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It’s not overstated. It’s actually understated because people are waking up to how fucked this team is but the Leafs themselves are still stuck in this bullshit PR story about a retool.
I get it. The problem is, they won’t listen. They couldn’t care less about what the fans really think. Oh, sure, they’ll pay lip service as they always have. It’s about money, and nothing but. They need the TV revenue for Rogers Sportsnet. They probably took a whack, when the Leafs were spiraling towards the bottom. Their bottom line screamed, “fix this, we need the money!” Letting Berube go meant losing the equivalent of 2 playoff gates, for his paid out salary. The may get that back, if Berube ends up in Edmonton. In their minds, they make that up if the Leafs go to the playoffs and get swept. They lose huge if the Leafs suck again and miss the playoffs. Of course, a shiny new star player buys them some time and more eyes watching the team. It’s in their interest to just retool, use free agency and make some trades to stay in contention. Championships be damned, just keep the fanbase watching, no matter what. If you believe that they’re going to rebuild, you’d be sadly mistaken. Matts was brought in to be the face of the team, so Rogers and Pelly could hide behind the curtain, while pulling the strings.
The “don’t over think it” idea is exactly what they said about some of these other guys at #1 and we can clearly see which teams got the best players or the “winners”.
It all depends on the offers for McKenna at #1. If the offers are underwhelming, then you just make the pick. If Vancouver wants to get creative, then make a deal that brings you #3, a top prospect, or an extra #1 pick, this year or next. I could see San Jose dangling their 2nd overall, because they want a star defenseman. They too can see the need to grab the best defenseman in the draft. The Leafs really can’t lose if they trade the #1 for #3 plus a top prospect or another 1st. You either get Stenberg or your choice of the 3 defensemen coming behind San Jose, or getting Stenberg. It just needs to make sense. It’s time the Leafs went full blown mercenary and defrock a desperate team trying to look relevant. Vancouver and Chicago are ripe for the picking. Vancouver, because they need someone to sell to their fanbase as a number 1 overall pick and Chicago who needs to start moving up the standings with Connor Bedard wasting his younger years on a team not in contention.
I can see getting a large haul for Matthews, if you look at the California teams. Each one has a good reason to bid large on Matthews. San Jose is about to go the way the Habs did. Draft well for 5 years and stockpile young talent. When it comes together, you’re an instant contender. Matthews would put San Jose into a playoff spot, trending up. They have the #2 pick and add Michael Misa, a good young center, plus another 1st to get it done. This year, Anaheim made a push, and with one more great piece, they could easily see themselves in a Conference final. They too have a number of good, young players on their roster, with Mason McTavish being a player of interest the Leafs should target. A young Center with the grit and determination to put beside a McKenna or Stenberg. Add two first rounders and make the deal. The Kings need to replace their longtime Captain, Anze Kopitar, who retired. To stay competitive with their West Coast rivals, they need to make this deal. Quinton Byfield would be a must, as well as 2 first rounders to make it work. Best deal wins.
Fucking imbecile infidels around here. Either a meth head or a Liberal on the rag. Talk straight for a change, this isn’t the United Nations.
If they’re going to trade one of Nylander or Matthews, I’d have them trade Nylander. He has a longer contract and has a bit of an attitude. He’s pretty one dimensional, compared to Matthews. At least Matthews wins faceoffs and plays a better defensive game. It all depends on the return. Leafs should explore the trade for 1st to 3rd, but it should cost Vancouver a top prospect or first rounder. See if they’ll take Rielly and give us at least a 2nd rounder for him. Another shit season for Vancouver and that 2nd will be like a late first.
Sundin will lean towards Stenberg and Chayka will try to trade down.
I’m not convinced that San Jose would take Stenberg at #2. They may be looking at either trading down to #4 or taking a defenseman at #2. The Leafs could chance it, trading down to #3, if they get a top prospect or another 1st from Vancouver. The Leafs might even try to put Rielly into the trade to gain another prospect or a player they could use. Vancouver really wants to make a splash and bring in McKenna. Make them pay like other franchises made the Leafs pay, when they were after talent.
Should do and can do are two different things. First, you know MLS&E won’t stand for a full rebuild. They have shareholders to keep happy and a shinny new National Cable package that brings in advertising revenue. The Maple Leafs are the NHL’s most valuable team in regards to revenue sharing. If people don’t come, because the team is in the shitter for 5+ years, that can be an issue for the league. My best bet is a fairly deep retool. They may indeed move Matthews and Nylander, but they’ll want NHL caliber talent coming back, as well as draft capital. The team won’t wait for three years to be a playoff team again. My guess is they’ll be into free agency and build around their current defensive core and goaltending. Their goaltending depth is also an asset. They could easily flip Woll for a first rounder and never miss a beat. Stolarz and Hildeby would suffice as a tandem that makes them competitive next year. Would I like a true rebuild? Sure, but MLS&E won’t. Best case scenario is seeing them acquire another early 1st rounder this year, to go with number 1 and play the longer game of moving assets at the trade deadline, next year. That allows them to short their own first rounder to Philly, next year, forcing it to be in the 15 to 20 range, while securing a better first from another team. Do that and the Boston pick may be irrelevant.
I can’t see them getting 10 to 12 1st rounders, but maybe 6. They would acquire a few top prospects, but without their own first rounders for 2 years, it doesn’t really help. Unless one of the trades are with Philly, to get their 1st back, it’ll be a retool, probably fairly deep, but the stupidity of Treliving sabotaged a true rebuild. You still have to ice a competitive team going forward.
If the Canucks are interested in making a trade with San Jose to move to #2, then the Canucks could make a trade to move from #2 to 1. San Jose would probably like to draft a defenseman, but are inclined to draft the best player available. Vancouver is hot after McKenna. The Leafs could try to drag a top prospect or a late 1st rounder from Vancouver to move up to #1. Stenberg could then be taken by the Leafs at #2 and gain an asset for later in the draft or next year. If they do get to that point, do they move Knies to Chicago for #4 plus another late 1st rounder and draft that defenseman that they so covet? Get Stenberg, get their top end defenseman, 2 extra 1st rounders and Stenberg takes Knies spot in the lineup. That’s a quick retool with Matthews and Nylander still on the roster.
