Official Armchair GM Thread 2014-2015 Leafs

[mr grieves]

Agree that it's unlikely that some of the players being mentioned would be traded for Kessel, especially if they are already making an impact in the NHL. But for someone who is still 18 or 19 and years away from having the impact of a Kessel right now, even a top-5 type (which Kessel was), it could happen.

18-19-year-old top 5 prospects were drafted by teams that finished at the bottom of the league in the last two years. Those aren't the teams that would want Kessel, need that sort of impact "right now." They're terrible too, and waiting to get better.

 

[TML fan]

With all the young guys coming up, it will be good to have a lightning rod for all the criticism and hostility that will be directed towards this team. Might help to make it easier on the young players when everyone is blaming Kessel for everything. I'd keep him around.

 

[Rebel_1812]

With all the young guys coming up, it will be good to have a lightning rod for all the criticism and hostility that will be directed towards this team. Might help to make it easier on the young players when everyone is blaming Kessel for everything. I'd keep him around.

People blame phaneuf more then kessel.  So why not keep him then?

 

[TML fan]

With all the young guys coming up, it will be good to have a lightning rod for all the criticism and hostility that will be directed towards this team. Might help to make it easier on the young players when everyone is blaming Kessel for everything. I'd keep him around.

People blame phaneuf more then kessel.  So why not keep him then?

Maybe they should?

 

[moon111]

You're never getting rid of Clarkson.  Bye bye Phaneuf and Kessel.

 

[Rebel_1812]

With all the young guys coming up, it will be good to have a lightning rod for all the criticism and hostility that will be directed towards this team. Might help to make it easier on the young players when everyone is blaming Kessel for everything. I'd keep him around.

People blame phaneuf more then kessel.  So why not keep him then?

Maybe they should?

Should they?

 

[TML fan]

With all the young guys coming up, it will be good to have a lightning rod for all the criticism and hostility that will be directed towards this team. Might help to make it easier on the young players when everyone is blaming Kessel for everything. I'd keep him around.

People blame phaneuf more then kessel.  So why not keep him then?

Maybe they should?

Should they?

You tell me

 

[Rebel_1812]

With all the young guys coming up, it will be good to have a lightning rod for all the criticism and hostility that will be directed towards this team. Might help to make it easier on the young players when everyone is blaming Kessel for everything. I'd keep him around.

People blame phaneuf more then kessel.  So why not keep him then?

Maybe they should?

Should they?

You tell me

no you

 

[TML fan]

With all the young guys coming up, it will be good to have a lightning rod for all the criticism and hostility that will be directed towards this team. Might help to make it easier on the young players when everyone is blaming Kessel for everything. I'd keep him around.

People blame phaneuf more then kessel.  So why not keep him then?

Maybe they should?

Should they?

You tell me

no you

How can you slap?

 

[Rebel_1812]

With all the young guys coming up, it will be good to have a lightning rod for all the criticism and hostility that will be directed towards this team. Might help to make it easier on the young players when everyone is blaming Kessel for everything. I'd keep him around.

People blame phaneuf more then kessel.  So why not keep him then?

Maybe they should?

Should they?

You tell me

no you

How can you slap?

what is the sound of one hand clapping ?

 

[Britishbulldog]

Phaneuf for Richards and LA's 1st.

Franson and Winnik for Klingberg

Kessel out depending on the return (I'd love Strome and Reinhart)

Tank out for another few seasons (who knows maybe have some unexpected success) until Richards/Clarkson are mercifully off the team.

Future team consisting of Rielly, Nylander, Strome, Reinhart, this year's 1st and LA's 1st (most likely top 15), Kane, JVR, Klingberg, Kadri too if we decide to keep him around and see if/when he develops.

That's 3 potential top 3 D-men and 6 potential top 6 forwards all under 30 (most under 25) acquired just this season. Continue signing Raymond/Santorelli type players to move out each deadline for picks.

