Hjalmarsson shoots left.

yeah? he can still play right

He spend majority of his career on right side.

He can, but he's pretty much cooked at this point. Can't stay healthy.

That's definitely the type of player to target though. Prime Nik Hjalmarsson was the best DFD of the last 20 years and it's not even close.

The post specified RHD. Also at this point Hjalmarsson isn't a good fit.

Here is mine (each has reason):

1) Cernak
2) Weegar
3) Manson
4) Savard
5) Murphy
6) Hjalmarsson
7) Severson

(Parayko and Pesce are unrealistic)

Mine:
1) Severson
2) Manson
3) Cernak
4) Murphy
5) Savard
6) Demelo? I thought he would be here
7) Weegar
Parako and Pesce are not gonna happend

Jeez... He had one of the best years of his career last year and had 1 injury filled bad year this year

Pesce is the best of them. Not gonna happen tho
Parayko (also not gonna happen)
Weegar
Manson
Hammer
Cernak
Murphy
Savard







Severson

Here's my "thought" on your question. Really, it shouldn't be on the RHD to be the difference maker in the RHD/Reilly pairing, it' really up to Reilly to be a better player.
Reilly doesn't play the PK because he isn't that good at it. He's average 5 on 5 when the Leaf DONT have the puck. He's good 5 on 5 when the Leafs HAVE the puck. On the PP he is very good.
Due to his defensive deficiencies/offensive recklessness, I don't think Reilly is a premier NHL Dman. The Leafs would be better if they could upgrade the right side of their defence....not necessarily just to be Reilly's partner. If the season were to start tomorrow.....would think the RHD would Holl, Dermot (both I like) and the unknown Liljegren. So a competent RHD would be welcome. The 2018/19 version of Hainsey would do just fine. But Holl has shown he can play big minutes and IMO he was the best RHD last season..better than Ceci and much better than Barrie.

yeah, I tried to factor in fit, contract price, and general cost to get them. Wasn't gonna put Parayko and Pesce on here but I see trades with them so often I couldn't not do it

He also missed a substantial amount of time in 17-18. Also a broken leg is super worrying going forward. He's not a player who can afford to lose a step in his skating.

I think the Leafs are one piece away (obviously being the RD). I thought Barrie was gonna fit well with Muzzin, but it ended up being Holl who played well with him. If that covers the 2nd pairing, then all that's left to get is just one top 4, defensively solid guy who plays on the right. I think Dermott fits into being too good for the bottom pair, as well as not being good enough to be the guy to play with Rielly. Which is why I see him as a solid trade chip to get the dman in question. Who knows what the market is for Dermott tho.

I really don't understand all this nonsense about 1st, 2nd and 3rd pairings.(and I don't think CapFriendly fans understand it either)... Truly it's nonsense at least when comes to the Leafs. Take Reilly is he a # 1 guy? He might play most minutes due to the PP time but he doesn't play "heavy" minute cause he' not not PK. Muzzin might be considered the Leafs best overall Dman, but the make he a # 1 or # 2, according to the silly number system.
I thought Dermot was underrated. Two year ago he played almost exclusively with a Russian rookie and they seemed to really have found their footing till Dermot got hurt. Then Dermot plays with Ceci. So it's not like Dermot has been sheltered for two years. Gee if Dermot played with Reilly (at least when the Leafs had the puck) Dermot would the easiest minutes in his NHL career.
And these third pairing....what does it mean? Generally "third pairing" guys play at even strength and even the PK. On the road especially they will play against the opposition either top or second line. So even a teams worse Dmen better be NHL competent because they are going to see minutes, big minutes against top lines.
The Leafs dug themselves in a cap hole by overpaying Matthews/Nylander/Marner, 5m too much. So if/when the Leafs get a much needed solid NHL Dman or two, it will be price of a good forward or two.
Leafs don't have enough NHL Dman depth to trade one Dman, let's say Dermot just to get a another Dman, even if the new guy is better.

1) make a rielly for ekblad trade.



huge gap

if they dont trade rielly then the rest would be:
2) Severson
3) Gudas
4) Brodin
5) C. Murphy
6) Savard

I would love a guy like parayko, pesce, spurgeon or petro but those guys will all cost way to much to acquire and will have too high of a cap hit

They dug themselves a hole when they signed Tavares but yeah they overpaid the other big 3 a bit too.

I think Dubas is going to figure out some way to sign Demelo.

he came back from the high ankle sprain but his skating is the only thing hes really got. he good offensively but most of it is created by his skating ability, if he loses that hes done. we see what it did to karlsson but at least hes a fantastic passer. rielly isnt really that good at making breakout passes. his next contract wont be good

I'll disagree that Tavares was a mistake. You got him for without trading assets. It's not like the Leafs are short 11m to sign their players.
If nothing else, let's imagine the Leafs have Tavares but need 7m.....then trade Nylander. Then you have Tavares and let's says two first rounders or two very good prospects. I'd take that

Yea signing DeMelo would be nice but at what cost to the cap and who has to go to create cap space? Funny how some think Holl, who was the Leaf best RHD last season, was a 2m gaffe, but signing DeMelo at 3.5m is great. So many Leaf fans and non Leaf fans think getting ANY RHD is going to lead the Leafs to the Cup. I just don't understand that logic.

Are we considering acquisition cost/cap or just purely who we would want as his partner?

Trading a kerfoot johnsson or kappanen for a similar cap hit defenceman that can pay the right side is something Dubas has likely been trying to do for awhile now. The problem is its extremely hard to make a trade like that in the current NHL. Personally im not all that unhappy with the Leafs defenceman im more unhappy with the style of play causing defencive problems. The Leafs still like to play a young game almost like a jr style game that works for them alot of nights because of their great skill level. I guarantee players like Crosby or Bergeron could have 30 more pts a year if they played a leaf style game. The thing is that style works in every other league in the world except the NHL. The Leafs are still a very young team and will figure this out. The best thing is still patients sign low risk veterans to plug holes and keep developing players. Goaltending and injuries were the problem last season. Anderson wasnt at his best. we had no backup worth anything and the defence was decimated with injuries. A player like justin Holl gets an opportunity and all of the sudden looks like a dam good nhl player this is what development is all about. Alot of people on here seem to think that EANHL20 player rankings actually mean something in real life.

You had one of the cheapest 2C's in the league in Kadri, spend the money given to Tavares on a Bozak replacement and a dman or two and they'd be in a better position overall.

I don't think Demelo will lead them to the cup, seriously think he'll be a Leaf though, hoping he'll sign with the Jets but I have my doubts.

yep, we're considering everything