If the Leafs make a trade (especially with a valuable trade chip such as Nylander) they should be looking to bolster their defense whether for now or the future. They have AM and JT for the next 5-7 years. Palhal, I expect more out of you...

Although I agree with you, the defence should be a priority, IMO there isn't cap available to make a big name trade or signing. I figure there is just 3m to spend. So the other option is get marginally NHLers like TVR at 2.4m and some more from Carolina. I went the route of trading of zero cap...so you get spend the 7m cap hit of Nylander in other ways. (Jensen, and securing Johnson and Kapanen on longer deals) Foudy. Looks like a player in a few year. Leafs have no real centre prospects, hence the trade.
Agree with you that it looks ugly right now....but that damn cap.
I'd been willing to listen to any (and they have been thousands) ideas on how to acquire a better/more expensive Dman. I really don't think it can be done without squeezing other RFA salaries unrealistically. For that reason a high price forward has to traded IMO.

Still, though, you don't grossly undervalue a good asset so you can jettison him out of town and have enough space to give more money to lesser assets.

I feel like we need to get a self-help group together where we call all share our favourite Nylander stories, air our frustrations, and support each other until he starts scoring and we learn to love him again.

Step 1: Stop listening to meatheads like Kypreos and Brian Burke

It's not so much not loving Nylander, it's obtaining cap space to strengthen the overall team. I've made Nylander the "sacrifice" in order to secure other positions.

I don't follow any of the media meatheads. They say nothing constructive....most of the time. It all hype to get ratings. All try to the smartest guy on the block. Just watch the games, 95% of the fans can figure it a teams weaknesses and strengths for themselves.

Yea, I'm one Leafs who think the Leafs have to trade a high priced forward. I certainly was iffy last December 1st if the Leafs should have signed Nylander at all to this contract. Now I sure, the Leafs should not have signed him this season (for that contract) and let him eat cake (or herring) whatever it is in Sweden. Should have started contract talks again next June.

I think the bigger issue was Lou's approach of 'if you have time, use it'. Probably would have been able to get Nylander at $6.5 two July's ago when he was eligible to be extended...then Marner at $9m and Matthews at....? Probably no more than 12. And we'd all be happy.

Read something that Marner's camp asked for $9m on an early extension and the leafs passed.

Either way, IMO there's no chance Nylander has fallen outside of the 'core' and other pieces get moved out way before him.

I guess why we never know if the players would really wanted to sign their extensions early. I certainly understand why the Leafs passed on Marner 9m request. Kuchervov closer to UFA on his third contract signed for 9.5m which starts next year. Don't know if the Leafs screwed negotiations so much as it was Marner and to a lesser extent Kapanen and Johnsson deserve bigger raises than was was expected. I'll disagree on the definition of "core". Depending on the cap restrictions and a trade offer.....the core changes.

I think marner at 9m with the season he had last year would have been a mistake. This season he has proven he is worth that kind of money. Can’t use the crystal ball when you’re a GM, you’ll end up with a lot of bad contracts. Nylander was on pace with marner... could you imagine the uproar if we would have given him 9m?

I do agree though, the leafs can’t and won’t trade Nylander, certainly not for magic beans. Package him for a defencemen if anything. Heck even pesce if you are going to move him. If you could put something together for Parayko even if it involves liljegren I think we are better off.

Liljegren + nylander for Parayko leafs still save 1.4m.

Maybe I was biased but, by Marner has been separating himself from Nylander since day 1. And if he would've been playing with Marner from day 1 it wouldn't be close.

Agreed...last offseason we were thinking $8m would be the high end for Marner...so a full $1m higher would have been questionable. By the same token, we all though $6.5m for Nylander would be more that reasonable...and now a lot of people want him gone for the extra $490k.

I'm with ya tho....you don't trade Nylander unless you're bringing in someone else who immediate becomes a part of the 'core'. I would also do Nylander and Liljegren for Parayko

You can get full value and not effect the cap with picks and prospects. Why would you sell off a valuable wanted asset for less than fair market value

Nylander will be well worth the 6.9m in my estimation 150k over what I had him pegged for when he held out from camp. I think with the emergence of kappanen he has been made expendable. With our right wing depth he is the most obvious choice both in cap and trade value to move for a Dman. Dubas gave him the verbal no trade that I don’t think is easy to get out of. If kapanen brown and liljegren could get us Parayko I think you could make that trade as well but I think we break even on cap space there.

The reality is that Dubas will make small moves for depth and keep the team pretty much intact and give us a chance to grow from within. Patience may be the smart move right now.

Well I guess the determination would be....what players to keep in a cap league. It's getting the value with no cap being returned is the issue. You're right if the Leafs were offered let's say # 10 pick or good prospect and the # 25 pick, they would other options I was sort making the case getting Johnsson and Kapanen on longer deals, and getting Jensen....then Nylander's would have to be traded.