UG is convincing me.

Then I picture Nylander lighting us up, with Karlsson on IR.

More simply, I picture Karlsson with another bad pinch, chasing Nylander and not nearly catching him, just before he scores.

Plans change especially if your direct rival is about to get their third #1 D and the Leafs are still looking for one.
- Unholy_Goalie

Wrong. Again.

When Tavares had his interview with the Leafs he had in-depth questions about the roster and player personnel. They told him exactly what they are going to do, and I'm willing to bet keeping Nylander was on that list - especially since Dubas has been talking about signing him and how they can make it work. Trading him would be a violation of Tavares' trust and is literally unthinkable.

Plans change especially if your direct rival is about to get their third #1 D and the Leafs are still looking for one.
- Unholy_Goalie

Toronto...
Can’t...
Afford...
Three...
$11M+...
Players...
+++.

Get...
That...
Through...
Your...
(frank)ing...
Head.

UG is convincing me.

Then I picture Nylander lighting us up, with Karlsson on IR.

More simply, I picture Karlsson with another bad pinch, chasing Nylander and not nearly catching him, just before he scores.
- Aetherial

As if Gardiner won't have bad pinches for the Senators? Or Nylander won't disappear without Matthews?

Karlsson makes mistakes but he has always scored more than he's given up. If you look at the stats, he's routinely on the ice for 100-130 goals for and 85-90 against. He's a big positive force.

Wrong. Again.

When Tavares had his interview with the Leafs he had in-depth questions about the roster and player personnel. They told him exactly what they are going to do, and I'm willing to bet keeping Nylander was on that list - especially since Dubas has been talking about signing him and how they can make it work. Trading him would be a violation of Tavares' trust and is literally unthinkable.
- TrashPanda

That was all nice and cute PR bullpoop but Nylander is not a more impact player than Karlsson. If the plan was to get rid of Nylander for no good reason, you might have a point. But Karlsson is a damn good reason. Tavares would get over it really quick. Violation of his trust. You truly are being incredibly dramatic. As if he'd be that disturbed by his team improving and adding an All-Star Norris winner on defense that anybody with half a (frank)ing brain can see the Leafs need to improve upon.

Toronto...
Can’t...
Afford...
Three...
$11M+...
Players...
+++.

Get...
That...
Through...
Your...
(frank)ing...
Head.
- As_I_See_It

Yes they can and I proved it. Check the numbers.

Yes they can and I proved it. Check the numbers.
- Unholy_Goalie

You haven’t proved anything. Your poop is baseless, as usual, and pure fantasy.

That was all nice and cute PR bullpoop but Nylander is not a more impact player than Karlsson. If the plan was to get rid of Nylander for no good reason, you might have a point. But Karlsson is a damn good reason. Tavares would get over it really quick.
- Unholy_Goalie

Seriously? "Pr bullpoop"?

It's a major error and would show every other UFA that the Leafs are a group of liars and can't be trusted. They would have problems signing any decent UFA for a decade at least, and would seriously tarnish the Leafs management team. This isn't the sort of reputation you want to build for yourself.

No, Tavares wouldn't. He would rightfully feel deceived, which isn't what you want from your star player who signed a team friendly contract because he was convinced/wanted to play here. This would be an embarrassment.

Karlsson is NOT coming to Toronto. Not only would Ottawa demand far too much to trade to us (even if they would consider it at all) he doesn't fit under the cap. Forget it and move on.

Yes they can and I proved it. Check the numbers.
- Unholy_Goalie

You proved nothing, reduced the offence and left six holes in the lineup. Get over it.

You haven’t proved anything. Your poop is baseless, as usual, and pure fantasy.
- As_I_See_It

Karlsson for Nylander, Gardiner and 2019 1st round pick.

Karlsson easily fits under the cap for 2018/2019 season.

Here's how he fits the next year.

2019/2020 - Salary Cap Ceiling - 82.46M (Assuming cap goes up 2.96M)

The salary cap this year is 79.5 million, up from 75 million in 2018, 73 million in 2017, 71.4 million in 2016, 69 million in 2015, 64.3 million in 2014. On average, the cap rises 2.96 million a year over the past 5 years. The lowest it has risen in the past 5 years is 1.6 million. The most it has risen is 4.5 million.

Marleau (6.5M) / Tavares (11M) / Marner (7.5M)
Hyman (2.25M) / Matthews (9.5M) / Kapanen (2.5M)
Johnsson (2.5M) / Kadri (4.5M) / Brown (2.1M)
UFA/ELC (750K) / UFA/ELC (750K) / UFA/ELC (750K)

Kessel: 1.2M (How (frank)ing stupid was that to retain salary?)

Rielly (5M) / Karlsson (10.5M)
Dermott (860K) / Zaitsev (4.5M)
UFA/ELC (1M) / UFA/ELC (1M)

Andersen (5M)
UFA (1M)

Total: 80.66M

Proven.

1.8M in space to spare. Matthews wants 10? Done. Marner wants 8? Still space. Karlsson wants 11? Get a slightly cheaper 6th D who will barely play anyway. All three of them want more money? Trade Hyman and replace him with a Marlie. Or Brown. Or Zaitsev. Or any other depth player that can be easily replaced.

There's half a dozen options they have to make it work and all of them make the Leafs stronger on defense, especially on the right side.

Seriously? "Pr bullpoop"?

