Quoting: PleaseBanMeForMyOwnGood
Insulting my intelligence is a great way to further a discussion.
As for the rest of your remarks. You are making decisions off what you think the Leafs need (which is fine and understandable) and what prices have been in the past and what fans on here want (both are largely irrelevant considering the situation we are in). Just look at the landscape we are in.
Few teams have cap space. There are more sellers than buyers. The quarantine makes trades more difficult as well. There hasn't been any trades yet because the asking price is too high.
So with all that in mind what does that do to prices? Who are the buyers? TO, Edmonton and Winnipeg in the North. What about the west? Is anyone really a contender there beyond Colorado and Vegas? And Vegas has no cap space, so Colorado is a buyer. Everyone else is either not really in a position to buy (Minnesota) or more likely sellers.
What about the Central?
Florida, Carolina and Tampa are good teams and the rest are mediocre to bad. Tampa has no cap space, so Florida and Carolina could be buyers, the rest doing nothing or selling.
And the East? Boston, Pittsburgh, Washington and the Islanders are buyers and the rest sellers.
If what you for a living is negotiate the purchase of stuff, you would be familiar with supply and demand. When the supply is higher than the demand, does anyone worth their weight overpay knowing there is ample supply? No
So now after reading this, do I seem like a guy that needs the "careful the hot coffee is hot" label? Because as you can see, I'm thinking about more than just what do I want and what do opposing fans have to say about it. Let's be honest here, a fan isn't really happy unless they win a trade by a landslide and if that's what you propose to do, (lose in a landslide) to make a minor gain right now, that is just really not a good idea.
Why overpay when you don't have to?
bruh...if you want to call my opinions silly and insane...don't get so sensitive if I toss a very soft insult back. You seem the need to write plainly obvious comments like "don't overpay if you don't have to". Terrific insight. Thanks. I know the coffee is hot.
You and I don't know the asking price and yet you seem super confident that you know simply due to economics.
But you're not dealing with simple economics 101 here...there's a very real human factor involved.
a) after firing a coach like Babcock, how much excess pressure is there on Dubas to have playoff success this year?
b) how much more is that amplified because their path to the cup doesn't go thru Tampa and Boston the year?
c) how does the team you're trading with view their team? To squads like Columbus or Dallas who had playoff success in recent years let key pieces go this year? Or would they rather hang on, re-sign them, and see what comes of next year?
d) how much leadership does your captain provide to the locker room. what does it say to your fan base and current roster if you trade him away for a couple magic beans?
e) if there is a specific player you covet, the supply is 1. Punch that into your elasticity model
f) many teams likely know the leafs need to include kerfoot for cap purposes...they could attach negative trade value to him, insist he ins't included, or accept him but refuse to retain salary in the deal...how much does ownership weigh in on a team like Columbus trading away their captain, keeping and taking on salary...and getting a return that barely raises an eyebrow? What...because the economics says that's the average asking price? Eff that...you want something you believe can make your roster better or you're better off not making any deal.
So don't confuse any of the above with me thinking Kyle picks up the phone and immediately offers a king's ransom up front. The pieces I've included are more representative of the price I would personally be willing to go up to if the GM on the other line wasn't responding to lower offers.