Team: 2016-17 Toronto Maple Leafs

Initial Creation Date: Feb. 15, 2017

Published: Feb. 15, 2017

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

Reason for each trade

Hamilton- We need to upgrade that defense. As of now, only thing missing is a to pairing right handed defensemen. This in my opinion is as fair a trade as we can make to get that piece without mortgaging too much of our future.

Halak and Strome- Realistically, Halak has negative value but he is useful for us because even though we have McElhinney right now, halak could be a serviceable back up for next year until we can produce a backup or acquire on via trade or FA. Strome addresses the centre depth we lack due to his ability to play the wing and centre. Give NYI the best 4th line in the NHL again, a pick and another 3rd line/4th liner. They also rid themselves of halak's contract which would be huge in FA this year for them to get taverns some help.

Polak, Hunwick and komarov- Mainly for cap reasons this year and we have the depth on the wings to loose someone like komarov and not be taking a major step back. Kapenen needs playing time and leipsic has earned a shot. Might as well let them have a crack at the lineup to see what we have and go from there. If we make the playoffs this year great, if not, at least we know where we stand with the pieces we have as our core going forward.

Jenner- Bozak is the better player right now, but Jenner has that JVR like potential. Essentially the picks and better player in the present go to Columbus who has minimal depth at centre. Leafs get an upgrade on the LW.

I really think we should pick up vaselainen in the draft. He has the size and skill to compliment Nylander on a line. He might even be able to step in as early as next year because he looks NHL ready. Depending on how training camp and signings go, our next year wings could be: Marner, Kapenen, Jenner, Brown, Strome, Vaselainen, Leipsic, Leivo. Down the middle you have Matthews, Nylander, Kadri, Hyman. We still have Bracco, Gauthier, Rychel, Timashov, Johnson, Lindberg and others in the system.

Defense is solid to with Reilly, Zaitsev, Hamilton, Gardiner. Probably have Nielson up next year the way he has been lighting it up and marchenko as our 6th D. It would be a massive upgrade on what we have this year. Plus with the expansion draft, we could get a few others to really solidify the defence.

For goalies, Anderson has been more than capable of the starter job, Halak had an atrocious year but he is could be an expensive but reliable backup, maybe even better.

Potential lineup
Jenner-Matthews-Marner
Kapenen-Nylander-Vaselainen
Strome-Kadri-Brown
Leivo-Hyman-Leipsic

Rielly-Hamilton
Gardiner-Someone/Marchenko
Nielson-Zaitsev

Anderson
Halak

Still have a lot of pieces in the minors we can call up or flip to putting the finishing touches by next year's deadline. We could even ship out Kadri and slide bracco into the line so it looks like Brown-Strome-Bracco. Overall looks like a contender to me but at the very least a perennial playoff team.

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