If you understand the NHL in even the slightest then you are well aware that almost ANY trade if possible. And fans of any team tend to overvalue the players on their team over looking at the bigger picture. In fact it is very common for teams to make trades their Fans don't like for reasons that their Fans don't understand of consider. Almost ALL of the trades I have put together on this have been mentioned by experts in the NHL media as viable trades.
That said, 99% of the comments I see or have ever gotten on here are just completely idiotic. I honestly wonder if most of you people need reminders to keep breating or is it that you just don't have the first clue when it comes to Hockey.
Quoting: Tbrew
Why would NJ do that?
Quoting: JaredOfLondon
that devils trade is horrific for the leafs. Downgrade on goaltending and defence and throw in a real good prospect. Just terrible.
Tbrew thinks this is a bad trade for NJ and JaredOfLondon this is a bad trade for TO. Classic example of Fans missing the nuances of the game.
But to answer: Tbrew NJD are a young up and coming team. While they are overachieving this year, and yes they are overachieving. Their focus is to build around their younger (under 24) core players like Hischner and Hughes, Picking up good young prospects is right in their wheelhouse right now. Meanwhile Toronto is all in on making a deep playoff run the next few years.
JaredOfLondon: Toronto needs to make up some cap space to resign key players over the next couple of years. But they also have to go all-in to make deep runs at the playoffs.
So let's look at the trades:
While there is no doubt that Brodie is all around a better player than Graves. Toronto needs to find a way to clear up some cap space. They would also be gaining some much needed toughness and a little bit in terms of age. Overall this part of the trade is slightly in Toronto's favour. Hence they will need to give up something elsewhere.
Murray is the better goalie right now. But Blackwood has a slightly higher potential for upside AND again gains the Leafs some cap space ($2mil) plus a couple years in age. Again this part of the trade is slightly in Toronto's favour. Hence they will need to give up something elsewhere.
Fischer and Bastian are very similar in gamestyle. But Fisher is clearly the better player with a much higher potential. He also has a slightly higher salary. This part of the trade is in New Jersey's favour to make up for the slight deficit in the previous two parts.
This is where Hollowell and Minten come in as part of the trade. Toronto has to make up a bit in the trade for Jersey. Perhaps Hollowell is enough compensation on his own, since he seems to be almost full-time NHL ready. In fact on NJD he should be able to fill in as an option for the 3rd line D on the Right in case of injuries. Either way he give NJD some depth on RD and some upside.
While Minten has a very good potential. It is exactly that, potential. And it might be just that which makes this trade as a whole work. It's enough to put the whole trade probably in NJD's favor, but no guarantee. Meanwhile TO gains much needed cap space, missing team Grit and yet potential upside in a Goalie.
Quoting: Dan_the_Man
Yeah TB is selling Cernak of all people this is pure comedy. Thank you I haven't laughed this hard since the last time I saw an almost identical trade.
Geez you TB fans are stupid. Yes numbnuts TB would MUST sell to make cap space. Currently they have $700k in cap space and nearly $7 mil sitting on IR. At the end of the year they need to resign Cirelli, Killorn, and Sergachev at the very least. This means they need to make room. Cernak for Holl is not as big downgrade, if any, as most would believe in terms of ability. But this trade does gain age and grit for TO while gaining better two-way play and cap space for TB. In fact it is the age that gives this part of the trade a slight edge to TO that needs to be made up.
While Colton has established himself as a solid 3rd liner. Robinson has a MUCH higher upside to him. This part of the trade is a hands down win for TB with the only possible downside being Robinson's ability to stay healthy. That said he's only 21 compared to Colton's 26, so he buys 5 years of time to get there.
The addition of Niemelä and a 3rd rounder. Make this trade an overall no brainier "Yes" for Tampa. It clears up $3 mil in the Cernak for Holl part and $400k this year plus probably another $1.5 mil over the next couple years in the Colton for Robinson part of this trade. All in all $3.4 to $4.9 mil is not a lot of cap space considering Sergachev alone will be costing TB $3.7 mil more next year. They literally need to make trades like this and more to make that cap room available.
But thanks for the bonehead comment anyway.