The leafs should not be trading Dermot, with 1 year contracts to lethonen and bogsian. He has played better than both is younger and should get better while the other regress. If worries about the Seattle draft. Trade them some one like sda or lillypad to take a player like marincin or Rosen or malgin, etc.
The defence core shouldnt change much the next few year
A core of Reilly, muzzin, holl, Brodie, Dermot and sandin with kokkonen or niemela and kral or rubins or hollowell should be suffice. Dermot has more upside than anything we will get in return for him

I agree with you Dermot shouldn't be traded. Leafs need him this season. Likely one of Holl or Dermot are selected to Seattle, but it's not a worry the Leafs care about now.

The depth has been nice in rotating guys in and out but I agree with both of you about Dermott. I don't understand the trade rumors either because if bolstering the forward group due to injuries is the idea, why minus a player from the D-core?

This is the first season with some real depth on D end of things and so trading any of it away makes no sense to me.

If management wants more help in the top six or bottom six, trade a roster player or prospects/picks(not high picks obviously) to accomplish that.

I think a lot of trade rumors aren't really substantiated by anything other than fans trying to create buzz. It's so nice this year to be able to have discussions over which depth player has earned playing time as opposed to discussing how much it sucks we have to ice a lineup with Marincin.

Yeah it's a refreshing conversation for sure. I'm not even that even with these injuries a move needs to be made to help the forward group.

Like, time to put on your big boy pants and show management that the team doesn't need another forward.

I think the leafs are fine, trades probably won't help. If you bring a guy in he has to settle in. Jake Muzzin wasn't phenomenal when we picked him up (not to mention Tyson Barrie) though if you bring in a player of Taylor Hall's caliber then a trade would be ok (Players like Taylor Hall and up seem to play well wherever they go) Point is, players take time to do damage in a season, especially in a season without a preseason.

Still don't think it's a good idea to minus from the D-core to help the injury-riddled forward group.

The defense looks decent so far.

You're right, they absolutely shouldn't. Especially considering how great he's been this year; you aren't likely going to get more value for him than what he's providing to the team by playing for them.