Trading Franson and then resign?

[azzurri63]

The Price for Franson?
According to Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun, the Toronto Maple Leafs are looking for a second-round pick in exchange for defenceman Cody Franson.
Franson, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, has six goals and 23 assists in 49 games with the Leafs this season.
Franson will turn 27 this August

If the return for Franson is a late 2nd round pick, then I'd be tempted to keep him and try and trade Phaneuf instead.

If that's all they're asking that's ridiculous. I've never been high on draft picks especially late first or second rounders. Draft is a crap shoot. Mid to late 2nd rounder for Cody is a waste. I totally agree with you.

 

[Chev-boyar-sky]

The Price for Franson?
According to Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun, the Toronto Maple Leafs are looking for a second-round pick in exchange for defenceman Cody Franson.
Franson, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, has six goals and 23 assists in 49 games with the Leafs this season.
Franson will turn 27 this August

If the return for Franson is a late 2nd round pick, then I'd be tempted to keep him and try and trade Phaneuf instead.

If that were actually the price, I'd imagine he'd already be gone.

He's on a cap friendly deal for a playoff team (ie lots of teams could afford to add him for a playoff run).

I'd imagine the Leafs are looking to trade him to a team that wants to re-sign him, who will therefore pay max value for him.

I'm guessing that's a 1st and a 3rd which has conditions of becoming a 2nd if he re-signs.

 

[bustaheims]

That god Lance Hornby is like the 9th most reliable person in the unreliable Toronto media.

And that's probably being generous. Baseline for a Franson trade is last year's MacDonald trade - 2nd round pick + 3rd round pick + depth prospect/AHLer on expiring contract.

 

[Kin]

Mid to late 2nd rounder for Cody is a waste.

How is it a waste if that's all teams are offering? The overwhelming likelihood is that the Leafs won't be able to re-sign him so what are they wasting? Him playing a final 20 games where whatever good things there are about Franson's being on the team are counter-productive to the placement of their final draft pick?

 

[Joe S.]

They are saying Franson for a 2nd rounder, I think we deserve a 1st for a huge offensive, defensivly responsible D man.  Seems like Cody could really help a team like the Penquins go for the cup. What do ya all think?

Defensively responsible? 

 

[Kin]

An interesting team to target might be the Bruins. They have a mediocre power-play, a little bit of cap space and some interesting assets if nobody is offering a first round pick(Philly's 2nd, for instance).

 

[Bullfrog]

That makes some sense. A pick in the 35-40 range would be a good starting point. Add in a 3rd rounder and it's a close to the mark I think.

 

[Peter D.]

If that's all they're asking that's ridiculous. I've never been high on draft picks especially late first or second rounders. Draft is a crap shoot. Mid to late 2nd rounder for Cody is a waste. I totally agree with you.

I don't agree with you on your draft picks viewpoint, but I respect it.  However, this seems like an extremely simple mindset that completely ignores the other factors surrounding such a situation.

 

[Can8899]

If I'm the Leafs, given that there aren't too many d-men available just yet I would be holding out for at least a 1st Rounder from someone willing to overspend to get a jump on the competition.  If we don't get a 1st, we wait until closer to the deadline and hope a bidding war breaks out and we can possibly get a deal like the Macdonald deal from last year.

I don't see a Thomas Vanek situation here as defence is always valued this time of year so I don't see us overplaying our hand.

 

[Kin]

If we don't get a 1st, we wait until closer to the deadline and hope a bidding war breaks out and we can possibly get a deal like the Macdonald deal from last year.

The Macdonald deal was a mid 3rd rounder(that ended up being 78th overall), a second rounder in the next season's draft(whose value is therefore pretty hard to peg) and a 24 year old who had bounced between the ECHL and AHL.

If someone's offering a good 2nd rounder in this year's draft, I think that's more valuable than what the Islanders got.

 

[slapshot]

In all seriousness, its a nice way to accumulate assets - i'm surprised it doesn't happen more often.  Given the severe mismanagement of assets this franchise has endured over the past decade, this would be ok in my books (esp if Franson is in your plans for the future).

I think you're maybe underestimating what it means for a player to have an expiring contract. Even if a team goes to a player like Franson and lays out their trade and re-sign plan they're still telling him that while they think he's valuable, they don't think he's so valuable that they wouldn't risk losing him for whatever he could return in a trade. At that point, I think it's pretty understandable for a player to wonder if that situation is really the best one for him.

well obviously...there is risk on both sides...it all depends on how it is sold to the player?

Nonis:  Hey Franson we want to offer you $X by X years...we think you are an important part of our future.

Franson - Yes I like that deal.  I bleed blue and white.

Nonis - But as you know...this team sucks garbage.  We need more assets...how would you like to get a shot at a few playoff rounds while we get a few assets back in return for you.  This offer is waiting for you on July 1.  Hopefully by then we would have made the moves and drafted players where you find coming back here more palatable, and help you to succeed here when you return.  And obviously, we are taking a risk here as well since if you do well in the playoffs, its likely you will  get a better offer on July 1...all that we ask is give us a chance to match, just like we would ordinarily.  We value you...blah blah blah...

In all seriousness, if he's going to get "hurt" by that...he probably can't survive in a market like Toronto to begin with.  Its business.  I don't see Franson as one of those types.  Worse come worse, we got assets for the expiring contract regardless.

We don't just get assets, we also get cap space. Kaberle brought a late first rounder and a second rounder a few years back, albeit a weaker draft. If they could get a late first rounder for Franson, that's probably enough. His $5 million plus can be spent somewhere else.