Quoting: Joronto
Interesting new players but an disimprovement cap and pick wise. Nothing left for the deadline. You have to resign Rielly and or Campbell. Conor Brown is great and I like him very much and would love to see him back in TOR - but this CAPtured Leafs team can not afford a 4th line player with a 3.6 M caphit. I miss Spezza and Simmonds and I would not trade Robertson: he will have a bright future and is one of the wildcards. Like Kase.
Connor Brown is not a 4th line player. Even on Leafs he wasn't back then (14-16 mins per game and 0.4 PPG = 33 pts per 82 games). Since he went to Ottawa, his game has grown even more. He is the posterboy for the "coach's dream". His work ethic, his defensive awareness, his energy, his speed, his PK ability, his scoring touch, his passing. He just does everything well. So while being a premier defensive player and a constant PK threat in Ottawa, he has produced at a 0.61 PPG (50 pts per 82 games) and 0.29 GPG (24 goals per 82 games). He's pretty much a top-6 forward
NO MATTER HOW GREAT you think the Maple Leafs are, saying Connor Brown is a 4th liner with a 3.6 M caphit is kinda ridiculous. Not sure if it was your call or the OP
Quoting: TCMonkey
Not a horrific trade by any means but OTTAWA DECLINES. They can sign Batherson, who is 2 years younger, long term for less than Nylander who is UFA in 3 years.
I mention this because I feel like 3 years from NOW is when Ottawa will be at their strongest with guys like Sanderson, JBD, Greig, Boucher ++ becoming part of the established core.
I also think Connor Brown, if Ottawa does not extend him, would get a very nice return at the trade deadline in the final year of his contract so unless there's a real overpayment happening there's no need for Ottawa to move such a valuable player who can anchor a less experienced line.
yeah, it's funny that it kinda reminds me of Bobby Ryan, as he was a skilled finesse player scoring about the same. Injuries destroyed him but as much as I'd like to have Nylander, Batherson is going to be much better than Silfverberg, Brown is a known commodity in another stratosphere than Nick Ritchie and a 3rd is even more valuable than a damaged goods prospect like Noesen... So would be ready to pay significantly more than we did to get Ryan?