leafs don't accept the flames, flyers, and blues trades, preds don't accept their trade

Leafs would need to give up more for Bennett

Probably not a good idea to change 5 guys on the roster half way through the season, especially when 4 of which will have to be quarantined for two weeks.

True, rather do it now than at deadline.

I think a few of these should be done though

Can't remember the last time a contending team changed this much of their roster at the deadline before the playoffs and had success. It's probably happened at some point, but most teams just want to add a piece here and there (at most 2 guys) to address areas of concern. 5 seems a little much in my opinion.

I'm certainly not opposed to a making a move to address weakness, just not this many. Especially when there will be so little time to develop any sort of chemistry before the playoffs start.

Definitely I agree. TML is struggling but thats just recent, but what I see is 1. A Flawed team and 2. Desperate and 3. Needing change.

Team defense, grit and a balanced forward corps and cap are needed, the salaries are so top heavy and theres little quality in the bottom 6 forwards. Capable play by oldies thornton, spezza, simmonds and plugs like vesey, boyd has helped but not really sold on lehtonens, barbanovs, engvalls, etc...with a few of these proposals its bringing in fairly young guys, making middle or low "coin" NOT just deadline guys. Laughton, Bennett, Lindblom, Dunn, Arvidson are all 27 yrs old or younger, with only arvid making more than 3mil.

So in some ways its about spreading talent and spreading the salary base. Just not sold on this year, NOR moving forward into next year that this team has "it".

In this shortened COVID season, you're right, ultimately you dont change 5 starters or acquire guys who cant play for 2 weeks.

It's tough, you don't want to overreact to a rough stretch and make a change, but also decide not to make a change and the bad stretch continues. Would hate to be an NHL GM in this regard.

I personally don't have an issue with the top heavy salaries. Dubas paid his young guys (with the exception of JT), rather than older guys who would soon decline after receiving their big contract. You can find cheap guys who provide value on the ice. And we most likely are not having this conversation if the cap wasn't going to be flat for at least this and next season.

Guys like Barabonov and Lehtonen were/are experiments, sometimes they work out and sometimes they don't. Dubas would look like a genius if they were tearing it up. But they have been in the NHL for such a short time that it is difficult to evaluate them. Engvall was a guy I hated seeing in the line-up, but he is starting to grow on me.

I don't disagree with your assessment, but I don't believe the Leafs are desperate or flawed. A minor change here and there would suit them well though, as no team is perfectly balanced.

Is this what an actual hockey conversation feels like? Forgot what that was like in an ACGM.

Blues want none of that