Geez at least add Perlini, Duclair, Merkley, Fischer, Garland, Dauphin and the 20th pick to the Matthews trade if your going to make it fair. I mean come on.....Matthews is so good he can play all positions at once while coaching/managing the team himself. In fact get rid of everyone else in the entire organization, Arizona has Matthews now, never-ending Stanley Cups for the desert dogs, forever! Wweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!...

It's too bad that Matthews played in Switzerland last year. As a result we don't really know how he truly matches up to his college or junior peers. If he had played for Kitchener lets's say, we could have seen him play against Marner, Strome, Dvorak and others. Well in 15 years we will have a better idea compared to his peers how they all match up.
Is Mattthews a Strome or McDavid comparable? My guess writing on June 14, 2015 Matthews for Strome and the 7th pick is fair. Maybe I'll change my mind come draft time. Hey, maybe the Leafs draft Laine.

The kid is going to be a star but to the same extent Mackinnon, Ekblad, Hall is. Nothing more. Leafs fans can hope for no more. That is a substantial boost to their team. This idea that arizona will give the world up for him is ludicrous though. I'd expect Strome, the 7th and if they're lucky, the 20th also is a nice haul that they should think long and hard about taking. Strome and Matthews are not that far off.

I think TO should hang on to Matthews. TOs prospect pool is really deep and at this point Maple fans deserve a first pick to come to fruition.

Absolutely. Thinking of trading Matthews shouldn't be on they're minds. Arizona isn't going to give them what they think he's worth.

Fair shouldn't matter here. Leafs have no incentive to trade the pick unless socks are blown off. This isn't a Lindros situation where Quebec knew he was refusing to play for them and they had to make a deal (and still came out winners).
I agree with the Matthews projection and caparisons made with MacKinnon/Ekblad/Hall...and ultimately I'd be surprised if a trade went down...but if it does, there needs to be no mention of the term 'fair trade'....it needs to be clear-cut Toronto biased deal for Lou to -pull the trigger.

".it needs to be clear-cut Toronto biased deal for Lou to -pull the trigger"

I absolutely agree. The general argument isn't that though. Fair trade doesn't mean equal value necessarily on both sides. It means within the realm of possibility. Arizona knows they would have to over pay if they want Matthews. the problem arises when we don't strictly define "over pay"

It's as simple as not defining "clear-cut Toronto biased deal" as raping and pillaging the other team's assets in exchange for 1 player. Blowing your socks off shouldn't be considered as OEL, Domi, Strome, Dvorak, Merkely, Fischer, Duclair, the 7th and 20th.

That's not blowing someones socks off, that's going back in time and reversing the invention of socks and claiming it as your invention in modern day.

I just don't see why ARI would trade their future for 1 future player.

I can see one of the 3 above and the 7th being available.

OEL is a non starter. He is very likely better than Matthews ever will be.

ARI trading Domi (their fan favourite and main draw) plus a whole bunch of top end talent/prospects for 1 top end prospect who will also draw fans just makes no sense. ARI fans love Domi.

Ok...this is all speculation...I still think Toronto keeps the pick....but ownership plays a big part in all this. There's a theory that ownership wants Matthews from a business point of view and Maloney didn't want to go along with that plan...which is why a 26yr old kid was brought in to do ownership's biding. I agree that you can't rape and pillage a team...but I don't see why Lou can't say "OEL, Strome and the 7th pick, or don't call me back"...even if the leafs have to add another pick or prospect of their own....but if you're the Leafs, you need to have your price met otherwise you're happy picking Matthews and moving on.

If you had read my description, you should understand that I said i don't think this will happen, just around what it would take from the leafs perspective, not saying arizona would do it. Lindros was traded for steve duchene, ron hex tall, peter forsberg, mike ricci, who all were pretty good players plus multiple draft picks, so i proposed a lindros type haul from desperate team looking to inject some life into the fan base. Go troll somewhere else if you have nothing to add.

I agree with you guys saying the leafs should keep matthews he will be well worth the painful year. Unless they will meet the asking price which they probably won't, glad to welcome matthews to leaf nation!

strome and matthews seem pretty far off from predraft evaluations. I would think matthews is ahead of ekblad and hall pre draft, but probably about the same as mackinnon. strome and the 7th is no where near enough, if thats the case the leafs gladly draft matthews, they won't give away the pick. Unless at minimum strome domi and the 7th is coming the leafs hang up the phone, and that is probably not enough.

That theory might not be far off, new young gm in to do whatever ownership says. Lou can ask for the moon from any team, not just the yotes. If the price is not met, like you said just take Matthews. OEL along with it would be a major rape by the leafs, but I don't think strome domi and the 7th is too far off from what the leafs would expect. I like your thinking, thanks for the comment!

I poked fun at thought that that's what it would take for T.O to do it. If management is smart they'll see that realistically, a fair return for Matthews would be far less than what you proposed. You added negative value to the trade by adding Lupul to it. Not too mention that 1 star player, doesn't trump multiple lesser star players. When you reach a certain value of players, quantity trumps quality.

I read your description and where i found it overkill was the comparison to Lindros. Lindros at the time was being compared to Mario Lemieux........... Matthews is not in any way in that same echelon. He's the same as MacKinnon, Hall, Ekblad were before him. Amazing prospects with a ton of potential. Problem arises when you devalue the also amazing prospects with a ton of potential that your thinking would need to be involved in order to pry Matthews away from T.O.



"but I don't see why Lou can't say "OEL, Strome and the 7th pick, or don't call me back""

That rationale makes no sense. So if Arizona says "drop the 7th overall and you got a deal." Shanahan says "no, didn't reach my minimum requirements"? OEL and Strome for 1 guy not enough. That's lack of judgement and negligence on the GM's part.

Sure, set the bar high as to avoid low ball offer's but pass up clear cut better deals because the idea of drafting a Matthews first overall makes you c*m your pants isn't smart GM'ing. Fine maybe Strome and the 2 first rounders is just below your minimum requirements but adding anything remotely valuable more to the deal is T.O.'s loss not to take. As a Habs fan i hope Arizona stays smart and lets T.O draft Matthews instead of stocking their team with top talent in exchange for 1 guy.

Leafs should do Strome Domi + 7oa in a heartbeat. Leafs fans think they have the golden ticket, but that was last year. Prettymuch everyone says Matthews would have gone 3rd, with a few saying "maybe" 2nd, but noones said he would have been a definitive 2nd over Eichel. I'd take a sure 1st liner in Domi, a probable 1st C in Strome and very likely the best Dman in the draft at 7.

This ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

They can choose to decline if they want. No one will argue but in reality, where we humans operate, Domi, Strome and the 7th is over payment and T.O should absolutely jump at the occasion. Strictly value wise.

The main point is that Lou gets to name his price. Doesn't mean it will be met by any means and no one will be the wiser as the negotiations are private.

If the going theory is that Matthews' value to Arizona supersedes his on ice skill, ownership may care more about the marketing aspect vs. fair value.

Leafs have the leverage to name a high price and risk losing out on a 'good deal' by not budging off it. 'Losing out' still nets them Matthews so it's a favourable risk play.