Have you tried walking your second best player to free agency and then watching as your best player says he's not going to sign long term and basically forces you to trade him and watch as he makes the Stanley Cup final?

Teams that continually trade first round picks usually don’t do well in the future. Laughton is ok but players like that should be available in the summer without giving up a first. Try signing Domi.

If I was Brad, I sure wouldn't be trading drafts picks since the Leafs have so few. Holmberg has to be in the lineup. Soucy if he's the good, makes more $$$$ or stays in Seattle
Holmberg and Bunting for instance costs the same as Laughton and the very undependable for health reason Patches and don't cost a first.

Bunting will get overpaid. Leafs should move on

Every year there are what 90 players that go into the season and most left unsigned. Matthews isn't unique as so many think on CF. Matthews isn't forcing the Leafs to sign him. Now the Leafs do have a choice....trade Matthews/Nylander/Brodie for a Cup push or trade them at some time during the year. Now personally I would like a trade, but if those three players stay, and leave as UFAs for whatever reason, that's 23.6m a GM hopefully spends wisely.

Yeah, if Bunting is going to be overpaid....move on. Actually speaking in general......if a GM signs a UFA, and it's about $$$$, he's overpaid because no other GM offered as much. Much like so many TDL deals, if player X is so called in demand by many teams, and GM signs him, well he know he's overpaid because no other team offered as much.

Not if his play exceeds his deal

That's one reason, I think it's important to keep the draft picks and have those ELC players who make about 1m play above their contract. That's "easy" in my opinion. Trying to outsmart 31 other GMs and selecting the right UFAs that play above their contracts....that's hard

It’s not as easy as you make it seem.

If you ask me if I’d rather trade picks for Durzi or Dube who are both 24 and on good deals for now or

I’d rather pay older ufas , it’s not even close.

I’m taking trading picks for youngsters all day long.

I’d trade 7th overall for cat all day everyday than signing a Tarasenko or Palat for 4-6 years into their mid to late 30s

Guess what, Carolina has as many wins in the 3rd round as TO did this year. Huge words from someone who's team has done nothing.

Have you ever known a GM to spend wisely on FA's? You don't succeed through free agency. You succeed by drafting well so you have a great core. The Leafs have that and then you fill the rest with value players.