The only issue here is that we end up dangerously low on cap space after this trade. If you guys can also take on Dillon or Schultz in the trade, I’d do it.

Don't think the Caps really have the appetite for trading Eller this season. McMichael probably isn't getting full NHL time this year, and the Caps have had issues with center depth the past couple of years due to injuries. Eller has the capability to step into top six minutes in a pinch, and I think that's a lot to ask of McMichael as a rookie.

Rielly could be interesting, but the Caps have a lot of depth at LHD, and Rielly is probably going to be too rich for the Caps' cap.

Why is Toronto trading a #1 defenceman for a backup/AHL calibre goalie, an aging 3rd liner, and 2 picks that won't help the team win for 3-5 years? ... & you've thrown in one of their best penalty killers to go with Rielly?

20 man roster doesn't work. As Brady above says, for more cap is sometimes difficult. Sign and trades....don't have often, especially when a star player on a good team is asked

I did this thinking there will be changes this offseason from y'all because of 3 1st round exits and maybe inject some youth to that lineup this offseason. So yes Im aware of cap concerns now but no way that team is the same by next year.

Cheap and young and was solid this year. Eller has been a great playoff performer and yes older but good and can always step into a top 6 role in case Matty or Tavares is down. Those 2 are valuable. Maybe a slight difference in value but I rather it not be completely unrealistic in value since im not that good at judging value. It can be a start of trade

This is a total rip off for Toronto.

A backup goalie (and better one) can be had on free agency for nothing, or they could get one for a lower prospect or pick. Which frankly Vanecek is only worth right around that anyways. Another 3C can be had the same way. Toronto's not losing that much value by trading a #1 defenceman and getting that kind of return

You post the same thing every time. If you haven't seen the guys that other Leafs fans want, at least look them up before flaming?

Eller is better at offense and PK than Soup. Eller has one more Cup-clinching game winning goal than Soup.

The roster above is upgraded at every spot that changed: Goodrow>Kerfoot with more clutch scoring. Eller>Engvall with more clutch scoring. Vanecek>Andersen with better age and cap hit. Hamilton>Rielly with better term. It's a good post. Why complain about perceived trade value, especially after two Caps fans explained why the trade might not even work?

This man knows wassgood🍻🙏 This guy explained it perfectly to the tee

He's knows what good because he agreed with you?

When again, #1 defenceman have more value than what to have posted. Leafs aren't gonna give Rielly away and lose that much value. There's tons of other teams that will be interested in Rielly and offer way better value than this.

A backup like Vanecek can be had in free agency for free. A 3C like Eller can be had in free agency for free. So why trade for those types of players when they can have them for free, and trade Rielly for his actual value?

It's funny that you think a Caps fan "knows what's good" when they're favourite team is getting the far better end of the deal.

Washington doesn't have the assets to make a Rielly deal. Outside of McMichael and maybe Samsonov (which I'm sure Washington doesn't want to move), there's nothing that Toronto's looking for. Toronto's main needs are young centre depth (a guy with 2C potential to take over for Tavares in a couple years), and a young goalie with starting potential. Eller is 32 and doesn't fit that description and neither does Vanecek.

I get that you're saying the Eller addresses an area now, but Toronto management has always looked at things for long term success and not just short term. That's why Chris Johnston said that they're looking at a young guy with potential, with years of control left on his contract at forward. Eller definitely does not fit that. So if you don't believe me, believe a well trusted hockey reporter like Johnston.

This offer does nothing for Toronto. So shop your players elsewhere. But that package doesn't get you close to a #1 defenceman. You might be lucky to get a 2nd pair guy from it, but you'll never get a top pair guy for it.

