Keep hearing Matthews to a California team for 2 1sts. Seems like San Jose.
I don’t believe it. That would mean they are rebuilding, which I think they have no appetite for. Instead, they will keep Matthews and fail miserably, again. I would not be surprised if they eventually let him walk for nothing. That would be the stupidest move, so it’s perfectly Leafy.
I wish they would make that trade for #2 AND #9. The problem I have is the Knies roomors. I would prefer they keep knies. He is young enough to be part of a rebuild. Now that Byram is gone, maybe those roomers go away.
San Jose getting real “interesting” offers for #2 overall. Leafs could do something huge if they played their cards correctly. Here’s just an example.
Matthews with 50% retained for #2, #9, Misa and an unprotected 1st in 2027.
Nylander with 50% retained to the NYR for #5, #26 and Will Cuylle.
Trade down from #1 to VAN for #3 and #24.
Leafs draft Stenberg #2, Reid #3, Carels #5, Verhoeff #9, L. Ruck #24 and M. Ruck #26.
Acquire Gallagher’s bad contract for a 2027 1st from MON
Acquire Hill’s bad contract for a 2028 1st from VGK
2026 / 2027 / 2028 Line-up to avoid tanking too hard without a 1st round pick.
Knies | Tavares | Tarasenko
Stenberg | Misa | Arvidsson
Cuylle | Jenner | Cowan
Sissons | Stenlund | Acciari
Lorentz (Domi)
OEL | Tanev
McCabe | Raddysh
Andrae | Carlo
Hill
Hildeby
Trade veteran rentals at the 2028 deadline to a contender for more young players, prospects and draft capital.
2028/2029/2030 Line-up – Tanking is permitted for one/two years to add more elite players.
*Leafs would have a ridiculous amount of cap space to offer McDavid the absolute max contract possible.
Knies | Misa | Cowan
Stenberg | M. Ruck | L. Ruck
Cuylle | (Tavares Trade) | (Arvidsson Trade)
(Tarasenko Trade) |(1st from COL) | Holinka
(1st from MON)
Carels | Reid
(OEL Trade) | Verhoeff
(Tanev Trade) | Danford
(McCabe Trade) | (Carlo Trade)
Hildeby
Akhtyamov
2027 SJS 1st – Draft a goalie
2028 VGK 1st – Draft a goalie
Rebuild. Hard.