I don't understand why folks think the Leafs should be giving three assets for an upcoming UFA. Surely there are UFA at 4.9540 that provide excellent value. Not matter how much Leafs fans hope, Murray isn't on LTIR.

Get ready for the onslaught of folks saying ROR won’t sign for that.

But I think he would.

Well I got a feeling like he did with Weegar, Tree would have plans on extension as you dont pay big unless thats already set or close (Horvat, Lindholm, etc)

And Murray could end up on LTIR as it just takes him saying something feels off in September and failing his physical and then Leafs doctors go hes not fit to play and bam LTIR. We saw it happen with Mike Smith already would not surprise me if we see the same with him if it costs to much to move on

I don’t think they’d trade for Hanafin without being assured that he’s willing to negotiate an extension. He would love to stay and play in Toronto with some of the games best players in Matthews and Marner.

Yea ROR is gonna get more He can make 5+ mill on open market. Got a feeling the min he signs for is 4.5mill here

It seems to be a new phenomenon on CapFrienldy that virtually every trade has an extension tied to it.

Glad you mentioned the Treveling trade with Tkachuk. Obviously Tkachuk wasn't resigning with the Flames so in effect it was a one year deal. Trevling made a excellent deal trading for Huberdeau, Weager and a first. But then he absolutely blew it, by making Huberdeau the second high paid left winger at 10,5m X 8, starting at the age of 30. Even Weager for eight years is iffy.
Wouldn't the Flames been much better off having one year of Hubie and Weager (maybe traded them at TDL) but never the less have 16.75m in cap instead of those two players.

I feel the same way with Hanifan....forcing an extension in order to justify a trade seems so unproductive . One reason the Leafs have been scrambling for years to be cap compliant is they have so few players players on ELCs. It always trading away picks and then trying to find cheap aging UFAs to fill the roster.

Hanifin's not going to extend in Toronto so idk why they would trade for him. Flames decline anyways, pretty meh return

You make a good point about not having enough players on ELCs. Having said that, I’m sure you’re well aware that a 1st round pick (a late one at that) doesn’t equal a young NHL player on an ELC. And even if it did, in this specific case, that player that’s drafted in 2024 likely wouldn’t even be a quality NHL player until Matthews, Marner, and Nylander are on the wrong side of 30.

You also mention that there are other ways to spend 5 million in free agency for a quality player without giving up assets, but you don’t mention any of those options. I’d honestly like you to mention who exactly it is that we can sign for Hanifins cap hit and who would bring the same level of play. I wouldn’t even be surprised if you didn’t respond to this because the answer is very obvious.

. Sure you can trade away futures for and get marginally better but what's the point? And be going be this post, it doesn't work that well. ROR isn't signing for 3.5m. Rather have another winger that cost more than wasting 2.8m on Mantha. Really hopeful that McCann is every day player.
So maybe the answer is pay ROR 4.5, keep Bunting 4.5m. Sign a short term Dman at 2m. Gotta think the team is just as good as the one posted and you've kept the 1st, 3rd and Vogt.
Gee, can't agree with you that the Leafs should be worried when Matthews and Nylander are on the wrong side of 30. Let's imagine have set aside 23m for those two players next season, but whatever they sign elsewhere, then it's up to good GM to spend that 23m elsewhere wisely.
Same with Tavares and Marner...they may be gone in the summer of 2025. Not the end of the world, just sign other players.....but hopefully the Leafs have true NHLer on ELCs to help with the cap, maybe when McDavid signs with the Leafs on the wrong side of 30.

I have no idea what your point is. If Matthews/Nylander/Marner could leave wouldn’t that make the need to win and trade away futures even more important?

And your alternative to trading for Hanifin is signing bunting to a similar cap hit, long-term, just so you can keep a few assets that won’t contribute anything towards winning the Stanley cup. Maybe you just don’t like/don’t know Hanifin as a player. He has legit top-pairing upside. A player like him doesn’t become available too often. And considering we’re in need of a difference maker in the top-4, especially since Brodie isn’t signed beyond this year, that makes this trade even more worth it than drafting a player that has a 10% chance of making it to the NHL.

And again, you’ve thrown out a number without giving an actual option. Who is this “2 million dollar defencman”? How would they fit on this team? How would they even improve this team? It’s hard to believe any 2 million dollar defenceman that’s acquired through FA would actually be an upgrade over timmins. Justin Holl will probably get 3+ on the market.

Well Hanifan isn't signed beyond this season either, so I have no idea what your point is.

That’s not necessarily true. History shows Americans are open to signing in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal. At this point, it’s pretty unlikely they get a 23’ first for him. So a late 24’ first is probably a realistic centrepiece. Maybe it’s a 2nd round pick off, but a ‘meh’ return is likely given the situation.

That doesn’t mean we can’t try to extend him. Brodie wouldn’t be an ideal person to keep beyond next season anyways. Hanifin is only 26 and his best years are ahead of him. Is that really all you have to say? Even if Hanifin was a rental, which would be very unlikely if we acquired him this off-season, he’d still put us in a much better position to win a Stanley cup then a 15 year old who might make the NHL one day and Michael Bunting.

I mean we know Hanifin wants to be traded to the US so why would he change his mind for Toronto?

It is a meh return. The 1st is likely late and Voit is a B level prospect. With how the market is right now the demand for a player like Hanifin is likely pretty high