Ok and if the media didn't make those suggestion how many would have those players as trades here?? I didn't hear the Piertangelo for Nylander before he signed but have seen people mention it here and not it gets laughed at when some makes that offer.

Don't forget Anaheim defense.

Im just saying the media does influence the ACGM If they would come out and say a source in Edm says they could be looking to trade mcdavid oh he be first line with Tavares and Marner. lol

I think this would have to go without saying, this only works in theory if Pietrangelo is ready to sign an extension with the Leafs and at a modest rate. None of this 10M+ stuff. Otherwise, as good as Pietrangelo is, Leafs should look elsewhere.

For the record: I am not suggesting a Nylander trade because of the way he is playing. It is because of the Tavares contract and the way Marners is playing. When Tavares came in everyone recognized how hard it was going to be to keep the big three young guys. Most figured Nylander would get about 6.5 and marner about 7.5-8. Marner has now exploded and is likely getting 9+ (many thinking 10+ though I strongly disagree). We've now added Tavares and likely paying marner and Nylander about 3-4 million more than expected. It leaves no money for defense.

Either one of Nylander, Marner, Matthews, Tavares, Marleau is traded, or the Leafs D will have to be Rielly, Zaitzev and a bunch of guys on ELCs.

It's the cap not the player

I can say with certainty that a Toronto-St. Louis deals were discussed by the 'regulars' on here going back to last TDL and into the summer. Nylander for Parayko discussed a lot as well as Pietrangelo. Like I said...for the guys on here pretty much daily...we're all looking to see what teams match up as potential trade partners and engage in discussions to see if there's a mutual fit. A guy like Kypreos suggesting Pietrangelo is available and Toronto is interested is kind of 'old news' to the regulars on here...but definitely brings a lot of new or less frequent posters to the site and getting the discussion fired up on a larger scale.

But in June/July we were on her talking about Nylander/Kapanen and Parayko/Pietrangelo....it's interesting looking back because in the summer most were saying Pietrangelo>>Parayko and Nylander>> Kapanen and today you have a lot of people feeling strongly that the opposite is in fact true.

https://www.capfriendly.com/forums/thread/151525
https://www.capfriendly.com/forums/thread/147848


that's just two examples of a thread talking about Toronto and St. Louis hooking up on a winger-d-man trade.

Either way.....the enthusiasts on here are almost always way ahead of the media-heads in matching up potential trade partners

I don't disagree with anything you've written here at all...but for me...the question is more...

Do the leafs need to trade one of those guys for D-help now? Or can you get them all signed long term...take your lumps on D next year...and address the blueline in 2020-21 when you have a lot more information....

The core will be locked up long term
Marleau off the books
Sandin/Liljegren more seasoned and we'll know better if they can be regular contributors and how effective they might be as pros

There's this belief that the window to win is right now. I don't subscribe to that belief. If you get all of these guys signed for 5+ years they will all be playing their prime years in Toronto. IMO, if they make do this year and next year with what they have (or cheap alternatives) they are in a way better position in 2020 and beyond than if they move away major pieces to address the blueline now.

If you could have Nylander playing like a top line winger again...signed for another 4 years along with matthews, marner, rielly, kadri, tavares, dermott, andersen...and then add Pietrangelo as a UFA for free in 2020 when you have more cap to work with....are you willing to sacrifice never making it past the 2nd round the next two years? Or do you lose one or more of those key players now...in hopes that it increases the chances for a cup this year or next? For me, I'd rather wait

Yikes. Tavares is 2nd in goals and 6th in points over the last 8 years in the NHL. They both play well together but giving the credit to Marner is a bit of a homer move.

Not exactly a homer move when they are both Leafs...can't I love one child more than the other?

Yeah, I guess that didn't make much sense. Everyone loves little Mitchy... Johnny just keeps doing Johnny like things.

who's loving Mathews??