Count on a couple high picks the next 2 seasons, some cap space freeing up for UFA's and the team could be turned around in pretty short order.

The big problem was that when they made the trade for Kessel, they didn't have any of those other players on the roster or in the system. Maybe they thought they'd picked one the previous year (Kadri). In any event, they had to trade the picks that could have provided those supporting/complementary players (ahem Seguin) to get Kessel. Wrong trade at the wrong time.

So now...assuming Kessel isn't traded before the deadline, say the Leafs win the lottery. Does the team then decide to keep Kessel and try pairing him with McDavid? Is McDavid the kind of player that can really elevate a team (I've never seen him play), and can he get to that point quickly enough that it is worth holding onto Kessel? Or do people just feel that we need to clear out everything (Kessel, Phaneuf, Bozak, JVR etc) and start as fresh as possible?

Finally have most of my driveway shoveled out and had time to think of the next mad trade scheme.

The more that I have thought of the Kessel trade that Chevy suggested the more I think that it would be great for both teams.

I would look to do a blockbuster with Edmonton either before the deadline or after the end of the season:
Phaneuf $7.0, Clarkson $4.5 (retain $0.75) and Bozak $3.0 (retain $1.2) for oft injured Hall $6.0 and Purcell $4.5.  If it was done before the deadline then I would try to flip Purcell for a draft pick.

Deals I hope happen before the deadline:

- Kessel for Ryan Strome and Griffin Reinhart

- O Jokinen for a draft pick

- Winnik for a draft pick (5th team in 7 years - GREAT depth player but depth player none the less.  Love to have him back on 4th line LW)

- Ofcourse the EDM trade... although Hall seems as brittle as Lupul and E Kane which is I think is something to be concerned about.

If the Leafs draft 5th over all as expected it will probably be 6'3" center man Dylan Strome. 

Again I hope the Leafs keep Lupul as it would give the Leafs a veteran and lots of experienced youth mixed in.

Next year would look something like this:

Lupul / Kadri / Hall
JVR / Holland / R Strome
Leivo  / Komarov / Panik
(ufa) / ufa or Marlie / Kozun

Rielly / Robidas
Gardiner / Polak
Reinhart / Holzer (Granberg)

Bernier
Reimer

Dylan Strome to OHL and let him not be rushed like EDM has done to its high draft picks.

 

[LuncheonMeat]

If the Leafs draft 5th over all as expected it will probably be 6'3" center man Dylan Strome. 

Unfortunately, I think they're going to need the 4th pick to do that, but he's the guy I would really love to see in a Leaf uniform, other than the 3 guys before him. 

 

[rdowdall]

If the Leafs draft 5th over all as expected it will probably be 6'3" center man Dylan Strome. 

Unfortunately, I think they're going to need the 4th pick to do that, but he's the guy I would really love to see in a Leaf uniform, other than the 3 guys before him. 

I think there is an outside chance Strome is still there at 5th.  McDavid and Eichel are going 1 and 2.  Arizona may want Marner because of the London connection, and Carolina needs D, so they are probably all over Hannifin.  That leaves Strome at 5.  Of course this is contingent on the order staying the way it is.  If some team pushes the Leafs out to 6th, they probably aren't getting Strome.

 

[Crucialness Key]

So apparently the NYR have interest in Bozak and want to ditch Zuccarello who'll be a UFA.

Is this a scenario where we might craft a trade where "Leafs get extra draft picks if Zuccarello signs elsewhere, fewer if Zucc signs with Toronto" kind of thing?

 

[freer]

So apparently the NYR have interest in Bozak and want to ditch Zuccarello who'll be a UFA.

Is this a scenario where we might craft a trade where "Leafs get extra draft picks if Zuccarello signs elsewhere, fewer if Zucc signs with Toronto" kind of thing?

if we can get a late 1st or a 2nd why the heck not.

 

[Britishbulldog]

So apparently the NYR have interest in Bozak and want to ditch Zuccarello who'll be a UFA.

