Kerfoot has to go really, the team is more than 2mil over the cap with 19 skaters AND needs at least 19 skaters, especially given that only Robertson is waiver exempt. And back and forth to/from the minors hurts the development of a robertson. Theres too much age on defense with muzzin, giordano (and even holl/brodie are over 30) to not carry 7 dmen, two goalies who have had multiple injuries the last few years and no viable waiver exempt backups in minors. Muzzin and Girodano are a good bet for one of them to still play 20+ minutes a night, but Liljegren and Sandin are no sure things in top 4, both were 7th-8th among Leaf dmen in icetime last year, neither has played a whole season, and theres a reason Dubas went out and got stronger in front of net dmen Giordano and Lyubushkin, who immediately played top 4 minutes, ahead of the youngsters. So having a capable 7th is a must, as is keeping Holl as safe 3rd pairing or 7th guy, if Giordano plays RD.
A minor 3-8 game injury immediately makes a callup interesting (and while no one probably claims Benn or Clifford, neither offer much), most of the callups are not waiver exempt like anderson, malgin, mete, kalgren. A longer term injury might demand a trade, because theres not a huge upside guy or ready now guy in the minors who could Effectively play top 9 or top 4.
So ultimately, I think the team has to have 20 skaters, and while 1 could be Benn or Clifford, they offer very little and are probably better at the 14th forward or 8th defenseman.
Brooks is a solid and lge minimum Centre, and a better/safer option than any center we have in minors, who could play if Gaudette cant deliver effective minutes. The 3rd is late round, but theres few teams who have cap space and would want a UFA. Most teams only do so, to move at the TDL for a better pick, but that TDL price is all about Kerfoot's level of play and health (on a worse team) is a risk all on the acquiring team.
PHI has two 2023 4ths as well, so it could be one of those.
Point being that moving Kerfoot and his 3.5mil allows Toronto space and depth, moving two salaries coming up to that amount really hurts depth/options.
Also, Toronto has to clear that space and theres few suitors with cap space or need to make that move, I believe PHI has Ellis and his 6+mil going on LTIR and Farabee on IR to start the season, so they could use/afford in the short term a Kerfoot with the idea of moving him at TDL for a pick better than they are surrunderring
As everyone know in the league that Leafs are in cap hell, per say, no one is going to give up much for Kerfoot. Not that he is a bad player, but more that you need to move cap and teams with cap are not giving up anything to help out Toronto, or for that matter any team with cap issues.
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