2024 Offseason Thread: Changes

[CarltonTheBear]

In a world where we sign Skinner for cheap and Berube agrees with Treliving about where Nylander should play:

Knies-Matthews-Domi
Skinner-Nylander-Marner
McMann-Tavares-Jarnkrok

 

[CarltonTheBear]

So after a flurry of moves the Leafs sit at something like:

Hypothetically, if the Leafs dump Kampf (replaced by Dewar/Holmberg at 4C) and Jarnkrok (replaced by Cowan) it opens up the Leafs to having just under $5.5mil in cap space with a 19-man roster. Would need another top-9 forward, probably at 3C, plus a 7D and/or 13F. Obviously this is more of a fan-pushed idea, no real indication that management is looking to move both or even either player.

 

[cw]

In a world where we sign Skinner for cheap and Berube agrees with Treliving about where Nylander should play:

Knies-Matthews-Domi
Skinner-Nylander-Marner
McMann-Tavares-Jarnkrok

Under the present circumstances, a guy I would look at for 3rd line center is McMann

He played center in the minors. He wins about half of his NHL draws (hasn't taken too many).
He skates well. Good size for winning draws/checking/puck battles. Has a defensive conscience. And he can score - loves the front of the net. Is coachable. Negative is he would be green - he would have some learning to play the position well in the NHL. He was still finding his way last year but made good progress. He'd do whatever the coaches ask.

Nylander's brain .. I don't think it works that way and I doubt it ever will.

 

[L K]

So after a flurry of moves the Leafs sit at something like:

Domi-Matthews-Nylander
Knies-Tavares-Marner
McMann-Holmberg-Jarnkrok
Dewar-Kampf-Reaves

Rielly-Tanev
Benoit-McCabe
OEL-Liljegren

Woll
Stolarz

Projecting Dewar at $950k, that's a 20 man roster with about $3.1mil in cap space still. (edit: actually $500k less than that so $2.6mil, because CF still has Stolarz at $2mil which seems like an error since everyone has called it $2.5mil)

D and G is probably set, aside from adding a 7D (or Timmins). Forward can still use an upgrade, especially at 3C to bump Holmberg down. Some room to make that happen, more if a Jarnkrok or Kampf gets moved for cap relief.

Ok, I'm obviously in "hey we did stuff" mode right now but....that's not a terrible team?  I don't know if we will like it 2-3 years from now if this is the major core but its not a bad team.  I was hoping we could have signed someone like Perron but not for 4M/year.

 

[cabber24]

D is better no doubt and probably the goal tending. A decent off season, no head scratchers for the Leafs today.

 

[Highlander]

Robertson demands a trade.

 

[Bender]

I'm not liking this team until we get a bona fide 3C who can fill in at 2C if needed. At this point it's not happening.

 

[Bullfrog]

In a world where we sign Skinner for cheap and Berube agrees with Treliving about where Nylander should play:

Knies-Matthews-Domi
Skinner-Nylander-Marner
McMann-Tavares-Jarnkrok

Under the present circumstances, a guy I would look at for 3rd line center is McMann

He played center in the minors. He wins about half of his NHL draws (hasn't taken too many).
He skates well. Good size for winning draws/checking/puck battles. Has a defensive conscience. And he can score - loves the front of the net. Is coachable. Negative is he would be green - he would have some learning to play the position well in the NHL. He was still finding his way last year but made good progress. He'd do whatever the coaches ask.

Nylander's brain .. I don't think it works that way and I doubt it ever will.

I honestly don't understand the talk of moving him to centre. 28 years old; three straight career years in points @ RW. Keep him where he's been incredibly effective.