It's a major error and would show every other UFA that the Leafs are a group of liars and can't be trusted. They would have problems signing any decent UFA for a decade at least, and would seriously tarnish the Leafs management team. This isn't the sort of reputation you want to build for yourself.

No, Tavares wouldn't. He would rightfully feel deceived, which isn't what you want from your star player who signed a team friendly contract because he was convinced/wanted to play here. This would be an embarrassment.

Karlsson is NOT coming to Toronto. Not only would Ottawa demand far too much to trade to us (even if they would consider it at all) he doesn't fit under the cap. Forget it and move on.
- TrashPanda

Nope. Moving Nylander for Karlsson doesn't make the team worse. Shouldn't be a factor for any future UFA or for Tavares that the Leafs are making the team better. This line of thinking is so incredibly wrong and naive. What happens if they lose in the 1st round next year? No trades are allowed because Nylander must stay at all costs or else Tavares will have a temper tantrum about what was promised to him?

If Tavares is here to win, any move that makes the team better won't be a problem with him and adding Karlsson makes the team better, not worse, even at the cost of Nylander.

Yes they can and I proved it. Check the numbers.
- Unholy_Goalie

Nope. Your numbers are wrong.

Nope. Moving for Nylander for Karlsson doesn't make the team worse. Shouldn't be a factor for any future UFA or for Tavares that the Leafs are making the team better. This line of thinking is so incredibly wrong and naive. What happens if they lose in the 1st round next year? No trades are allowed because Nylander must stay at all costs or else Tavares will have a temper tantrum about what was promised to him?

If Tavares is here to win, any move that makes the team better won't be a problem with him and adding Karlsson makes the team better, not worse, even at the cost of Nylander.
- Unholy_Goalie

Nope. Moving Nylander for Karlsson doesn't make the team worse. Shouldn't be a factor for any future UFA or for Tavares that the Leafs are making the team better. This line of thinking is so incredibly wrong and naive. What happens if they lose in the 1st round next year? No trades are allowed because Nylander must stay at all costs or else Tavares will have a temper tantrum about what was promised to him?

If Tavares is here to win, any move that makes the team better won't be a problem with him and adding Karlsson makes the team better, not worse, even at the cost of Nylander.
- Unholy_Goalie

what doesn't make the current worse is nylaner, zaitsev, 1st and liljegren for karlsson.

if we're going for it, let's go for it.

rielly - karlsson
garinder - hainsey
dermott - ug

new blog everyone

You proved nothing, reduced the offence and left six holes in the lineup. Get over it.
- TrashPanda

They just added Tavares. He'll bring the offense. The problem is the defense behind him. Having Nylander is a luxury, not a necessity. Having a legit top-pairing RHD is much more useful and more necessary than a RW.

What holes? The 4th line that won't play much anyway? The bottom pairing which can still be effective with ELCs like Dermott and eventually Liljegren in the future?

There are bigger holes now with garbage playing the right side.

what doesn't make the current worse is nylaner, zaitsev, 1st and liljegren for karlsson.

if we're going for it, let's go for it.

rielly - karlsson
garinder - hainsey
dermott - ug
- Tumbleweed

Then Gardiner walks after this year and you probably can't afford to re-sign him unless he takes what Zaitsev was making which is unlikely.

Gardiner is a very good skater on a team that is loaded for bear this year. The question is, what is he worth? He will command more than $5 mil a year being a d-man that scored 52 points last year. How far should the Leafs go in terms of $ and term. It will hard to trade him unless there is a significant d-man coming back, but re-signing will be an issue. There are warts - at 28 years old, he is what he is - not a likely scenerio that he miraculously becomes flawless in his own zone. My observation is that he seems to panick when he gets hit in his own zone. His decisions and risk taking are what makes that long term, high dollar contract that he will probably seek a very tough call. If the Leafs sign him now, the contract could be reasonable, if he has a great offensive season, say 60+ points - the price goes up - alot.
- winsix

Agree with all of this.

Ya no.
Gardiner just makes dumb defensive plays all the time.
Great offensively.
But just dumb defensively
- Fakepartofme

Thank you for missing the point. This post basically reinforces my point. Gardiner makes a giveaway and people talk about defensively dumb.

I guarantee you polak had as much or more mistakes defensively but not talking about them because they're not as visible (giveaways) but just because they're not as visable doesn't mean they're not as impactful

Basically, yeah;

Leivo - Tavares - Kapanen
Hyman - Matthews- Marner
Grundstrom - Lindholm - Ales Hemsky
Ennis- Gauthier - Joel Ward
- PatC80

jebuzz Patty... that's ugly

So if Nylander gets 8 and Gardiner gets 7, what happens then?

Everybody loves saying I'm underestimating what these guys will be making but if all your overestimates come through, the Leafs are still (frank)ed but with less impactful players.
- Unholy_Goalie

here's hint... don't go after Karlsson and you don't have to worry about it.

Toronto...
Can’t...
Afford...
Three...
$11M+...
Players...
+++.

Get...
That...
Through...
Your...
(frank)ing...
Head.
- As_I_See_It

can you re-post this every hour or so?

here's hint... don't go after Karlsson and you don't have to worry about it.
- BorjeFan4Ever

Don't have to worry about it if you do get Karlsson because if Nylander and Gardiner cost you 14 million combined or more, Karlsson still costs less, thus, easier on the cap.

jebuzz Patty... that's ugly
- BorjeFan4Ever

That's how we afford Erik Karlsson