Treliving trading Bennett away right before reaching his prime for a 2nd rounder and then signing him to an exorbitant contract as he enters his 30s would be peak... something.
Armchair GM Thread 2025/26
- Thread starter herman
- Start date
There is a story going around that MM will not consider any other CDN teams. Don't know if it is true or why it would be the case.
Ehlers is a UFA and he wants more ice time than Winnipeg allows him. He feels that this limits his point totals and therefore his contract value. If MM does leave as expected, Ehlers would be a very good replacement for the lost offence.
dappleganger
Well-known member
If the Leafs were able to have Matthews - Tavares - Bennett as their 3 centers next season, that would be good.
ZBBM
Well-known member
Good to see you posting here again.
herman
Well-known member
He was traded away because the coaches never utilized him with actual players, the Seattle expansion draft was coming up while they had Gaudreau, Lindholm, Tkachuk, Mangiapane, Monahan, Backlund, and apparently Dillon Dube (oof) as well. Bennett made a trade request year prior to the trade to Florida.
I think he should take a 7Mx3 (to align with Matthews' timeline) and then just be the next Corey Perry and merc himself out to contenders until he's retired.
bustaheims
Well-known member
With what assets? More future picks? Cowan? The Leafs don't have a ton of ammo for big deals.
The ship might have sailed on this since the cap is rising so much now but trying to find diamonds in the rough among contracts other teams deem too high would probably be it. Can't turn back time but Jake Walman, a Toronto born 6'1", 218 lbs puck moving defenceman, was traded WITH a 2nd round draft pick from Detroit to San Jose for nothing last June. Easily one of the most puzzling deals in recent memory.
I wonder if Knies and/or Cowan for an older center…
GhostofPotvin29
Active member
Gotta say I would have preferred the trade Edmonton made for Walman over the one the Leafs made for Carlo.
bustaheims
Well-known member
No thank you. No more mortgaging the future for short-term bandaids, please.
herman
Well-known member
I'd do it only if LAK or SJS are stupid enough to trade us Byfield/Celebrini
bustaheims
Well-known member
I wouldn't for Byfield (Knies already looks like the better player and I'm not moving Cowan for anything but a really big swing), but I agree on Celebrini.
I'm not sure you would need both hands to count the number of players San Jose would trade Celebrini for straight up.
herman
Well-known member
M-m-atthews?
That's probably it. And... I would consider it. But if they just want, Cowan, that'd be cool.
L K
Well-known member
Not that I'm advocating for doing it, but would it honestly be the worst thing? Our prospect pool is abysmal. Cowan should make the NHL and likely be a decent player but is probably more a middle 6 version of Marner if he pans out. After that it's.....Ben Danford hitting the NHL in 2028?
If the post Marner iteration of the Maple Leafs is the team overpaying Knies on a bridge deal (I think the 7+ million rumours on a 3 year deal are atrocious) and Matthews continuing to have mystery illnesses that we never find out about where he's a 14 million dollar version of Kopitar who cares. We have no draft picks over the next few years. If this team can rebound from losing a Hall of Fame calibre player for nothing...awesome but keeping Cowan still leaves the Leafs with nothing for the future. Trading him just leaves us with marginally less nothing and something to help for now.
We are going to have a massive hard times rebuild on our hands if the Leafs can't adapt this offseason.
I feel like it is way too late to take this perspective. We needed this perspective 3-5 years ago.
I think folks underestimate how long it takes for a draft pick to turn into a functional player.
A mid-20s 1st rounder chosen next year needs absolute minimum 2 years to make it to the NHL (but often 3). Then their first year in the NHL, they are often more-or-less replacement level. Then in year 2, they are becoming useful and year 3, better yet. ie:
26: picked
28: optimistically playing in the NHL
29: 2nd year in the NHL
30: 3rd year in the NHL (actually giving some value)
Tanev, OEL and Mccabe are starting to be albatross contracts part-way through that timeline.
Reilly has declined and looking more albtrossy.
If Tavares is signed to a long-term deal, he's an albtross (unless he's drinking on Robidas Island).
Matthews and Nylander are probably on the downside and may no longer be top-10 forwards.
If we treasured draft picks, we wouldn't have traded a 1st for a 4th-liner in Laughton or given picks like candy for 6-7 Dmen over the last n years. Its just too late to be conservative.
If you are saying "hold on to the picks for the trade deadline" well then maybe ...
Draft, Shmaft.
bustaheims
Well-known member
The Leafs need players who don't cost much against the cap and can contribute now. That's what Cowan hopefully is. Trading him for another expensive veteran doesn't help address the depth issue that keeps sinking the Leafs' every spring.
As for trading picks, if the Leafs really are on the downswing, then we're risking trading opportunities to add quality pieces to help them come out stronger on the other side. They already have no 1st rounders until 2028. Can only mortgage the future for so long before it become a hole that takes even longer to dig out of.
Frank E
Well-known member
Just to add to this, even if you pick in the first round of 2028 and 2029, those guys won't likely contribute to the big club until like 2030 - 2031...that's 5-6 years away.