This is a good team but I can see Granlund getting around 3-3.5 and I think that one of mikheyev or engvall will be moved for picks

Why do you think Liljegren is not ready next year?

Granlund could get more for sure. He got 3.5 last offseason and didn't really produce. Not sure how much more he could expect. Would get a chance to rebuild value in Toronto. I could see them moving one of those guys as well, since they play the same, but didn't put that in here.



He hasn't really shown that he is. Until he can consistently perform at a high level, you need to have options. Maybe that option is somebody cheaper (like Hutton) but handing him a full-time role without him showing he can handle it would be a mistake. Make him take a job, don't give it to him.

How is he supposed to get a job when he keeps getting blocked? I fine with Bogosian coming back but Liljegren is on this team opening night. He has spent 4 seasons in the AHL, he is more than ready for a look at full time gig. I’ve seen nothing said so far that suggests he isn’t ready.

I think the problem is that the leafs dont wanna put Sandin and Liljegren together cuz that pair is very inexperienced and would make a lot of mistakes as we saw from Liljegren last year. Now If Holl gets taken by seattle, Muzzin-Liljegren would be a possibility

I guess my counter would be that, in his limited NHL action, I've seen nothing that suggests he is. When they put Sandin in the lineup, he had some great performances (and some mistakes) but enough to show that he has earned a look in the top-6. Playing well in the AHL has very little bearing on your future NHL success, there are tons of guys who has dominated the AHL who can't sniff the NHL.

If you are wanting to win a stanley cup, you can't put a young player in there (especially teamed with another young player) and hope that he's ready or good enough. That would be a mistake that could cost you games. I'd much rather have a reliable alternative for the possibility he is not ready. Dubas is not the kind of guy who is going to hope and pray somebody is good enough, he will have a backup plan. Maybe it's not Bogosian, maybe it's a cheaper veteran who could play 6th/7th D (Hutton could as I mentioned, numerous guys would fit this role). I think he should be on the roster too, and he will get looks to play obviously (only Babcock leaves young RHD's in the pressbox all year), but to 100% rely on him being NHL-ready and capable is not a position I want to be in. Not to mention the Leafs stayed remarkably healthy on D most of this year, it's unlikely to assume they will next year as well.

It would scare me giving top-4 minutes (in a shutdown pairing which is what Muzzin plays) to an untested rookie.

I don't see the Leafs exposing Holl for exactly this reason. And if a Lily-Sandin pairing plays well, that's awesome. I just think it's wrong to assume they will 100%.

His defensive game and transition game have became his calling card throughout his continued development with the Marlies. Liljegren is brilliant at moving the puck in transition. He is capable of making short passes to his forwards, he can stretch out the ice with long passes and uses his edge work nicely while skating out of the zone.

Liljegren is an intelligent defender who is going to be able to move the puck and defend well at the NHL level. His offensive game has taken a step, too, so he should be capable of creating more offence when he gets back to the NHL. He will probably not be the super star that is expected from a player drafted 17th overall. I expect Liljegren to be a solid middle-pairing puck mover and penalty killer who suppresses shots and chances against . That’s a valuable player to have - especially considering the way he shoots.

I see the Leafs moving Rielly and Holl this summer. Rielly for a FWD and Holl to Seattle or another team.

Muzzin Brodie
Sandin Player X
Player X Liljegren

Possible extra depth D (not player X)
Hutton
Tennyson
Stone
Poolman

Seattle won't do that deal. Petan is a UFA (and really not an NHLer), Holloway and Woll never to be NHLers.....So that leaves Dermot and iffy NHL prospect Villeneuve.

We can definitely disagree, but your evaluation of Liljegren is based on assumptions. You assume he will become those things. He has had difficulty processing and making quick decisions during his NHL stints. That sounds like Nikita Zaitsev and Cody Ceci to me. Capable NHLers sure, but not exactly what you're writing home about. I hope he becomes a solid middle pair defenceman, I just don't see it YET. We are talking about next season.

The Leafs finally have a defence core that isn't embarrassing and you want to get rid of half of them? Why? I see no reason to move Rielly or Holl unless you upgrade to better players that cost less. Seems unlikely. Just because Rielly will be a UFA in a year doesn't mean he needs to be traded, it just means he may not be on the team in a year. The idea that you need to get "something" for him I think is misplaced. What you will get from him is excellent play, that's enough.



Petan is an RFA. You have no idea what the other two will become. You should read the description, I said I wasn't sure what Seattle would want (and you have no idea either). But we do know they'll have an abundance of middle-6 talent and they can't play all of them, so it will make sense they look to make trades that will bolster their prospect ranks and their AHL team. Maybe they want a Hallander and the Leafs do that deal, I have no idea. The framework I think makes sense, even if (as I clearly said in the description) the players involved could vary.

Ya, all good I’m down to agree/disagree on Liljegren. I’m just basing my facts on people who follow the Marlies a lot closer than you and I, Nick Barden, Kyle Cushman, Josh Kloke, and even Greg Moore’s evaluation of Liljegren is been very high. All think he will be on the team next year.

As for Rielly, the Leafs cannot afford to let another FA walk out the door for nothing. The money is not there to resign him next year, especially if the go out in bring in someone to replace Hyman.

As for Holl I am tired of him looking like a top 4 defenceman for 20 games and then come crashing back to earth and be a total non factor. He is a liability when he is not paired with Muzzin. The eye test says that and more importantly so do the numbers.

And for all the lack of faith you have with Liljegren what makes you think Nick Robertson is ready? He hasn’t been able to stay healthy long enough to even get a good look at him. All he has is an NHL shot, and if you think that’s all he needs then why don’t you have Gogolev. He as arguably had a bigger impact with the Marlies more than Robertson.

Jarn is worth more than all that stuff.

Liljegrin must prove he is ready this year.

Granlund gets more, and 3-4 year deal.

His worth is relative. If Nashville thinks little enough of him to expose him in the expansion draft, his value can't be that high.

Granlund got a 1 year 3.5 last year and didn't have a great season. I doubt he gets a bigger, longer term deal next year in the continued flat cap world. He might try to rebuild some value by playing top 6 LW with Toronto