Sharks need Bordeleau and Preds need Askarov.

I can see this Bordeleau Askarov swap. NSH is reportedly entertaining offers for him (whether they should or not is a separate discussion). If Bordeleau doesn't (or even hasn't) impressed with Grier -- he wasn't his pick -- and/or doesnt' make the jump to the NHL quickly, Grier can sign one of Lindholm/Matthews (Patty+Jumbo+a young up and coming team+maybe some roots in the bay area can lure him) and also have Hertl+Couture below them at center with Smith+Bystedt coming in soon. They have no clear goalie of the future though. It's a fair trade I think that makes a lot of sense for SJ and a trade I think NSH considers and could take.

NSH declines. Askarov was available at the draft for 4th/5th overall. The moment that pick went off the boards, was the moment in which Askarov's became unavailable.

Zadina in your top 6. Nice.

You can swap him and Barabanov, who's a solid 2nd liner who usually plays with Couture, and have him on the 3rd line instead, but Zadina's a decent bet for a bounce-back season playing alongside Eklund and Hertl and I project him to have a good year with SJ and stick around.

I hope Zadina can make a good career for himself. The effort is certainly there and he's REALLY improved his defensive game. But I think he's a 3rd liner at best. Hopefully, I'm wrong.

You aren't getting Matthews for only 13 mill/7 years

I see where you're coming from, but like @AEcho said, Trotz was only willing to move Asky if it meant moving up to the 4th or 5th OA pick. I could see him entertaining offers on Asky, but it'd have to be for something insane.

Matthews is insane if he thinks he's going to get more than Mack or McDavid if it's not a bridge. Even then.. yeah right

I won't be shocked if Matthews goes 4-5 years but gets $14-15M.

idk I think that it should have been a reality check for Trotz that Askarov is not worth a top 5 pick, BUT bordeleau is the wrong tier of prospect for a prospect swap like this. Would have to be bords and a first that is in the 8-15 range

If he's leaving Toronto for especially San Jose, 13M is just way too low. 15Mx3yrs to get him to consider that, then you pony up again in 3 years when the cap skyrockets. Otherwise he'll just stay here for the same 13 plus Toronto legacy plus Toronto advertisement/sponsorship deals

13Mx8 years would be a great in a few years when the cap goes up. If anything its far worse for us if we have to bridge him and pay through the nose for him when the cap skyrockets over the next 2-4 years. To get him to leave Toronto for San Jose, you'd be giving him the bridge deal so he can cash in when that happens, and probably paying him even more AAV.

A bridge at 13-13.5 works, but I'm not giving him more than 12.5x8. What has he done for his team better than his comparables? McDavid pumps out 100 point seasons like a vending machine and Mack brought his team a cup. You win cups by having a supporting cast, not overpaying divas who are in it for the money

a bridge is worse for us than long term deal with cap projections. 13 will look like a very reasonable number a few years into an 8 year deal and even now he's worth at least close to it. And oh, I don't know, he's only been the best goal scorer in the league, leads the league in terms of totals and at 5on5 goals since his rookie year, has among the best forward defensive numbers in the entire NHL for a few seasons now, multiple rockets, a hart, a 60 goal season, a ted lindsay, all at age 25. 30+ goals every year of his career, would be 40+ if not for injuries early in his career, and in the COVID years was on pace for 55 and 65 goals (so would've been 3x 50+ goal scorer, 2x 60+ goal scorer if those seasons were full schedule). 9 goals and 20 points through 18 playoff games over last 2 years.

Yea you're right, there aren't really comparables - because there isn't another Auston Matthews in the league (not saying he's better than McDavid when I say that before someone goes crazy on that). At his age, his accomplishments dust what Mackinnon had at that age.

And especially where the cap is going to skyrocket soon, he's earned himself to be in their salary ranges. The cap increases in the future are what warrant him maybe even coming in a little bit higher. There's a reason why teams would be lining up with blank cheque books if he did hit UFA.

I think I view Matthews differently than a lot of leaf fans. (Being a Preds fan but growing up in Toronto, in a Leafs household)

Honestly, I've never liked Matthews playoff performances, especially this year. He did fine in round one, but was completely invisible against Florida. It's like I was watching some beer league player who didn't belong. Scared to get in the corners, scared of a hit. If you look at a player like Eichel. Another star 1C, but making 10m, he bled for Vegas. Every time he was on the ice he was in the play causing havoc, whereas Matthews just kinda floated around waiting to get the puck on his stick to shoot it into Bobs chest. It's as if there was no drive within him to win. Nothing. Marner didn't perform well either, but he still tried at least?

I know this isn't that "hot" of a take, but Toronto will never win a cup with Matthews on the team. He doesn't have it.

Toronto will easily pay the 13/8 if he wants... but he only wants to go 3-5 years to maximize his earnings

Bounce back from what?

First three games of the Panthers series were Bob's best 3 statistical games as a Panther. Of course want/expect more but at the same time sh*t happens. But agree for most part on that series. Tampa series he was legitimately one of the only reasons we got through to the next round. The 4-1 comeback game, domination by Matthews. Game 6, willed us to the win. JT got the winner but Matthews was incredible in that very tight game and the shift where he scored was again pure dominance. Very hard disagree, exact same type of stuff that was said about Ovi, just takes time sometimes.

He also led (?) if not was among the leaders in hits among Leafs over the past couple of playoffs. I don't remember which it was but I think maybe 1st last year and 2nd to Acciari this year. Same goes for blocked shots and etc. That's just not true.

That was a ridiculous ask and that’s why it didn’t happen

If you think this is insane, just wait until they announce the extension.

It was a high asking price for one of those picks, but Askarov + 15thOA and 24thOA is a lot to give up. He is NSH's future in goal and the fact that Trotz was openly selling him for that pick says a lot. That was the asking price for Askarov, but since that isn't there anymore it will take a lot more than what was presented here to move him, especially to San Jose. As @Ennis stated earlier, I'm certain that Trotz would still entertain offers, but the asking price will likely still be insane.

To be fair, Weisblatt isn't a throwaway piece either. I know his stock has been down but just last week he was the standout player in the development camp scrimmage (behind only Musty). I agree the offer's on the low end, but it's not by much. I think maybe adding the NJD 2nd/1st to Bordeleau and Weisblatt gets it done. Sharks have a surplus of RH-forwards in the AHL so he's expendable in that sense, as is Bordeleau given Smith+Bystedt if SJ targets a top center in free agency next year. Askarov's going to wait a long time to be the future in NSH and I think this trade is fair and makes sense for all sides.

Why would it especially take San Jose more to acquire askarov?

It is less about Weisblatt's value and more about that NSH just doesn't need more wing prospects. NSH honestly has a bit of a surplus, with the tunnel looking like Kemell, Evangalista, Tomasino, L'Heureux, Lind, Wood, and Schaefer among the top prospects. NSH does need centers, which is why I do like Bordeleau, but NSH's goalie tunnel after Askarov is bleak to say the least. NSH isn't in a position to move him unless the return is too good to turn down. Maybe NSH would take the deal if a top 1st between 10-15 was also on the table, but likely Askarov just isn't available.

Regarding Askarov coming up, it is likely sooner than people think. Saros has a history of struggling under larger workloads, which NSH has had to rely on him k
that way to stay in any semblance of competitive, and while Lankinen has been fine, having the 1A-1B of Saros Askarov in a year or two is strong. I could see Askarov splitting time with Saros once Lankinen's extension runs out depending on how Askarov develops. He is still only 20 and so NSH wants him to develop well.