Thats why I said its like a start of a trade. Look with the caps window closing they have to change with 3 consecutive exits and there is no way this team by next year. They're going to have more assets by trading etc this summer. Vanachek is a useful player because of the cap hit and age and Eller brings something the Leafs haven't had since NAZ and that's a versatile 3rd line C who can play up n down if Matty or Tavares goes down. He only makes 3.5(GREAT DEAL) and brings his rings to TO. Yes you can find cheap options but for 750K cheap Like I said though this could be a START of a trade and not the full trade as you said I can probably get more but I filled the needs I needed to address as what @Eli said, my team is better at every position by a lot

& as I said, Rielly to Washington doesn't start without McMichael or Samsonov maybe in the deal. So it's not a start of a deal to include Eller and Vanecek unless at least one of those first 2 guys are mentioned after. Finding veterans to fill the needs you've filled can be done in free agency without giving up anything. Eller = Haula (a free agent). Vanecek = there's actually a list of backups available this off-season. Then if you wanna move Rielly, you move him for bigger and better assets, not dime a dozen ones.

How is this team better?

Goodrow = Kerfoot (some argue clutch scoring on Goodrow's side, but Kerfoot has more scoring so it equals out)

Eller > Mikheyev (only slightly due to offence. They're both good on the PK and Mikheyev is far faster. Also Mikheyev is almost twice as low of a cap hit, so the contract value is in Mikheyev's favour. Eli's arguement of "cup clinching goals" is a total BS argument. That comes from opportunity, which Washington gave Eller that and Mikheyev has never been in that situation. 1 goal doesn't define value more. Tons of bottom 6 players have scored that goal - Max Talbot, Travis Moen, etc. That's honestly the lamest excuse for value I've ever heard).

Vanecek < Anderson (sorry Caps fans, one season in the league at a .908sv% doesn't beat a consistent starting goalie in terms of value. Andersen had one down season this year, but was the backbone of Toronto every year before, including a .936sv% and .922sv% in playoffs the last 2 seasons. Don't care about age on that one, the experience and workload of Andersen far outweighs Vanecek's value.

Hamilton = Rielly (both offensive defenceman, and people are gonna laugh at how much they overrate Hamilton when he doesn't play with Slavin who's an elite defensive defenceman and covers up Hamilton's mistakes. He's in the same boat as Rielly wher Brodie covers up for him, but Rielly's defensive game gets all the attention because he plays in Toronto where hardly any media cover the Hurricanes. They're equal in value at worst)


No to mention that with this roster, you run a very heavy top 4 defence, with 2 inexperienced defence for the bototm pair. It would actually be Brodie-Hamilton, Muzzin-Holl, Sandin-Liljegren (Muzzin doesn't play the right side as you have, never has). So you've made the defence overall worse from this past season where that was arguable their best asset, and you're heabily relying on Sandin and Liljegren, who have a total of 50 games of experiences, to step up and produce. Contending teams don't do that. They have a well rounded defensive group, that might carry 1 rookie but they aren't going to rely on a basically all rookie pair pair as their 3rd pair. A pair of Sandin-Liljegren would get tore apart defensively and not make it to game #20 in a season.

Now up front, you're also relying on 2 rookies on the 3rd line for a defensive role. 1 of those rookies isn't ready for NHL minutes (Robertson), and the other hasn't looked great in his limited time in the NHL. Toronto's coach has said since day 1 that he wants a defensive minded shutdown type 3rd line, and a line of Robertson-Eller-Anderson isn't really that. Robertson needs to play top 6 minutes to best use his skill set but he's not ready for that and I believe the team has said he likely gets a full season in the AHL next season to develop more.

You've made the top 6 worse, so scoring production would come down, (not sure how that's an upgrade?), and you're heavily relying on "what ifs" on the backend and goaltending to hopefully improve the team.

Overall, the forward group is actually a pretty big downgrade from last season. The defence is a slight downgrade, really dependant on "what ifs" and you have no way of knowing if Sandin/Liljegren would work out for full time NHL work, and the goaltending is downgraded. When you take a step back, it's extremely hard to see any kind of upgrade this team has over a team that just won their division in the regular season.

Rielly doesn't get you Eller from WSH. Maybe in NHL2K, but WSH needs center depth immediately. Has plenty of LHD depth. Cool story, though.