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I still like the Mason McTavish angle. The Leafs really need a 2nd line center and McTavish fits the bill. That Colorado 1st for Roy and a 2nd pairing defenseman gets it done. McTavish is only 23, the same age as Knies. That is the next tier of Leafs top end talent, if that can be done. Losing a top 4 defenseman isn’t a huge loss, when you can backfill in free agency. If the Leafs do go sideways, again this year, then you move the two big dogs and get your boatload of draft picks and young talent for a real rebuild. Having Knies, McTavish and McKenna on cheap deals for 3 years gets you to a fast rebuild.
All I can tell you, the Atlantic is going to be a war zone. Any one of the 8 teams could squeeze into the playoffs. Florida and the Leafs had major injuries on their roster last year. Florida could very well climb back up to the top, but they could also have injuries and fight for a playoff spot. Leafs aren’t done yet, in regards to making a splash in free agency. They really need to evaluate the Knies possible trade. They must keep him, unless they get a top 6 pick and a second first rounder. The price that Brady got was obscene and Knies is younger and not a bullshit artist. The Leafs should get a good return for him, if they go down that road. I’m fine with keeping him for the start of the season. If the Leafs were to fade, then all bets are off and then you could entertain moving him. I’d rather see Nylander moved and possibly Matthews. But it depends what’s available in a trade. It’s one big dogs breakfast in the Atlantic. I figure Detroit goes dead last so the deck chairs are going to get moved quite a bit. Boston really hasn’t done anything, so they too might be ready to go south for a year. Going to be an interesting year.
I think the Sens are in a great spot. Brady was acting like a mercenary and needed to be sent packing. All of that draft capital and cap space make it possible to fill multiple holes. They’re now where Buffalo was 2 years ago. Just on the cusp and with the right moves, put themselves in contention for a top 3 spot in the Atlantic. Buffalo won it last year, but seem to be shedding players that they can’t afford. Tampa and Florida are getting older. Boston is just treading water. Detroit seems to be in a shambles with Larkin wanting out. Leafs are retooling and not sure where they’re heading. Montreal will be the team to beat this year, after a run to the Conference final. They too have a wealth of young talent and with Carolina winning their Cup Championship, they might lose a bit of the edge. The Metro is putrid and really not a threat, with the exception of Carolina. It’s going to be a battle this year, with most of the Atlantic ready to fight to the death. Ottawa is in the mix. Good luck.
That’s a lot of draft capital for a 28 year old winger coming off an average season. The Panthers need to fill the hole that Bobrovsky left. Florida will either be back on top or they’re going to crash and burn. Much of that roster is old and worn down from many deep playoff runs. Ottawa, however, is loaded with young players and now a wealth of high end draft picks. They could easily move up in the first round, if they chose to. They’re definitely getting a top pick at 8 and now 2 more firsts and a second. Depending where Florida finishes next year, they could be picking higher in the 1st round once again. This trade smacks of desperation by Florida, strip-mining their draft position for the next couple of years. Who’s really left, under 25 on the Panthers? Ottawa may be the next team to take on a run for 1st place in the Division, if not this year, but next. It surely is a culture change in Ottawa. The Atlantic is loaded for bear this year.
I really think that a bold move is going to happen to shore up the defense and 2C. Once the arbitration process moves forward, there may be more money to spend, once they release or get the fringe guys on a cheap contract. The Mason McTavish question is an interesting thought. We do have that 1st that belonged to Colorado in the Roy trade. Add another piece and I see it doable. Rielly? Probably not. However, dangle Brandon Carlo and that might be enough. Have them add a 2nd or 3rd rounder and see if that could do it. Of course, it would take finding another right handed defenseman for 3 RD. If there is a free agent that could do the job at 3 RD, then make that plug and play move.
Def longer than anyone wanted, save Raddysh himself. Necessary evil to land what we need is the explanation.
And, I must reiterate that not a single Raddysh goal came from a saucer pass from Kucherov last season. Kucherov simply fed the puck to him, which our guys do with Rielly or OEL all the time. The difference is that Raddysh has a boomer.
