Leafs free agent options look slim to none

[Redleaf]

In terms of improvement, I am wondering if the Leafs can swing a deal, a two for one package in return for a better player. Part of the package could be Reimer and either Gunner for Franson to find another legitimate top four defenseman to go with Gardiner, Rielly and Phaneuf.

Why not just try and trade up with Florida for their 2nd (Ekblad)?

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

The guys I'm more interested in on defense would be:

Niskanen, Boyle (2 year deal), Gilbert, Mitchell (2 year deal), Stralman, Robidas

Gilbert's who I want.  They should have gone after him after last season.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Brooks Orpik?

*bangs head against wall*

Hainsey, Stralman, Robidas, or Fayne for me.

 

[gunnar36]

4 or 5 years ago, maybe, but, he's starting to get up there in age for that type of defenceman, and the injuries are starting to slow him down and reduce his effectiveness. He's a mistake contract waiting to happen.

Also, Franson desperately needs to go. He's slow and easily taken advantage of defensively, while Gunnarsson needs to stay. He's the type of defensive minded defenceman that actually fits in today's NHL.

Yeah sure, getting rid of Franson leaves us with all left hand shooting defenceman.  And why are you guys so hard on Franson anyway?  Sure, he is not our quickest dman but he is not Larry Murphy or Hal Gill slow.  Also, if we had a team where the forwards backchecked more effectively we wouldn't be talking about his speed at all.
  He is a big guy with sure hands and finished 2nd in hits in the league.  He gets his point shots thru better than anyone else on the team. Many teams would covet Franson on their blue line.

 

[bustaheims]

Yeah sure, getting rid of Franson leaves us with all left hand shooting defenceman.  And why are you guys so hard on Franson anyway?  Sure, he is not our quickest dman but he is not Larry Murphy or Hal Gill slow.  Also, if we had a team where the forwards backchecked more effectively we wouldn't be talking about his speed at all.
  He is a big guy with sure hands and finished 2nd in hits in the league.  He gets his point shots thru better than anyone else on the team. Many teams would covet Franson on their blue line.

It's not like there aren't plenty of other right-handed defence options around the league. Franson is a turnstile. He's a liability. Even if the forwards were better defensively, his defensive issues would be a problem. He's not a guy you can rely on for anything more than 3rd pairing minutes with PP time, and he's going to get paid way too much for that. And, he's awfully close to being Hall Gill slow. Mobility is key in the league today, and Franson is not mobile at all. If other teams covet him, then great, the Leafs will get a nice return for trading him. His puck skills just don't come anywhere close to outpacing his defensive issues, nor does his physicality. He's not the type of player winning teams pay a lot of money to have on their roster.

 

[caver]

Speed kills... the days of the slow defencemen are ending. Even Chara was exposed lately after he lost a step. Players like Detroit's Nyquist can't be stopped one on one by a guy like Gleason.   

 

[gunnar36]

Yeah sure, getting rid of Franson leaves us with all left hand shooting defenceman.  And why are you guys so hard on Franson anyway?  Sure, he is not our quickest dman but he is not Larry Murphy or Hal Gill slow.  Also, if we had a team where the forwards backchecked more effectively we wouldn't be talking about his speed at all.
  He is a big guy with sure hands and finished 2nd in hits in the league.  He gets his point shots thru better than anyone else on the team. Many teams would covet Franson on their blue line.

It's not like there aren't plenty of other right-handed defence options around the league. Franson is a turnstile. He's a liability. Even if the forwards were better defensively, his defensive issues would be a problem. He's not a guy you can rely on for anything more than 3rd pairing minutes with PP time, and he's going to get paid way too much for that. And, he's awfully close to being Hall Gill slow. Mobility is key in the league today, and Franson is not mobile at all. If other teams covet him, then great, the Leafs will get a nice return for trading him. His puck skills just don't come anywhere close to outpacing his defensive issues, nor does his physicality. He's not the type of player winning teams pay a lot of money to have on their roster.

Don't agree with your assessment and Franson could easily be a key piece on a winning team.

 

[bustaheims]

Don't agree with your assessment and Franson could easily be a key piece on a winning team.

Well, I sure hope a few GMs around the NHL agree with you, so the Leafs can get them to significantly overpay for him.

 

[TML fan]

They should be looking at Mason Raymond-type options only. If Clarkson has taught us anything, it's that big name free agents suck. The only guy I was interested in was Moulson but he's got flame-out written all over him.

 

[Highlander]

Franson and Gleason out, Gunnerson out in a package trade for something we need. Change the coach and keep Reimer.  Let go of Bolland, Orr, Raymond put Clarkson on the 4th line, hire a new coach. Bring up Percy and Granburg, Leivo and Broll amongst others.  Plan parade and take two aspirin in the morning.  Oh and get a first line Centre.

 

[93forever]

The Leafs are and have been to misusing UFAs for a long time.  The UFAs that are signed are over paid and under productive and do not enhance team chemistry.  Raymond was way more productive and paid a lot less than Clarkson, but Raymond is most likely gone while Clarkson will still be in the lineup next season. I know the situation for both players, but still... 
 
I know it is extremely difficult for a GM to put a price tag on any player but at some point the GM has to walk away from the table if the price is getting too steep.  The Leafs always seem to spend close to the cap then have very little space to make additional moves so that needs to be addressed.

 

[Jolly good show chaps]

Would it be worth signing a couple of mid/mid-upper tier UFAs to one year deals so we can trade them for picks at the deadline? Obviously assuming they would take 1 year deals without no trade clauses.