So, this is obviously a fantasy exercise since offer sheets are just something we've all collectively imagined and never get used in real life, there's your caveat.
Sandin's value probably should be in the $1.5-1.8M range, so this is a slight overpay, but that's what an offer sheet should be. It's basically the ceiling of the 3rd round range, which normally would be an instant match, but it's tough to see how Toronto could get there.
CF has the Leafs at $83.993M of cap hit right now with 14 F, 6 D, and 2 G. No one currently eligible for LTIR. They can easily drop two forwards (Kyle Clifford/Joey Anderson) to save $1.512M and get their cap hit down to $82.481M and be under the cap with a bare-minimum 20-man roster. I legitimately do not know what they could do to find any other money - if they match Sandin at $2.1M, they need to ship out the same amount in exact dollars. Moving Justin Holl wouldn't do it; the only guy who has no trade protections and enough cap would be Pierre Engvall - who you'd then have to find a way to replace.
At the very least, OSing Rasmus Sandin is going to make Kyle Dubas' September super annoying. And if he decides he doesn't want that headache, I think Sandin is a clear upgrade over the Salo/Aho/Cholowski trio at LD3 and more than worth a 3rd rounder.
TRADE
-With the assumption that Sandin is in house, Salo becomes expendable to me. He's going to be a good player, sure! But with Pelech/Romanov/Sandin on the depth chart, he's a man without a home. I think finding a lottery team with a hole at LD will be a good way to offload Josh Bailey's 2x$5M as well; I picked Chicago because their LD depth chart so far is Jake McCabe/Jack Johson/Caleb Jones right now. Yikes! I could see this being a framework for a Bailey move elsewhere though, depending on what team would have an interest in Salo.
SIGNINGS
-Had a friend who saw Scotty Mayfield chatting up Sonny Milano at a charity game a couple weeks ago. SCOOPZ!!! HE'S COMING HOME!!!!!!
I like this team! Toronto fans hate this team! It's August 30th and we've got at least 2-3 weeks until real hockey news starts happening again so let's have fun!!!
I hope so, I just don't see it. He's exactly what the isles need.
It's tough because this summer has been a little weird in terms of UFA signings (Kadri taking forever, and serviceable players like Milano, Rodrigues et al staying unsigned), but last summer Lou's MO was basically the same - don't announce anything until basically a couple days before camp opens. I'd like to think that Milano, with his pick of the league, wouldn't hate the idea of playing closer to home if push came to shove, and the Rangers just don't have the space (either cap-wise or roster-wise, they've got a ton of wingers) to make it work for him.
It's tough because this summer has been a little weird in terms of UFA signings (Kadri taking forever, and serviceable players like Milano, Rodrigues et al staying unsigned), but last summer Lou's MO was basically the same - don't announce anything until basically a couple days before camp opens. I'd like to think that Milano, with his pick of the league, wouldn't hate the idea of playing closer to home if push came to shove, and the Rangers just don't have the space (either cap-wise or roster-wise, they've got a ton of wingers) to make it work for him.
Anything can happen, but the only way I see him signing Milano is if Clutter and Martin won't be available for most of this season. Then it would make sense to go with:
Anything can happen, but the only way I see him signing Milano is if Clutter and Martin won't be available for most of this season. Then it would make sense to go with:
I don't know if it happens this year, but I would be totally happy with Matt Martin turning into what Eric Boulton became a few years back. Bring him out of the press box 25ish games per season, when you need that "grit" or whatever you want to call it, and let him be the beloved locker room presence he is. MM seems like a guy that the entire org loves, so I could see him eventually transitioning into coaching if that's what he wants.
I think there's room for a team with Bailey, Martin, Cal, and Sonny Milano on it, but that would require Ross Johnston moving up to Connecticut (which is a perfectly fine idea!) I think you basically roll with Cal & Matt as your 13th/14th forwards, and cycle them in as people get hurt or need nights off. They still get into 35-40ish games if they're healthy, and they keep a pretty old bottom-6 fresh and ready for the playoffs.
Leafs match that. They'd just someone like Kerfoot for pennies on the dollar to make it fit.
There is something to be said for forcing a team you could conceivably meet in the playoffs worse, too. If the Leafs match, Kerfoot is one of the few guys they can move, but then they *have* to replace that roster spot too. Sandin gives them a 7th D signed for this year; if we assume Joey Anderson & Kyle Clifford go down to make the team cap compliant, they basically only have $1.4M to replace Kerfoot's lineup spot. Maybe they convince Evan Rodrigues or Zach Aston-Reese to take a flier at that price, but both of those dudes are a clear step down from Kerfoot IMO.