 

[cw]

In a world where we sign Skinner for cheap and Berube agrees with Treliving about where Nylander should play:

Knies-Matthews-Domi
Skinner-Nylander-Marner
McMann-Tavares-Jarnkrok

Under the present circumstances, a guy I would look at for 3rd line center is McMann

He played center in the minors. He wins about half of his NHL draws (hasn't taken too many).
He skates well. Good size for winning draws/checking/puck battles. Has a defensive conscience. And he can score - loves the front of the net. Is coachable. Negative is he would be green - he would have some learning to play the position well in the NHL. He was still finding his way last year but made good progress. He'd do whatever the coaches ask.

Nylander's brain .. I don't think it works that way and I doubt it ever will.

I honestly don't understand the talk of moving him to centre. 28 years old; three straight career years in points @ RW. Keep him where he's been incredibly effective.

He's done very well with the opportunity given. I can appreciate "leave well enough alone" ..

But with no cap space, it appears the team doesn't have a great 3rd line center option.
He might be able to do a better job and wingers are easier to come by. Just a thought.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I honestly don't understand the talk of moving him to centre. 28 years old; three straight career years in points @ RW. Keep him where he's been incredibly effective.

Well, desperation for starters. But I also just don't really see the downside. Worst case it doesn't work and he's back on RW in a month where I don't think he'll have forgot how to play there. Best case we have a Jack Hughes-esq 2C on our hands.

 

[L K]

I honestly don't understand the talk of moving him to centre. 28 years old; three straight career years in points @ RW. Keep him where he's been incredibly effective.

Well, desperation for starters. But I also just don't really see the downside. Worst case it doesn't work and he's back on RW in a month where I don't think he'll have forgot how to play there. Best case we have a Jack Hughes-esq 2C on our hands.

I'd still rather see Berube give Nylander more than 3 shifts at center.  He's not bad at faceoffs.  I think he's probably more valuable being the leaky sneak thief who breaks out of the zone to stretch defenses which works better as a winger but Keefe never really gave more than a handful of games and even when he did, he'd stop it to go back to the same 2-3 lines over and over again.

 

[bustaheims]

The biggest issue with Nylander down the middle is the defensive side of the game. While I don?t believe he?s the defensive liability some people do, I also don?t think he?s strong enough defensively to play C for any extended stretch.

 

[Deebo]

McKenzie said on air the the Leafs are interested in Skinner.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

McKenzie said on air the the Leafs are interested in Skinner.

The need for him (or just another goal scorer) increases with the D not being quite as upgraded as I or even almost certainly Treliving had hoped. Although it'd be interesting what that leads to. It would give the team 7 legit top-9 NHL wingers.

 

[cw]

McKenzie said on air the the Leafs are interested in Skinner.

The Leafs and Oilers appear to be trying to land him.

If they waive before the season starts: Murray, Holmberg/Dewar & Timmons, they could sign him for $3.x mil and be at 20 players on their roster under the cap. He's from Toronto.
Adding him might help Nylander move off right wing to center.

I'm not sure how I feel about him

 

[Deebo]

https://twitter.com/lukefoxjukebox/status/1807880033291075967

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/lukefoxjukebox/status/1807880033291075967

Still gotta sign some Lagesson/Lajoie types. Marlies D is very young right now.

 

[Guilt Trip]

DeBruak once asked ro be traded....we'll see how this goes
https://x.com/lukefoxjukebox/status/1807881077874118730

 

[cw]

https://twitter.com/lukefoxjukebox/status/1807880033291075967

Still gotta sign some Lagesson/Lajoie types. Marlies D is very young right now.

For sure.

Detroit signed Lagesson - who I still like. I think he could play for a NHL bottom feeder.
Lajoie wasn't qualified maybe due to being arbitration eligible ...

Rofai didn't look out of place last year.
Might be time to see how Niemel? looks in the NHL for a few games if Rielly or OEK are out.

 

[Bender]

DeBruak once asked ro be traded....we'll see how this goes
https://twitter.com/lukefoxjukebox/status/1807881077874118730

DeBrusk asked plenty of times to be traded. Robertson was paying his due and the Leafs still hold his rights even if he sits out so whatever.