I wouldn't touch McQuaid for Zaitsev. Grit is overrated when Zaitsev is the clear cut better puck moving and skating dman, which is exactly what every dman needs to do most. and Kreider for Nylander only comes if Kreider signs an extension. Otherwise it's stupid to lose 5.5 years of Nylander at only $6.9M for 1.5 years of Kreider.

I would love to find a way for the Leafs to add Kreider. I'm higher on Zaitsev then most Leafs fans. McQuaid could be had for a second at the deadline, and if Willy has to go it will be because of the contract to Marner. In the off season.

Zaitsev needs a change of scenery, he looked good his first year but not anymore. (but im not a fan of him being paired with gardiner either) the only thing concerning is his NTC which kicks in after July 1st

This rids the Leafs of Zaitsevs contract, and nets one of the best assets for a cap strapped team - in Kreider. I don't think it's worth giving up Nylander for this, but this is the kind of deal I think Toronto should target. I think Marner and Zaitsev, maybe a pick for Kreider and Zibanejad is perhaps more interesting, as Leafs fans will learn Nylander will be more value per dollar than Marner after this season

IMO, It doesn't make the Leaf better for this years playoff run. I'm higher on Zaitsev than most folks, and he has been playing better lately. Nylander has started to play well too. But for going into next year where the Leafs have to get rid of 7m of cap, this trade or something similar might be the only way. And think it's a goal deal for the Rangers. An original and good thought on the trade.

Yeah just throw in a 3rd round pick and the Rangers will throw in Zibenejad... ?

Well no obviously Marner is the new prized asset, like picks/prospects still have a high value for NYR. Give em Liljegren, a 1st, whatever, like I'm just hypothesizing

Would probably take a 1st and Lilegren.

I was more attacking it from the perspective that Marner's new cap hit will pretty much equal Zibanejad's and Kreider's combined. And as a competing team I'd rather have those 2

Gotcha, just saying I doubt Zibenejad would come cheap.

Yeah, I mean I agree, but I also think that any normal but randomized oscillation in production gets blown out of proportion on this board. I had a guy try to convince me Zib was at best a 3C on most teams and that the Bruins should go for him as that (this off-season I think). That is obviously ridiculous, but also buying high on him now would be really high. I think he's been a borderline 1C for a good while, while Marner is knocking on the door to the top-10 wingers list. Kreider is in that sort of #20 spot for wingers IMO, but his contract expiring after next year, and that lining up poorly with NYR's future window, is what would sway them the way of a trade, right?

Oh geez man my apologies, I didn't realize you meant Marner in the trade, still thought it was Nylander and Zaitsev we were talking about. lol.. If it's Marner then yes I'm sure the Rangers would be all over it and the Leafs wouldn't have to be adding too much to make it happen.
On a side note discussion about Zibenejad, GM's and scouts were absolute morons for not trying to buy low on Zibenejad in the offseason cause before this season which his numbers have really taken off he probably could of been had for not too much.

I think anyone who goes on a streak - especially in or vs the right market, ends up on the opposite side on the buying-low spectrum, but I also think Mika's ascendance is a bit due to Brassard's downfall. By that I mean when Brassard was traded, it was revisited in the news-sphere that he was traded for Zib and a 2nd somehow. I hope that people working for the teams have a deeper understanding of one-ice value than being blinded by scoring streaks, high shooting %-age and other flukey factors. By Manny's WAR and other measurements Zibanejad isn't even performing quite to his standards of last year

Yeah its probably helping his cause that he's playing on a bad team therfore getting a ton of ice time including first PP unit time.
Still tho even if this is a bit of a one off season for him with his contract if he was bought low in the off season he would of been a steal even if he was only scoring at his average.

Yeah man, he's been underrated for a while. Unfortunately the mainstream media and news-outlets are basically only reactionary. Take a guy like Backlund in Calgary, he should probably have some Selke votes to his name at this point, but imagine if Calgary ends up winning it this year, which isn't that much of a stretch. He'll be a lock for the Selke next year regardless of what happens. Cause *now * all of a sudden Calgary can win, in their heads. This is just another way of using the worst stat ever - wins: "if they win their players must be good", well or like they've been good all the time and only 1/31 teams can win, and it has a lot to do with random factors? Toews was painted as the best player in the game a couple of years back and nowadays people forget his existance when listing the top centres in the league. Freaking Malkin wasn't a top 100 player of all time, but Toews clearly was? Now that Malkin has the back-to-backs, who in their right mind has Toews over him on an all-time list?

The issue is that media cosine even their percieved value of players, which is still off, and I personally think this drains away from the quality of the product. I'm basically at the point where I sigh loudly during every single broadcast, because they fail so miserably at evaluating players. Had to get that off my chest lol

Totally agree and Toews is kind of the perfect example again cause he's having a great season and his point totals are way better then they've been in years but does the media talk about that much? Nope cause the Hawks aren't winning.. Lol