Quoting: ChiHawk
Saad is not a middle 6; he plays the top line. Murphy is not a "fringe" 2nd pairing, that is insane. This tells me you don't watch the Hawks and therefore don't know what either player brings to the ice outside of what you read on a stat sheet; a big mistake a lot of folks do on here trying to evaluate players.
Murphy is a top liner in Chicago and would be in toronto. Easily would become Toronto's best defensive defender.
Where have you heard Saad is "barely' a top 6 winger? He's the best winger behind Kane this year and yes, that includes better then Cat or Toews.
I watch a fair amount of hockey outside of the Hawks, unlike most fans on here, and know what Nylander is worth. I love the guy, even when a lot of Leafs fans were down on him, but realistically no way does chicago do this and retain $3.3m that is just poor cap management while creating two holes to plug one. Toronto plugs two holes and creates a big one. Doesn't make sense for either team.
I respectfully disagree. I don't have a link for you, but I distinctly remember reading a CHI fan on capfriendly saying something along the lines of "The more and more I watch Saad, the more and more I realize he isn't a top 6 forward."
Not saying I agree with that 100%.
Saad may play on Chi's top line, but that doesn't make him a "top line forward".
I am done with this thread, but I will sum up and give you some credit:
I would consider Saad a 2nd line winger. Not a top line guy on a competitive team however.
I'll remove the "fringe" and call Murphy a legit top 4 Dman. But again, not a top pairing Dman.
In my opinion Nylander is too much of an asset to trade for what I would call "very good accessory/supplementary pieces"
You can build a line with a Nylander. He drives his line. He actually creates plays for Matthews and Tavares, not as much vice versa. Anybody who watches the Leafs would know that.
You can't build an offense around Saad and can't build your D around Murphy.
So.. No disrespect to those Chicago players. I agree, they are good players, but I would never make that trade if I was the Leafs and I honestly believe for a soon to be rebuilding Chicago team, getting a 23 year old star forward for older, soon to be expiring contract, accessory pieces, is a no brainer. If you disagree that is fine. Its obvious we won't see eye to eye on this one