really really good.

I think there's a VERY slim chance Gardiner resigns. I feel like he has to sign for around 4.5M a year and they'd have to move Zaitsev still.. Gardiner gets at least 6M on the open market so I guess it depends how much he wants to stay in Toronto. Dermott could slide into Gardiner's spot and Dermott is miles ahead of Gardiner defensively too with just less offence. I would gladly take Rielly/Paryako, Dermott/Ozighanov as a top 4. Ozighanov has been solid with Dermott in his rookie year and he'll be the cheaper top 4 D that they'll need with the impending cap situation. Liljregren could be up next year too, so maybe sign a veteran to play with him on the third pair if Sandin was moved in a Parayko deal.
so a top 6 d core of
1. Rielly / Parayko
2. Dermott / Ozighanov
3. veteran / Liljregren

I take that over what they have now in a heartbeat, wouldn't you? Only thing it'll suck for is the Seattle expansion draft. But that's year away. Leafs can work something out with Seattle for extra protection

STOP TRADING SANDIN. MY FN GOD

Yeah, its a slim chance, but there is a chance he stays if he comes in under 5.5M , and Z wouldnt need to go to accommodate that.

I like Oz so far, but until a dman plays close to 20 mins a night, game after game, and either pks or pps regularly its hard to tell if they're top 4 or not. So far oz is playing around 14 mins a night with no pp or pk time. I hope he pans out, itd save alot of headaches, but its pretty early tell. I mean, look at how Dermott is being eased in. And both the eye test and his advanced stats say he should be top 4 now.

Regardless, if everything breaks right the top 4 you laid out could be good. But please tell me the third pairing vet isn't Hainsey? I dont really think he should be shot into the sun, but at some point he will need to retire. Although i could see him being a great d coach..

LOL please no. I hope Hainsey gets the Matt Martin treatment this season and is a healthy scratch after the trade deadline. Might even be able to toss a guy like Calle Rosen on there beside Liljegren. He's not a veteran but he's looked really good in the AHL and he'll be on a cheap, 1way deal next season so could give him a look just protect that pairings minutes against lesser opponents until they prove they can handle it. & my theory on Ozighanov is that the Leafs are being a bit cautious with his development so it doesn't turn into a Zaitsev situation. Limit his minutes for now until they can sign him to an extension after January 1, then up his minutes. He's good defensively and could kill penalties. That's what he was brought over for. But if they overplay him too much and he succeeds then he'll compare himself to Zaitsev and ask for around 5M, realistically I'd like to see him sign for 2-3 years around 2M per season on a bridge deal to see what they have in him long term. But give him some more development and minutes and if he keeps playing with Dermott it could open Dermott's offence up and make the Gardiner loss a little less impacted. And way cheaper than Gardiner too

No chance I trade Kapanen. Bridge him at $3.5 for one or two years until Marleau has left. The Leafs cup window is at least 5 years. No need to panic and trade top players who will still be on value contracts. They do need a solid top four defenseman but I would prefer to sign older UFA’s on shorter deals to fill that role. I would also trade other pieces before Kappy Including Nylander because I think they will get more consistent two way play from Kapanen as well as 30 goals.