mr grieves
Well-known member
I'd take a chance on Skinner and try to sign Burns as a 5/6 PP-specialist.
Armchair GM Thread 2025/26
- Thread starter herman
- Start date
I'd take a chance on Skinner and try to sign Burns as a 5/6 PP-specialist.
OldTimeHockey
Well-known member
Samsonov as a #3 goalie?
L K
Well-known member
Scratch Appleton off the list. 2 years in Detroit at 2.9M AAV. And Suter to the Blues for 2 years @ 4M
Appleton at $2.9mil would have been a little intriguing but Suter on that deal feels like a downright steal for St. Louis. I fully expected him to be one of most overpaid players this free agency considering the lack of centres but that's maybe the best contract signed so far. He's not a perfect player but I'm kind of baffled at this deal. I'd have done this and probably even offered him a 3rd year.
dappleganger
Well-known member
Yeah, not the most perfect player but I would have taken Pius on that deal.
I think Jack Roslovic is maybe the only viable center option left unsigned.
No lie was literally looking through Kunin's stats to see if he's be a fit here right before I saw this tweet. Wouldn't be the worst 4C option or 4RW if Laughton stays there.
Barf
dappleganger
Well-known member
Ok, fellas. Any chance the Leafs could pry Shane Wright out of Seattle? Something along the lines of Wright for Robertson, Danford and 2027 2nd round pick?
I doubt they'd be keen to move Wright but there has been some friction there in the past.
Thoughts?
I doubt they'd be keen to move Wright but there has been some friction there in the past.
Thoughts?
A couple of player swaps that I think make some degree of sense for both teams involved: Kampf to Vancouver for Dakota Joshua and McMann to Chicago for Tyler Bertuzzi.
Joshua's name is floating around as a trade option as he's coming off a down season and is likely going to be stuck on Vancouver's 4th line which will be too expensive for them. Vancouver also desperately needs to add a centre, particularly a penalty killing centre, after losing Suter. Joshua is 29 years old, Kampf 30. Joshua has 3 years left on his deal with a $3.25mil AAV, while Kampf of course has 2 years left at a $2.4mil AAV (which doesn't have nearly as much actual $$$ left). Joshua had 7 goals and 14 points in 57 games last season, Kampf had 5 goals and 13 points in 59 games. Joshua lost his role on Vancouver with the addition of Kieffer Sherwood, Kampf lost his with the Laughton trade. Joshua of course has the big edge in physicality, while Kampf has the edge in defensive play.
Bertuzzi's stat line looked fine with Chicago last season: 23 goals and 46 points in 82 games, but by most accounts he was underwhelming and didn't really find a good fit in Chicago's line-up. That actually led to some speculation about whether they would decide to buy him out this offseason. I highly doubt that was actually considered as it wouldn't make any sense for where they are as a team right now but it's led to further speculation that they could be looking for dump his contract. McMann gives them a suitable replacement for a fraction of the cost that they could either look to flip at the deadline or re-sign long-term. I thought about a Bertuzzi for Domi swap instead, as I've long wondered if it made sense for both teams to go after the other player in free agency last year instead, but kept Domi for now in the hopes that he can have a bounce back season in a more clearly defined role.
Throw Robertson in one of these deals as a sweetener where needed.
Bertuzzi-Matthews-Domi
Knies-Tavares-Nylander
Maccelli-Roy-Joshua
Lorentz-Laughton-Jarnkrok
Pezzetta
Rielly-Carlo
McCabe-Tanev
Benoit-OEL
Myers
Stolarz
Woll
That's a deep 22-man roster with lots of line-up flexibility and just over $1mil in cap space. Moving Jarnkrok of course still an option if more cap space is required.
Joshua's name is floating around as a trade option as he's coming off a down season and is likely going to be stuck on Vancouver's 4th line which will be too expensive for them. Vancouver also desperately needs to add a centre, particularly a penalty killing centre, after losing Suter. Joshua is 29 years old, Kampf 30. Joshua has 3 years left on his deal with a $3.25mil AAV, while Kampf of course has 2 years left at a $2.4mil AAV (which doesn't have nearly as much actual $$$ left). Joshua had 7 goals and 14 points in 57 games last season, Kampf had 5 goals and 13 points in 59 games. Joshua lost his role on Vancouver with the addition of Kieffer Sherwood, Kampf lost his with the Laughton trade. Joshua of course has the big edge in physicality, while Kampf has the edge in defensive play.
