This "leader in the group" seems to be another word, for "overpaid veteran that used used to be good." Callahan is an example of trading for guy who is about to become an UFA. GMs feel they have to sign the guy at any price to just to justify the trade. No the Leafs don't want him and can't afford him (Hyman, Brown and Zaitsev get more $) Bortuzzo: Usually when a UFA signs, he has at least some NTC/NMC in his contract, so he wants be dumped to a team he doesn't want to go to.

The only way I'd ever take on Ryan Callahan's contract (Which I would 9/10 times not) would only be if I was getting someone like Andrej Sustr and/or Namestnikov back judging on the value headed the other way. The only reason the Leafs would take on a bad contract is so that they either give one up or get a good prospect with it (think the winnik trade where we got Brooks Laich AND Connor Carrick)
This just doesn't work for the Leafs, nor do some of the signings since Zaitsev, Brown and Hyman will ask a lot more than what you gave them. Elliot might be nice but after the season he's living with right now, I doubt that the Leafs - or anyone - would pay him more than the roughly 2 million he's currently making.
Pass