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PostsIt gives the powerplay options. Instead of the defense keying on Matthews, they now have to be careful with the shot coming in to then net. Put Tavares and Knies in front of the net, it’ll be lethal. The Leafs will have weapons that can win games, but can they tighten up their defense to keep the puck out of their net? Two good forward lines are great, but they also have to account for minutes on lines 3 and 4. I would look at Sim, on the Marlies. He’s an instigator that has tendencies like the Marchand in Florida. He may not score like him, but he will get dirty. Better to instigate than retaliate. Like Cowan, he’s double dipped with a Memorial Cup and a Calder Cup. This team will win or lose on their bottom 6 players. It’s time to cut ties with Maccelli and Robertson. The leafs really need to look at Mason McTavish. It appears they want a roster player and a first. I’d flip that Colorado 1st round pick, in next years draft, and Morgan Rielly to make that work. That would solidify the Leafs top 2 lines and move Tavares into the 3C roll, where he won’t be up against top 6 forwards from the opposition. I hope Chayka does something about adding another winger and defenseman. There would be real hope of a retool and next season could be surprising…if the goaltending holds up.
I sense some negativity, but there are some positives here, as well. We do have a first overall pick. If that translates into an 80+ point player going forward, that’s a bonus! The defense is old and injury prone. However, if the majority stay healthy, they either make the playoffs or position themselves to be traded for assets at the trade deadline. Is McCabe worth a mid level 1st at the trade deadline? I can see that. Same goes for OEL. Somehow, we have to eat up those 2 firsts that we owe for two years. Sure, the Leafs could kick it down the road one more time, if they finish under the top 10 threshold. But that doesn’t give us a path to respectability. It just means that Philly and Boston get an unprotected 1st, down the road. It does buy the 1st overall pick to develop into a star player within 3 years. I remember Marner took a couple of years to hit his stride when he first became an NHL’er. The Leafs do need to find a way to get a stud defenseman. If a team in the top 5 of the draft want to trade for Knies, then do so. Knies is a really good power forward, but the Leafs need a stud defenseman to play the next 15 years at a high level. You aren’t getting one in a trade and must be drafted. If a team in the top 5 wants to move up to #1, consider doing so. It should cost them their 1st and a top prospect, or a second 1st rounder. The Leafs need to entertain this way of thinking. Outside of that, let the season play out. If we’re again buried in the standings, you start making major changes with Matthews and Nylander being sent out for major assets and the tear down occurs. Those 2 lost firsts are going to bite us in the balls, going forward.
I have a feeling that they Leafs are going to do more trades and UFA signings. The defense needs another body and the 2C needs to be addressed. The Leafs can’t get far with Tavares at 2C. He needs to be bumped down to 3C or the LW on line 2. The bottom 6 needs to be addressed and a few dead weight players need to be traded or just not re-signed. Maccelli, and Robertson need to be moved. Either a late round pick or just not qualified needs to happen. I don’t see a decent return for either one of these guys. They only put up points in garbage time, when nothing is to be gained. Some of the Marlies would do a better job for less. Goaltending also needs to be sorted out. Arturs A needs to get a good look, after being the AHL Playoff MVP. He’s quick and great positionally, but has a tendency to drop too soon to the butterfly. You see the opposition shooting high on him, so he needs to work on that. Hildeby will slot in behind Stolarz to start the year, so there will be decent goaltending, as long as they stay healthy. If they start slow, AA will become relevant sooner than we think. The draft lottery should be interesting.
It’s great to see a Toronto team play their hearts out and win a Championship. I’m proud of how the Marlies played, throughout the Playoffs. The majority of these guys will never play an NHL game, but they do everything possible to be as good as they can possibly be. It highlights that there are players, with the Marlies, that can and will someday be on the Leafs full time. It’s easy to see Cowan as an integral part of the Leafs going forward. For 2 years in a row, he’s been a Champion. Last year, with the London Knights of the OHL, and now an AHL Championship with the Marlboro’s. Quillen looks like he may finally break through, as a 3rd or 4th line player and Danford, coming straight out of Junior, to becoming a Calder Cup Champion, will possibly be on the Leafs. If injuries occur, Danford will step in and earn his minutes. Of course both of the Marlies goalies will see time with the Leafs this year, with Hildeby sticking due to his waiver status. It’s why Woll was traded and Cap space opened. Six weeks ago, the Leafs organization was in ruins. Today there’s hope, with a Farm team winning a Championship and also the draft lottery win. Maybe some puck luck may be finally be shining on the Leafs going forward.
I’m really thinking that Chayka has one more big move to make. A center. The Leafs need a 2nd line center that allows Tavares to either slide to the wing, or to the 3rd line. He’ll still get his powerplay time, but he’s pretty much a 3C at this point of his career. Who knows? He may choose to retire in the next year or two, for an upper management position. Probably a figurehead to get him off the books, instead of Robidas Island. That’s where Tanev will be, following this year. The Jake Muzzin suite is all decorated in a Blue and White motif and ready for occupancy. The Joffrey Lupul suite is also available, with a Marlies Leaf & Crown on the door.