Bertuzzi's stat line looked fine with Chicago last season: 23 goals and 46 points in 82 games, but by most accounts he was underwhelming and didn't really find a good fit in Chicago's line-up. That actually led to some speculation about whether they would decide to buy him out this offseason. I highly doubt that was actually considered as it wouldn't make any sense for where they are as a team right now but it's led to further speculation that they could be looking for dump his contract. McMann gives them a suitable replacement for a fraction of the cost that they could either look to flip at the deadline or re-sign long-term. I thought about a Bertuzzi for Domi swap instead, as I've long wondered if it made sense for both teams to go after the other player in free agency last year instead, but kept Domi for now in the hopes that he can have a bounce back season in a more clearly defined role.
Throw Robertson in one of these deals as a sweetener where needed.
Bertuzzi-Matthews-Domi
Knies-Tavares-Nylander
Maccelli-Roy-Joshua
Lorentz-Laughton-Jarnkrok
Pezzetta
Rielly-Carlo
McCabe-Tanev
Benoit-OEL
Myers
Stolarz
Woll
That's a deep 22-man roster with lots of line-up flexibility and just over $1mil in cap space. Moving Jarnkrok of course still an option if more cap space is required.
Last edited:
WhatIfGodWasALeaf
Well-known member
I really don't want to see Jarnkrok again, he is so beige.
Nick Schmaltz (1 year remaining, $5.85mil AAV with notably a $7mil salary this season), Jaden Schwartz (1 year remaining, $5.5mil AAV, Berube connection), and Jared McCann (2 years remaining, $5.5mil AAV) all feel like the most realistic top-6 candidates to acquire via trade for this season.
I think it may take until a month or two into the season for them to really shake loose though (once Seattle and Utah realize they should probably be tanking for McKenna).
bustaheims
Well-known member
We have a Dumba is Carlo. Dumba’s offensive game has evaporated
OldTimeHockey
Well-known member
I know we like to rip on Rielly but is he really that overpaid at 7.5 million? Especially with the rising cap? He's a 40pt + guy. He's serviceable on the power play. He can play just about any situation. He may leave a little to be desired speed wise but I don't think he's near as bad as people say. The contract will be scary in the last year or two, but I don't know that I'm as down on him as everyone else.
bustaheims
Well-known member
He’s also the only reliable puck mover on the blue line. He’s not a #1 D, but he’s a very reasonable #2. The Leafs need more of what he brings, not less.
I'm willing to give Rielly a chance for a bounce back season. Brand new coach who obviously played a style of play that Rielly isn't used to and before Carlo arrived he bounced between all kinds of defence partners that weren't really the optimal fits (Myers, off-side OEL, Tanev in usage Mo shouldn't really be in, Timmins). I really hope the team can find a system on the PP that makes sense for someone like him. Rielly's had success on the PP before and he'd hardly be the only QB on the league who doesn't have a booming shot.
But also if a trade opportunity came up that made sense it should also be explored, he's not exactly untouchable either.
herman
Well-known member
More puck moving defense enables depth lines to produce better, especially when those depth lines don't have their own consistent transition/possession driver.
OldTimeHockey
Well-known member
I'm not saying don't trade him if a reasonable offer came around. I don't know who's really untouchable on this roster (other than Matthews I suppose).
You're correct on the pairings he had prior to Carlo showed up didn't really work. But I think it's indicative of the player he was paired with and not really Rielly himself. OEL isn't the most defensive responsible players in the league. Tanev, although really good at blocking shots and a warrior, is a bit of a yard sale on the back end. As for the booming shot, if you're playing the umbrella, a booming shot from the top is not what you're looking for. In fact, I'd say if you're shooting from there, your powerplay is hooped.
herman
Well-known member
Rielly's weakness at the top of the umbrella is his decision-making speed; he's too slow slinging the puck back to a dangerous option. I think Rielly is quite dangerous coming down hill (esp weakside), which is probably not the ideal situation from the top of the umbrella down the middle as the last man back.
A heavy shot up top, while not the ideal attack option, might get PKs to really have to stretch out to cover it, rather than just sagging back to close off Matthews/Nylander. We really just need someone who can either whip it to the half wall, or sling it on net for Knies/Tavares to crash.
bustaheims
Well-known member
Also helps break up the opposition forecheck. Getting the puck out of the defensive zone quickly and effectively is a vitally important skillset for a contending team.