RFA RHD vs UFA Winger not simple

Now keep adding to the Toronto side

Canes will take a first for Toronto dumping Engvall and acquiring Bear.

How does that help Canes? No need for Engvall at all.

Just give them the mid round pick.

Pretty fair trade. Cap hits are almost identical. Canes get a useful defensive bottom 6 forward. Toronto gets a bottom pair dman that can battle Holl for a spot in the lineup and at the very least re-allocates the money to shore up a position of need.

I imagine Carolina tries to waive Bear first though if they can't find a deal that clears the cap hit.

I think the 1 for 1 trade is a good deal, but to get it done you need to find a team to retain salary on Bear in exchange for a player occupying one of the Leafs 50 contracts. This approach gives Leafs more flexibility saving $1M at the same time. Carolina gets rid of a player not in the line up.

Bear is not playing as the canes have a surplus of defense. They have identical caps hits. Canes are not getting a 1st for a healthy scratch that was a 5th rd pick to begin with. Might as well get a serviceable bottom six forward who can play center, penalty kill and scored 15 goals last year.

I’m actually pretty shocked about the proliferation of this concept that healthy scratches = player value. It ignores situation completely. Additionally, I wouldn’t expect a 1st for Bear, but in the right situation I see no reason why a projected low 2nd or early 3rd isn’t a return.

I like Engvall TBH - but you trade a controlled asset for a bottom 6 forward who the Canes likely have to put on waivers or healthy scratch too. It’s not good asset management.

Canes have 4-5 forwards playing in Chicago that are waiver exempt they could bring up to play bottom 6 mins if necessary.

It’s just not a good trade situationally.

I respect that logic. Maybe I'd be willing to add a 3rd Rd pick or a mid level prospect to that deal.