bustaheims said:
While I appreciate your enthusiasm, there's no way Nashville makes that deal. Trading Weber is a franchise changing move for them, and that's not enough to entire them (and, if Weber is available, that wouldn't be the best offer out there, either). I don't think Florida trade Gudbranson for that package, either.
Hey bustaheims,
Getting another break here from responsibilities to expound my methods of madness on the 5 players I suggested:
The players I usually pick to get for the Leafs are usually not realistic but embody what I think is needed. So the players I suggest break down in my mind this way:
Weber - after watching few Nashville games I noticed that, like Phaneuf, Weber makes some bad passes, sometimes pinches when he shouldn't, sometimes gets skated around on a rush from a speedy forward and has a rocket of a shot that sometimes misses the net. Weber is going to make a staggering $53 MIL the next 4 years compared to Phaneuf's $28 MIL. So why to I doggedly suggest him? Like everyone else here I would love the Leafs to have a big 6'4" dman that can play against other teams top players, have decent mobility and score goals. Can a 'Shea Weber' be developed in the Leafs system? I don't know. He not only was not the top dman drafted his draft year, he wasn't even Nashville's 1st dman drafted his draft year. He was Nashville's 3rd dman drafted.
Will the Leafs 3rd dman drafted this year become a 'Shea Weber'? Don't know. Boston's franchise players Chara 3rd RD NYI, Rask 21st overall TOR, Lucic late 2nd RD 2006 are all way outside the top 10 picks in the draft and only one is a Boston draft pick. Shea Weber would change the attitude and culture on the Leafs D corps enough that including Phaneuf in the trade would hurt but would make sense. Phaneuf and Lupul for Shea Weber??
****chance to get 'the' Shea Weber - unrealistic but that is the kind of player I want...like everyone else****
Gudbranson - another stereotype for me that if a different player fit it I would happily switch to the other player. Big, smooth skating, tough but not looking for fights and has a rocket of a shot. ****chance to get Erik Gudbranson - unrealistic but that is the kind of player I want****
E Kane - fast, hits, great shot and can fight middleweights if forced to BUT has had problems on and off the ice with coaches and fans. ****chance to get Evander Kane - realistic if he is what the Leafs need for the price asked by Winnipeg****
Bortuzzo - another stereotype for me that if a different player fit it I would happily switch to the other player. Big, tough and can fight to protect his team mates if needed. ****chance to get Rob Bortuzzo - realistic since with a healthy d corps this week Pittsburgh scratched Bortuzzo and Engelland but if Pittsburgh doesn't include him in their top 6 you realize he is more comparable to Mark Fraser than Shea Weber****
UFA goalie - $.9 - $1 MIL will snag a good one.
Anyway, that is why my trades are unfortunately ludicrous. As you guys graciously comment on them I try to think of other ways to make them happen.