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I think the day is coming, when the NHL is going to have to go the way of the NFL, with franchise player designations. Once the Entry level contract expires, a team can sign one star player for $25M per season. It shouldn’t count against the Cap and the team has the option to renew it 3 years in a row. Once thee 3 years is up, the player can resign as the Franchise player for a series of 1 year contracts and can opt out after the 3 year contract is over. The salary cap, after the franchise player designate, should be pegged at $15M maximum on any 5 year or less contract and after 8 years of NHL experience, Unrestricted free agency. This would put an end to the revenge RFA signings and allow stability for the league. This can’t go on, targeting young superstars and destroying teams that are trying to rebuild. There are so many great young players, but most of them are on teams that are not in contention and if they lose a top drafted and developed player after 3 years, it just puts them back into the draft lottery again. The rich teams will be the benefactors and the secondary markets will suffer. Continue down this road and teams like Columbus, Salt Lake City, Winnipeg and Ottawa will be doomed. Want a stronger league? Fix the unequal tax system and allow teams to keep their best player for a longer period of time.
Love Marner or hate him, there is one constant that needs to be addressed. His salary Cap hit. The Leafs were having Cap problems before he left. Something similar is about to fall on the heads of the Anaheim Ducks. Too many players, with no playoff pedigree looking for top dollar. Young, talented, but unproven. The Leafs went through 10 years of this core and they couldn’t reach the 3rd round. Something had to give. Marner was the last one up, after Matthews and Nylander signed. Would it have made a difference if Marner was a Center? Probably. Wingers shouldn’t be considered the most important position on the team. Hence, they should be paid less than a Center. Unfortunately for Marner, he wanted Matthews money and it wasn’t going to happen. The Leafs couldn’t find a way to pay three, in their prime forwards max money. So he had to go. I can see this being an issue for the Ducks and eventually, the Sharks. Their astounding rebuilds will be cut to shreds with offer sheets. I guess the new NHL is about to devolve into the NBA with players having all of the power in negotiations. The second and third tier players are about to get a haircut. Sad, but it’s come to that. Grabbing players on expiring contracts will be the way to win in the playoffs.
So far, I’m impressed with the job that Chayka and Sundin have done. It’s a complete culture change. Out with the smaller, weaker players, in with size and durability. The Leafs now have a future, where 2 months ago, they looked dead on arrival. Amazing how a ping pong ball can change the future of a franchise. The Leafs were looking at giving up the 6th overall draft pick to Boston and their team was in the toilet. It looked like a 10 year rebuild on the horizon. Today, their forward group is strong. The defense needs work, but the defense is better than the end of the 2026 season and their goaltending looks stronger, as well. The farm team did the impossible and became Calder Cup Champions and the Leafs got the 1st overall pick. I think McKenna should change his number to 12.
If the Leafs wanted Werenski and it was actually possible to get him, moving Rielly and Joshua frees up over 10m. its not that hard.
They also have assets to make a deal, its whether they want to pony up or not.They havent moved Rielly yet, I assume because the offers have not been enticing enough. But i dont doubt he could be moved.
but it sounds like Werenski toss water on that fire and its out…so move onThe Rielly soap opera is getting annoying. The Leafs are slightly over the Cap, but moving Rielly would alleviate that problem. It still would leave them about $7M under the Cap. The Leafs should call it a day on the trade front, unless there’s an opportunity to move Rielly for a 2nd rounder somewhere. Still, the defense is vulnerable. One key injury and it falls apart.
If the Leafs want to trade for Zach Werenski, they shouldn’t sell the youth to do so. He’s 28 and at best, has 10 years left. He’s at his peak right now. A package like Rielly, Stolarz and the Colorado 1st is as much as they should consider paying. Keep the current core, keep the young core and add to the back end. The bottom 6 looks set as does the top 6. Defense is where they need to upgrade the most. Werenski should be the target.
Just need that top 4 defenseman and move Rielly. They seemed to have filled out most of their roster today. They still should look for an upgrade at 2C or 3C. Some of these small, quick teams are going to get a lesson next year. They can play firewagon hockey, but they’ll struggle against bigger, tougher opponents. The Leafs and Habs are built totally different. Detroit, Boston and Ottawa may be the 3 teams out of the playoffs. Boston will be life and death to get in. Tampa may finally take a step back. In the West, a new juggernaut has appeared in San Jose. They’re going to make a lot of trouble this year.
OK, now that Bobrovsky is in the fold, the Leafs need to beef up on the bottom 6. Boon Jenner for 3C should be the next domino. Also make the trade for Rielly and backfill with a better, tougher defenseman, in free agency. It’s time to get tougher to take on the Panthers, who now are the most goonish team in recent history. The Atlantic is going to be a battlefield, every night.
Honestly, B Tkafack isnt that effective imo. He’ll be injured soon enough.
That may be so, but Florida have a tough, experience lineup. They will rebound. After 2 straight years of going to the Cup finals, they had to wear down from too much play. Many of those players competed in the 4 Nations Cup and the Olympics. They played allot of hockey. The same could be said for the Leafs. They played allot of hockey too, but not as much as Florida. Being in Toronto can drag down a player because of the 24/7 scrutiny. It amazes me that a player can be canonized for years, then they become an anchor, then scorned. You don’t get that in many other markets. When players leave the arena, they blend in with the citizenry and nobody notices them. In Canada, they’re recognized most of the time and their privacy is often nonexistent. The upside is the adulation when you’re winning and producing. It’s quite a rollercoaster ride. Anyway, my digression got the best of me. I’m hoping that Chayka is looking for another upgrade or two for the defense. A second line center is also required. The Leafs can throw out two potent lines, but the bottom 6 need to be puck hounds and aggressive. If this team is to contend for a playoff spot, in the toughest division in hockey, they need to get off to a fast start. Last season, they got off to a poor start. What made it worse, was the schedule. It was top heavy with too many home games at the beginning of the season. Once they got off to the poor start, it was uphill because the majority of their games were on the road after Christmas. The last part of the schedule saw them do 3 west coast road trips, and with injury issues, they couldn’t catch up. Add to that, it was a compressed schedule because of the Olympics. The Leafs need to be 3 games over .500 after 10 games. If they can’t achieve this, they’ll miss the playoffs again this year. Too many good teams in the division and it’s too hard to jump over them, once the season trends happen.
But why do the Leafs need Hayton and why does Utah want to get rid of him? Chayka draftees mostly suck. Look at Maccelli.
He’s not really a shutdown center, he’s 26 so he’s not super high on potential and he had 10 goals, 25 points. And that’s WITH 2 min of PP time per game. That’s a giant meh. And an RFA.
I don’t see the benefit or the point in giving up assets to acquire Hayton unless Utah takes back Maccelli or Robertson as a 1 for 1 swap of RFAs.
Blueger would be lower on my list but an option if the others disappear. Would much prefer Jenner, Sissons, Acciari and Stenlund. All 4 could probably be signed for 12 million.
With Florida bulking up, the Leafs better take this in consideration when they make a deal. Yes, the Leafs have to get younger, but they need to get harder to play against. Move off of Robertson and Maccelli. They’re just guys who score when the game is out of reach, either way.
