What would be the best for the Leafs?

Trading for JT Miller or Rickard Rakell?

I think Miller would be a great fit for the Leafs. Also has an extra year on his deal.

Trade seems fairish value.

I’ll accept thar for the Ducks no doubt

Overpayment for Rakell definitely!!

Also an overpayment for Miller. I’d drop Amirov and call it.

Overpay for Rakell, miller is perfectly fine and the better fit!!

Miller would for sure be the better fit.
Especially for the prices you paid.

Miller, with another year, at only $2.625M sounds very appealing.

However, I’ve said before and I’ll say it again, the Penguins could be the perfect trade partner for the Leafs.
Rust, Aston-Reece, Friedman/Ruhwedel, Domingue.
Interest in Holl, look to be on the outside of the playoff picture. Can we will it into existence?

I do like the Miller idea, though.

Disagree...Miller at 50% retained, while also eating $hitty 'ol Ritchie's contract will cost more than a late 1st+2nd

I don't disagree, this is likely the price that has to be paid for Miller.

It just doesn't sit well with me moving one of our top end prospects and essentially not having any draft picks next year to restock the cupboards. Not that I don't think Miller is worth it.

Definitely not overpayments when you're offering ritchie at 2.5mil and they are retaining for 2 years. (The fact that TOR is moving him after a 2.5mil contract says everything, and ANA taking him back is almost a negative on the offer)

It comes down to who wants the deal, toronto wants the deal, and if those guys are up for sale, toronto has to have a good offer that beats others.

Pretty fair offers.

As for emptying the cupboard of picks in 22-23? Matthews and Nylander are both UFAs in 3 years (and not going to take paycuts) so the chance of those 22-23 propsects helping in that timeframe is very little. Two of Abramov, Amirov and robertson still in system to arrive and help is fine. Not saying the window is now, but the cap isn;t going to shoot up in the next 3 years and in 3 yrs time: Matthews, nylander, muzzin, brodie: 4 of your top 7 players are UFAs

Leafs might be a little gun shy on this one because of the Nick Foligno experience last season.

Agree with your first two points.

As for your third, in my opinion, it's better to at least have a chance at those 22-23 draft picks crack the roster than to eliminate that chance all together. They're going to need cheap help for the foreseeable future. Best way to do that is through the draft.

For sure, but can the leafs wait on that? The last 2 years they haven;t had a single rookie on a ELC at forward, they are filling holes with vets "with concerns". The fact is I think they'll add one of their rookies next year (Robertson?) but as the foligno deal showed there isnt patience and theres pressure, and even more cap pressure after this season, getting a top 6 forward NOW is better than a "possibility" 2-4 seasons away.

And as said above, do UFAs like Matthews/Nylander remain on a club/take a discount/team friendly deal on a team that hasn;t progressed, and might not progress under the current cap structure in Toronto? (Just playing devil's advocate, but teams like CHI/TB/PITTS made those leaps of faith by moving picks. TOR always has done so to a degree, but this move seems so right (identifying and addressing a need) compared to those others)

It's a fine line trying to balance winning now and ensuring you have a decent future. I imagine there is some pressure to win now seeing as they haven't done so in what feels like 1000 years. I can't disagree with the notion of getting a top 6 forward now being a better possibility than 2-4 seasons away. Could we swindle VAN into taking a 2023 pick instead? Doesn't matter which one.

As for Nylander and Matthews' next contracts, I guess it's my hope that these guys (less so Nylander as his contract right now is pretty fantastic) would be more incline to take a slight haircut on their next deal but have term. The total dollars they receive would be roughly the same, plus it would give the team a few extra bucks to upgrade in other areas. Whether or not they are willing to do so is still up in the air. I always though that was Dubas' plan when he signed them. He paid them big money while coming into their prime with the hopes they'd cut the team a break on their next long term deal. Only time will tell.

Great minds think alike: while I think Matthews would take say a slight reduction, maybe go down to 10mil a year for 6 years (he'll still want to be near lges top salaries, who wouldn;t?), chances are nylander eats that by going from 6.9 to 8 or 8.5. And even then, you have either really old muzzin or brodie or they both go and you'll be looking at UFA options costing same amount or more. Ultimately the re-signing of Reilly is below market, but maybe above what TOR has, especially with Campbell hitting his big UFA moment and the club laden with vets with issues.

They can;t tear it down, nor should they, but they need cheap quality now to fill the roster, and I don;t really think the farm has enough, nor will in the next 2 years.

Don't disagreee at all. With such a top heavy payroll, you almost need a constant stream of ELC's coming up, which doesn't work if you constantly trade picks/prospects.

Just re: haircuts, and just for the purpose of discussion (not an argument)...I'd be really, really surprised if a guy like Matthews takes less...he and Marner both signs deals that walk them straight to UFA status. The cap will be higher, he'll be even more proven by then. If he hits UFA status, he's going to get a f*ckin' boatload.

Obviously not the hugest concern right now, as he's not a UFA until 24/25, but I can't imagine pushing a team into a corner with a contract that doesn't buy out any free agent years at all, then turning around and saying "Heck yes, I want to do this team a favor that I didn't do a favor for last time around".

Hammerwise does make good points though. It does soften the blow if VAN retains 50% and he is under contract next year as well. The window of opportunity doesn't typically last very long, they'd have to absolutely sure that Miller is the piece that puts them over the top before pulling the trigger. Right now he is playing like he is.

I'd really hate to be Dubas right now, tough choices ahead for him.

For sure. Miller is a stud, and well worth the price of admission. Your point on pieces is correct too-It's a big gamble if it doesn't work out. I'm honestly not sold on Amirov being anything more than a 3rd liner at this point, so to me that's not the huge gamble...it's that yes, upgrading Ritchie to Miller is absolutely huge, but is that the biggest issue in Toronto right now?

Might be a little early to predict where Amirov will fit in, but prospects are a crap shoot if they aren't drafted in the top 10. Too soon to tell.

I don't think TOR has any glaring holes right now. The big boys are rolling, and they are getting some depth scoring here and there. They are still giving the puck away in the neutral zone more often than what Keefe would like, but I don't think Miller would be a savior in that regard. The defense is playing decent enough and Campbell is playing like an absolute rock star.

If we want to talk historically, depth scoring has been an issue when it counts. Miller would obviously help with that, he's got some pretty decent numbers in the playoffs.

The more I talk about it, the more I want him here.

Unfortunately I don't think Benning moves him, but if there is a chance that it may happen, I would imagine Dubas will pick up his phone and inquire.

I think Amirov would be needed for Vancouver to do it. We will need to give up some good value to get these top notch players.

I agree with you 100%, I would love a guy like Bryan Rust on the team.

I know, but I think we need to win now. Moving our top prospect may be risky, but we don't even know if he will develop into a really good player. I get the worry of losing our futures, but the time is now. We need to win.

That's what I think.

The time is now. We can give up a few futures for a guy like JT Miller, a guy that can really help us in the yoffs.

Value is right on both trades (clever of you to make the second the 2022 but the third the 2023) but I don't think Anaheim is interested in taking on two guys they'll just have to pass on to someone else. (In contrast, I think that Vancouver would keep the two guys sent in that trade.)

I'm not sure that the "two birds with one stone" approach is best. The better strategy might be to work out a trade for Miller and then see how difficult it is to dispose of Ritchie.