Muzzin has looked pretty good with Brodie so far.

No one is taking on Mrazek without sweeteners being added.

I think Toronto would be smart and are looking at locking up Sandin long term, which in turn comes at a higher cap hit. Might be tougher to swallow now but will be well worth it in the future.

Not so sure Mikheyev comes back. He had he trade request before and as much as that was about ice time and a higher role, he’s gotten that but he’s also proved he’s an option on a second line. Not saying that a deal at $2.9m is outta the question, but at that price point Toronto might have to let him walk or move Kerfoot - they can’t keep both when they both play the same role.

Absolutely cannot go into next season with a tandem of Campbell and a rookie goalie - Campbell has proved to be too inconsistent and injury prone. I think moving Mrazek is likely and while it may not cost them a lot, they’ll need to sweeten a bit but likely bring a goalie back too.

That 4th line is honestly atrocious. Douglas isn’t an NHL option at this point. He’s a call up option maybe, but not an opening day roster - Clifford will be on that line instead.

I like the idea of bringing Gio back but I don’t think it’s likely. I don’t think he fits in the lineup - he’s great for Liljegren’a development on the bottom pair, but that’s likely Muzzin’s spot next year. Nylander is likely moved for a right handed top 4 guy this summer, leaving no spot for Gio in the lineup.

Leafs will carry 7 or 8 dmen next year, but it wouldn't be those 7.

All 7 of those guys will be NHL regulars next year, if healthy.

Dermott was traded this year based on deserving NHL minutes. And he would be 8th on that depth chart.

Obviously it would be smart to lock up Sandin or Liljegren or both long term, but unless Mrazek or Muzzin or both are dealt this summer it won't be possible.

Why is Nylander traded for a top 4 dman?

Not a chance the Hawks take Mrazeks cap dump unless some serious assets are coming with. Go look at the Brett Connolly trade and it'll be something similar.

I wouldn’t lock up Liljegren long term - he hasn’t had much time in the NHL and he’s been up and down a lot. Sandip has looked incredible and has the underlying numbers that show he produces offence so it’s smart to lock him up. I’m of the belief that Kerfoot is likely moved this summer which opens up the cap space for that. Sandin for 5-6 years shouldn’t cost more than $4-$5m so he’d fit.

Chris Johnston reported that he believes one of the Leafs core 4 are moved this summer regardless to address other areas of needs - Nylander is really the only likely guy to be moved. Matthews is going anywhere. Tavares has a NMC and is more valuable to the team than Nylander is, and Marner is a long shot to be moved. I doubt Lyubushkin is coming back to Toronto so there’s gonna be a spot open and Nylander is the piece that can bring back the type of defenceman that they need (thinking like a Pesce, Marino, etc. type if they’re available). Nylander’s defensive game and efforts have been well criticized in Toronto and to the point that Keefe moved him the the 3rd line because of it and Nylander’s just not most effective on a 3rd line. Tavares has shown that he can play with lower tier wingers and elevate their game so it may be time to move on from Nylander and establish a d-core that can defend a bit better consistently. It just seems inevitable at this point.

Go look at the Nick Ritchie trade and it says otherwise. Both Mrazek and Ritchie have contract structures that are designed for easy buyouts, making it moveable and not much to be added on.

What is the deal with Knies anyway? Didn't capfriendly post that TOR signed Knies like a week or two ago? Cuz there is no contract to be found for him... Was that just a capfriendly mess up?

Agreed on the buyout. I think that's what TOR should do

Ritchie however isn't a good comp. The Connolly trade last year is really dang close to what Mrazek is right now. Connolly had 2.5 years...Mrazek has 2.5 years. Connolly had a $3.5M hit, Mrazek is higher at $3.8M. Mrazaek will be sent to Rockford just like Connolley and if he plays well...then brought up and if he stinks again in the NHL...waived and sent down. Ritchie is 1 year less, $1.3M less, and a forward which can be moved around in the lineup with other forwards to help maximize potential or minimize detriment, heck even limit ice time. When you're dead cap in net it's different, you can't get hidden you're just exposed.

Reach much?

Johnston was on the Leafs report and said he wished he didn't "report" that.

Do the Leafs value solid transition play more than most teams? Who's among the best on the team at transition?

Nylander and Tavares needed a shake-up at 5v5. The ****storm that would happen if Tavares got "demoted" would still be front page news. Last 7 games Nylnder TOI 18:23, Tavares 17:40, btw.

Kerfoot moving on would free up the $$ needed to re-sign Campbell (or another No.1). Wouldn't necessarily lead to a Sandin long term deal.

Also Sandin has played 20 more games in his career than Liljegren, so saying Liljegren doesn't have enough experience to earn a longer term deal is a bit foolish.

Why wouldn't Lyubushkin be back next year?

You've got a lot of theories going on here, based on very little.

He was never signed.

Well I see that now. What I'm saying is, I could have sworn capfriendly showed that TOR had signed him within the last few weeks but now it doesn't say he has a contract. So I was wondering if I just imagined it or if it was just a capfriendly blip or maybe I mixed him up with someone else... but I could have sworn that happened.

It's possible. They usually have the black exclamation mark on the right hand side of a signing noting that a signing hasn't been verified. They remove it once it's been verified.

Yeah maybe it was something like that. Or maybe I mixed him up in my head somehow with Abruzzese. I do remember reading something about Abruzzese possibly going to free agency and not signing with TOR and then like a day later he signed. Idk. Haven't been on here as much since the TDL.

I’ll bet good money on Nylander being moved this season. A lot of signs point to it.

I don't know why you even wrote "Muzzin is difficult to trade". It's impossible, with his NTC He's not going to a poor team with cap, and certainly a true contender can't afford/don't want him.
Mrzarek looks more like a buyout candidate as any trade would be a big sweetener. Douglas in the NHL?

Doubt it.

So you’d rather a career AHLer, a bottom pair defenceman and a 7th round pick with Mrazek for a AHLer and a bottom pair defenceman? .. seems like a better deal for Chicago to take a 2nd or 3rd for Mrazek and send back nothing

I guess "serious assets" is relative. I like Stillman and if you go through my history that's saying something because I didn't like that trade at all. Stillman is better than Lucas Carlson by A LOT. Lucas Carlson didn't even make the Blackhawks defensive core!!! The only reason he's playing now is because Ekblad and Nutivaara are hurt. I get Borgy is a former 1st round pick looking for a chance. He's also running out of time to put it all together in CHI too, but he's got talent. I guess in summary...YES, for sure I'd rather have NHLers than a 2nd round pick from TOR.

Yeah not bad, he just can't stay healthy

He's had some issues this year but that could very well just be an outlier string of bad luck.