Armchair GM 2018-2019

[L K]

Yeah, I think they probably are missing some grit.  But I would really prefer that grit be in the role of a power forward who can contribute on both sides of the ice rather than having a token guy on the 4th line who throw a high number of soft hits while contributing minimally in other aspects.

 

[Kin]

It doesn't happen for a million reasons but does anyone else think Pacioretty would actually sort of be a fun option here?

 

[Frank E]

It doesn't happen for a million reasons but does anyone else think Pacioretty would actually sort of be a fun option here?

He's only got one year left on his deal, so you could test drive him.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

If there's a GM dumb enough to do something like Zaitsev for Pacioretty, it's Bergevin.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/drosennhl/status/1011312244167233538

Possible Matt Martin trading partner?

 

[Bullfrog]

So with all the talk re: Tavares...what's everyone's plan B? Given that the odds are still pretty good he doesn't come here, are their UFA's out there to look seriously at besides him? If he doesn't sign do Bozak or JVR become guys you look to bring back? Are there trades you consider you wouldn't elsewise?

I think they have to consider both of them. I think even the loss of Bozak is somewhat being ignored.

JvR's going to be expensive though, which wouldn't be a problem if the team didn't have Marleau for another two years.

If Johnsson can continue his development in a scoring role, I wouldn't mind seeing Rick Nash as a third line LW that could move up the line-up, though I don't know if he's come to terms with the fact he's a 3rd liner and will take the appropriate pay.

Thomas Vanek is always an option......

 

[caver]

I'm fully on board with this.  Although, I'd still want some more depth at C.  As of right now, we're at Matthews-Kadri-Nylander-Lindholm.  It be nice to have someone (not Bozak, not Stastny) who can play wing and slide into the middle if an injury occurs- someone better than Marleau at playing the middle at that.  Riley Nash would be nice, but that still might be too big of a contract to hand out.

A guy like Mark Letestu might be a reasonable/cheap option at 4C.

Jay Beagle might fit in as a 4C...

 

[Highlander]

If there's a GM dumb enough to do something like Zaitsev for Pacioretty, it's Bergevin.

Funny but it could happen, even though I think Pacioretty is a great player, I really want to see as many young Marlies on the Leafs as possible. 

Just an aside on another thread, Tavares is right now talking to Dubas, Bab's and Shanny, if these guys can't sell snow to Eskimo's, then who can?  It may not just be show me the money, he wants to win and if he wins in Toronto then his name is engraved in gold forever and he gets a permanent place on legends row.

 

[mr grieves]

So with all the talk re: Tavares...what's everyone's plan B? Given that the odds are still pretty good he doesn't come here, are their UFA's out there to look seriously at besides him? If he doesn't sign do Bozak or JVR become guys you look to bring back? Are there trades you consider you wouldn't elsewise?

My personal plan-B would be to move Nylander to the 3C spot and look into what it would cost to bring in a guy like Wayne Simmonds or Nino Niederreiter, both of whom are rumoured to be available.

Something like this, I think. Try to use of the cap space to take a few crappy contracts (Ennis, whatever's bad in WPG) in exchange for useful players (Niderreiter) or assets that might be packaged for a defenseman at some point.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen/status/1011425116129931264

Nick Shore and either Anthony Duclair or Tobias Rieder would be pretty decent pick-ups to revamp our 4th line.

 

[rdowdall]

So with all the talk re: Tavares...what's everyone's plan B? Given that the odds are still pretty good he doesn't come here, are their UFA's out there to look seriously at besides him? If he doesn't sign do Bozak or JVR become guys you look to bring back? Are there trades you consider you wouldn't elsewise?

I would like to see Riley Nash and Calvin de Haan.  I think that de Haan is the type of dman that can make the Leafs better.  If he isn't available, I would see what it would take to get Tanev. 

 

[bustaheims]

Nick Shore and either Anthony Duclair or Tobias Rieder would be pretty decent pick-ups to revamp our 4th line.

Pouliot could also be a decent depth pick up for the blue line.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Pouliot could also be a decent depth pick up for the blue line.

If he was a righty, maybe. But with Rielly-Gardiner-Dermott already here and Borgman, Rosen, and Marincin as depth there's probably no room for another LD.

 

[Coco-puffs]

Pouliot could also be a decent depth pick up for the blue line.

If he was a righty, maybe. But with Rielly-Gardiner-Dermott already here and Borgman, Rosen, and Marincin as depth there's probably no room for another LD.

Pouliot might be better than all of our depth guys on the left side though.  Dubas has been inquiring with Gardiner's agent about an extension.  If they seem far apart, I highly doubt Gardiner stays with the Leafs this season, which opens up a spot on the left side. 

 

[princedpw]

As for plan B, what about Stastny?  I imagine he will be very tempted to stick with Winnepeg as he had a fun run with them and was performing well there.

I doubt that offering Tavares a 1-year max $15.9 mill contract will have much effect because one would have to compare that with the risk-reward vs the reported $88 mill contract offer from the Islanders.  I wonder, however, if something like that would be more tempting for Stastny.  I often hear (on blogs and the like ... all purely speculation) of Stastny looking in the $6/year for 3 years territory.  Offering the guy a 2.5x his yearly rate; roughly 80% of what he might make over 3 years might be tempting.  And the leafs are one of the only teams that could do it.  It would be (sort of) like a Marleau++ contract.

Of course, there many negative consequences for such a gambit in the longer term.  For instance, Nylander, Matthews and Marner might say "hey -- if you are giving that 2nd rate newcomer that much money then surely you can give me X" and it might piss them off.  It might piss of Kadri and make him feel exploited on his paltry 4.5/year deal.

Just a thought.

I am hoping for Tavares of course.  But it seems so unlikely ...

 

[Zee]

All due respects to the older, crappier Paul Statsny, but I wouldn't want the Leafs to commit any sort of term to him.  If you can get Statsny for 2 years I say sure, but that'll never happen.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I thought that this was a good explanation for why we shouldn't be in on Stastny even though we're in on Tavares:

https://twitter.com/JeffVeillette/status/1011272865566650368
https://twitter.com/JeffVeillette/status/1011273891505950726

Tampa's another team like this. They might be in on Tavares but I can pretty much guarantee you they have absolutely no interest in Stastny.

 

[princedpw]

All due respects to the older, crappier Paul Statsny, but I wouldn't want the Leafs to commit any sort of term to him.  If you can get Statsny for 2 years I say sure, but that'll never happen.

... what about the idea of the max offer for 1 year?  That offer is likely more than what Statsny would get if he were to sign a 2-year contract and I can imagine it having some appeal.

 

[princedpw]

I thought that this was a good explanation for why we shouldn't be in on Stastny even though we're in on Tavares:

https://twitter.com/JeffVeillette/status/1011272865566650368
https://twitter.com/JeffVeillette/status/1011273891505950726

Tampa's another team like this. They might be in on Tavares but I can pretty much guarantee you they have absolutely no interest in Stastny.

To me, these sound like arguments about why Toronto *would* be interested.  At center, after Matthews and Kadri, Toronto really only has guys they'd prefer to play on the wing (Marleau, Nylander) and AHLers (but not even that many of them!).

The reason that Toronto would be interested is that they are in desperate need of centers and they have the luxury of near-infinite cap room this year (and this year only).

 

[bustaheims]

The reason that Toronto would be interested is that they are in desperate need of centers and they have the luxury of near-infinite cap room this year (and this year only).

They'd still be smarter spending their money on cheaper Cs on short contracts. Stastny is going to require an expensive long-term deal, and he's not likely to contribute enough to be worth the future cap issues that could cause.