Is this a scenario where we might craft a trade where "Leafs get extra draft picks if Zuccarello signs elsewhere, fewer if Zucc signs with Toronto" kind of thing?

if we can get a late 1st or a 2nd why the heck not.

I think NYR does not have their 1st this year. I think it went to Tampa Bay in the Martin St Louis deal. 

 

[Britishbulldog]

Phi Kessel to the Blackhawks for a conditional 2015 2nd round draft pick and "future considerations". The pick becomes a 1st rounder if the Hawks make it to the 3rd round, which I'm betting that they would. The "future considerations" would of course be Phil once the playoffs are completed.

The Blackhawks get the absolute best Patrick Kane replacement that they can, and they won't have to worry about salary cap concerns afterward. I started with a 2nd round pick to make the risk very small on their part, but if they have playoff success with Phil they need to pay for it, which they likely wouldn't mind doing. Especially since if they make it to the 3rd round Kane would probably be ready to play as well and that would just be ridiculous for them.

The Leafs basically get a free 1st round draft pick, and without Kessel for the rest of the season their tank would go into overdrive. They can then trade Kessel for a real return in the offseason.

I know this all sounds crazy and 100% wouldn't actually happen, but I actually think it would be really beneficial for both sides.

That is exactly the kind of deal I was coming here to post.  I wish the Leafs could do it.

 

[bustaheims]

So apparently the NYR have interest in Bozak and want to ditch Zuccarello who'll be a UFA.

Is this a scenario where we might craft a trade where "Leafs get extra draft picks if Zuccarello signs elsewhere, fewer if Zucc signs with Toronto" kind of thing?

I think a trade involving Bozak and Zuccarello would likely be a 3-team deal (or, at least, work out to be one). I don't think the Leafs would be particularly interested in adding a pending UFA as the centrepiece of a deal, but, in a scenario where they can flip him somewhere else for picks/prospects or as part of a 3 team deal where they get picks/prospects, maybe.

 

[LuncheonMeat]

So apparently the NYR have interest in Bozak and want to ditch Zuccarello who'll be a UFA.

Is this a scenario where we might craft a trade where "Leafs get extra draft picks if Zuccarello signs elsewhere, fewer if Zucc signs with Toronto" kind of thing?

I think a trade involving Bozak and Zuccarello would likely be a 3-team deal (or, at least, work out to be one). I don't think the Leafs would be particularly interested in adding a pending UFA as the centrepiece of a deal, but, in a scenario where they can flip him somewhere else for picks/prospects or as part of a 3 team deal where they get picks/prospects, maybe.

This would be the ideal scenario, and there would certainly be takers for him.  I think he might be a good fit with Chicago given the Kane situation if there's a way to may the $$$ work.

I have a feeling NYR don't have a second round pick either.  Can anyone confirm that?

 

[Chev-boyar-sky]

Phi Kessel to the Blackhawks for a conditional 2015 2nd round draft pick and "future considerations". The pick becomes a 1st rounder if the Hawks make it to the 3rd round, which I'm betting that they would. The "future considerations" would of course be Phil once the playoffs are completed.

The Blackhawks get the absolute best Patrick Kane replacement that they can, and they won't have to worry about salary cap concerns afterward. I started with a 2nd round pick to make the risk very small on their part, but if they have playoff success with Phil they need to pay for it, which they likely wouldn't mind doing. Especially since if they make it to the 3rd round Kane would probably be ready to play as well and that would just be ridiculous for them.

The Leafs basically get a free 1st round draft pick, and without Kessel for the rest of the season their tank would go into overdrive. They can then trade Kessel for a real return in the offseason.

I know this all sounds crazy and 100% wouldn't actually happen, but I actually think it would be really beneficial for both sides.

That is exactly the kind of deal I was coming here to post.  I wish the Leafs could do it.

Is that even legal?

A pick to borrow a player for the playoffs?

If so, I wonder if the same kind of arrangement would interest the Rangers with Bernier...