You have to trade Nylander with this team, there's no money left to resign him and Matthews, and others the following season especially when half or a third of the cap rise will be taken up by the Murray buyout. Probably best to just pass on the Bertuzzi/5M forward signing and keep Brodie as a rental.

Anaheim accepts

Why are we dumping TJ Brodie? In what world does that make sense, then we jam up our cap with mediocre UFA's who block us from resigning our best player.

If this is what happens, they'll be a TreLEAVING

Brodie is a bit slow, we saw the against the Panthers. Getting a better deal than the draft pick indicated would be better, but I think the Leafs need more speed there. Brodie is a keeper if than can add speed elsewhere on D but I dont really trust Timmins and Liljegren yet, so they can't compensate for him.

As for trading Nylander, I am not saying don't do it, just delay until you can use him to get what you actually need.

Let me try that- pass on Bertuzzi and keep Brodie. Trading Nylander is not required at this point since he brings grade value for 7m and is still tradable. Hold him until the new year and see what happens.

does not really work - while the D looks better the 3rd and 4th lines don't-

Brodie is slow? Yet you signed Graves, Bertuzzi, O'Rielly and Schenn, who are all at least as slow or slower than Brodie. Your argument holds no water. Speed on D isn't exactly a necessity either since they're rarely skating end to end. Brodie is probably the Leafs best defensive guy, trading him for a third round pick is a horrible use of resources and a complete waste.

Not to mention you've destroyed their cap flexibility while not really improving the team at all versus the end of last season. What was the point?

Leafs fans read one article where a guy talks about speed and suddenly it's the new "trade for grit"

Problem is he won't return nearly as much when teams know you can't afford to keep him. It's already bad that he would be dealt as a rental.