the rangers are rich and have cap space. That said, if they're going to pay 3.833 million dollars and eat 6.25 in cap space, they are going to need WAY more than a third rounder.

As part of the Chicago contingent, I'd pass, but I like Murph more than most do. Would rather have him than those two picks.

I doubt League will calmly look at another Orpik scam......and from what i can tell, hes the Chelios / Jagr type of guy, he will play till hes 50.

Chicago needs defense. They're not gonna trade any way unless you want seabrook haha

Agree, if hawks move Murphy it's for pieces to help now, hawks prospect cupboard is getting pretty full.

I agree, 2nd and a prospect? Maybe just a straight up 2020 1st?

I think the best way to do it is, if Marleau is willing, avoid the buy out scenario and just trade him to someone after July 1st. Pay the 2nd and be done with it. Or just keep him and kind of punt for a year.

Agree with you on both of those thoughts. To be honest I am leaning towards the punt. I was actually kind of looking forward to having some cap space to make some moves after Marleau was off the books.

The tanking ( or punting or whatever the term we should use ) Season should be 2017/2018, where JvR and Bozak would proly land some top D at TDL 2018 cause "Big Three" were already showing signs they will be able to take over the Offence. If i remember all the flak i recieved here by you guys when i was preaching that last summer.

It should be finished this years at TDL 2019 where Gardiner and Kadri ( who was just replaced by +30 points C in Tavares ) should go on the market for few more Ds.

Since Marleau and other "bad contracts" will supposedlly be out, i think all-in is the option for this year,

Yup, if Marleau was moved. The idea of punting is just keeping the offennce intacted if he wasn’t. Getting some vets or other cheap D to fill in the holes then upgrade the defence either at TDL or more optimally during next offseason when Marleau is off the books. If he is off the books this season I think you have to upgrade the D intelligently and make a good run.

Yes we all remember your theory of trading jvr and bozak at the TDL. Not really something a contending team does. It’s not like you could move them for an rhd because you would be trading with another contending team. Unless you were going to flip futures.

My view on it is we are more contenders now that we were in 2017/2018, even with Marleau. To contending Team...well, i would call it moneyballing aka jumping out of 50 years old patterns and trade them to what would bring best shutdown Dman in. Those three guys just walked off and now Gardiner will also. We are talking about train that passed, but still, just for the sake of argument.

Theory
If 1st 2019 would be added, you have one top RHD out of that trade in 2018 TDL with JvR and Bozak included. Lets say CAR already had surplus on RHD at 2018 and we could fish someon from there.
So you fetch 1st 2020 to get Muzzin as we did.
And Kadri and Gardiner combined would be the third D. lets say we would go to ANA for Manson ( again theoretically )

This year in February D would already look like :

Rielly - Manson ( or Montour )
Muzzin - Faulk ( lets go with the lesser version of possibilities )

Will never get over that missed opportunity, no offence if im preaching same thing over and over again....

Right now i have a feeling we are in Sundin era again....where they were packing Sundin with Mogilny, Renberg, Nolan, had above average Goalie in Curtis / Belfour, but only two decent Ds in McCabe and Kaberle.

No reason to punt on this season, even if the Marleau situation muddies up the cap. I know I used the Rangers in this example, but I definitely see the Leafs moving that cap hit, either in a buyout scenario or west coast team. I think this is an easier option get done (ie. would cost Toronto less of a sweetener).



I agree D needs to be upgraded. I think that happens this offseason but probably again at the TDL with a guy like Mike Green. Then I think you look into the 2020 UFA market with a bit of cap space and it's likely you can pry a top 4 RD out of that group.

I know we've discussed this before, but I don't see issues with players leaving after finishing their contracts. I would not want to trade players away at the deadline when we are trying to win a stanley cup. The goal every year should be to win and win right now, not trade away UFA's who are going to help us for future considerations to flip for future players. Put together the best possible team every single year.

Now, of course asset management becomes a factor, but you are never going to keep all your UFA's anyway. The Leafs never would have signed Bozak or JVR to the contracts that they got, so they were worth more to someone else. That's the circle of life. Some are going to walk away for more playing time, more money, closer to home, whatever. You will sign different guys or promote players from your system, every team does this, it's not a problem to lose UFA's. No way I wanted to move top-9 forwards at the trade deadline when we were in a playoff position. Nobody does that in the entire league. The Blues were in LAST PLACE in January and are one game away from a cup. You never know what's going to happen in the playoffs so punting on a season seems crazy when you can compete to win. I want a team that tries to win, that's where the Leafs are now.

My problem with your theory if I understand it correctly is why would teams out of the playoffs trade for rentals and why would a contending team move an rhd?

Unless you are saying to flip futures for these Dmen.

How i see those things, you bring in rentals to be the first to resign them before hitting agency. So in my books that would be non-contending Team bringing in Offence assets while lets say in CAR case they would lose one of 4 RHDs, or in other words, we would dump Offence on the account of D and they would do vice versa, where we would be tanking the season. Also contending Teams many times feel the need for more Offence and if they are deep enough on D that could be the case to make.

And yes, as i said, futures in shape of 2019 1st, 2020 1st ( you read my theory about those already ), Tymashov ( who wont make it past Hyman, Johnsson, Moore, Marchment ) and Rosen / Borgman and even Dermott which will all fall down the depth chart with Sandin and Liljegren coming in as 3rd Pair....

on the side note, have you checked my last one ( as i know CGY is your second Team ) would that be a yes from them : https://www.capfriendly.com/armchair-gm/team/1217641

and one for fun with my Swedes : https://www.capfriendly.com/armchair-gm/team/1213290