After seeing Karl Alzner head-on for 6 intense playoff games, Leafs are 100% not interested in signing him. He may get the dollars and term you've listed, but it won't be with Toronto. If JVR had a reasonable deal with term on it, maybe that's something Anaheim would consider, maybe. As it stands, JVRs ask is around $7.5 million AAV over 8 years. Obviously you come in high with initial asks, but it seems like any extension agreed to be for more than $6 million AAV over at least 6 years. Flyers, Carolina, NYI, Wild are just a few teams interested, but not all of them have the kind of long term cap room it would take to sign him to an extension.

I like your idea of using space at least short term. But why waste on Niemi? Surely the Leaf can upgrade their defence with that type of money, and get a good backup for about 1m
Doan a leader? Matthews can learn from others. Doan never waived his NMC to help the Coyotes (with futures picks). Doan didn't seem to the guy were wanted a playoff run with a contending team, or he would waived have his NMC. He seemed to happy to end his season in early April. His leadership skills? We'll never know because we weren't in the Coyotes dressing room. But I'm not really impressed, but that's just my opinion.

Thanks. Agree on all fronts. I was big on Alzner pre-playoffs but cooled on him after that series. Truthfully, the leafs made every washington d-man look shaky at times.

That being said, heard rumours that the leafs were interested in Alzner as a main UFA target so rolled with that. I always take any rumour coming out of Toronto with a grain of salt tho as Lou is a tight-lipped as they come.

To be honest, I've never been a big Doan fan based on his on-ice stuff.. but can't comment on his locker-room impact. Just know he was Auston's idol growing up and someone the kid would look up to. Might even be a better winger than Hyman for him.

As for the backup goaltender...no doubt they could find an adequate backup for $1m and use the cap space elsewhere.....that idea was more to use their stratgegy from the past few years of using cap space to aquire more valuable assets like draft picks while plugging a current hole on their roster....obviously would be a useless strategy if they need that space for a current roster spot.

Juice: You're right about Lou. No rumours come out of the Leafs management. And writers seem to think the Leafs are in on all UFAs because the Leafs have cap space and hey it makes a story. I think Lou encourages these UFA signings so other teams overbid for players. Leafs would be happy with Hunwick at 2m and Dermot or Rosen at LHD behind Reilly and Gardiner this season.

would you rather take Polak or Hunwick back? I kinda really started to enjoy Polak in the second half of last season and saw Hunwick get blown past on one too many occasions to care for his return...but Babcock seemed pretty keen on having him return so what do I know.

I think you're bang on with the trade value in the Anaheim deal, and Manson would be the perfect fit to fill out our top 4. I've been saying for months that the Leafs need an anchor on the blue line to enable our more offensive minded defenders to jump into the play without being burned. Think Methot for Karlsson in Ottawa.

I also like the idea of bringing in Neimi, but unlike a lot of people I actually think Fehr has value to our team. A line of Martin, Boyle, and Fehr has size and enables us to run the cycle, an offensive tool that our other lines lack. So maybe we can work out a deal for Neimi that involves Dallas' 2nd round pick.

As for the free agent signings, if we were to trade for Manson I think we'd be set on our blue line, so no need for Alzner. His numbers have been slipping anyways so he might be someone we pass on regardless.

And pass on Doan. I do agree that if we traded JVR we'd need some short term scoring help, but Doan lacks the mobility to play on the top line. A guy like James Neal or Scott Hartnell would be decent short term stop gaps.

NIce. Appreciate the feedback

Yeah, Manson isn't getting moved. If you wanted Manson you would have to overpay BIGTIME. I'm talking Nylander or Marner. The Ducks aren't moving Manson unless they get an offer they cannot refuse. This offer they will laugh at.

I could see JVR getting moved for Vatanen and no other D on ANA, as they overvalue them like crazy and it would need to be Marner or Nylander in the offer to fetch 1 of them. Vatanen is out for half of the season, and when he comes back who knows what form he will be in. Anaheim who has 1-2 years left in their window to win so I could see them moving for JVR for something like this-
TO ANA-
JVR (2,000,000 retained)
2017 2nd round pick
2018 Conditional 2nd round pick (NOT transferred if JVR re-signs or if Anaheim makes it to the 2nd round of the playoffs)

TO TOR-
Sami Vatanen