Your agruement is Trash, because you are making an assumption the the bad GM's from Toronto making bad picks are significantly lower in quality (more than two standard deviations) than the average or mean. Your arguement is baseless and as I mentioned Trash.
- winsix

Yeah I don’t get it either

I think part of the argument is how far do they go with the stars and scrubs makeup? Or (obviously depends on the players) would the team be better equipped with 3 x 3.5m players as opposed to one 10.5mil player?
- walshyleafsfan

The odds of getting a superstar are low but if the GM and his team of scouts are well informed (and well funded) they should be able to find effective NHL players who will help fill the bottom half of the lineup effectively on cheap contracts.

The Leafs don't need the 1st rounders to hit home runs. They hit those already. But they do need them to create a supporting cast. And when they actually keep the picks, they're doing a decent job of finding prospects that can help fill the holes. But without them, it's going to be a lot harder.

Leafs got to where they are by making their 1st round picks count. They should keep doing it, even if they aren't lottery picks.

I think part of the argument is how far do they go with the stars and scrubs makeup? Or (obviously depends on the players) would the team be better equipped with 3 x 3.5m players as opposed to one 10.5mil player?
- walshyleafsfan

And even with the stars and scrubs makeup, having 7 1st round picks over the next 4 years gives you a much greater chance of having good guys on ELCs.

I love Mitchy.

But at the end of the day, he's a winger, and we have two elite centres.

Something has to give. If that something is Marner, those 4 1st rounders will make the pill a lot less bitter when swallowing.

right which is pretty standard for players in his realm. maximize the $$ for his next deal. Agents would push for that i am sure.

I dont like it
- senstroll

I hate it. At least Matthews was willing to go 8 years.

Come on man. I love how much you use hindsight.

Sometimes picks turn out and sometimes they don’t...it’s really that simple.
- Santo_44

Yup. Try to have the most bullets for a crapshoot and make the most educated guesses you can

The odds of getting a superstar are low but if the GM and his team of scouts are well informed (and well funded) they should be able to find effective NHL players who will help fill the bottom half of the lineup effectively on cheap contracts.

The Leafs don't need the 1st rounders to hit home runs. They hit those already. But they do need them to create a supporting cast. And when they actually keep the picks, they're doing a decent job of finding prospects that can help fill the holes. But without them, it's going to be a lot harder.

Leafs got to where they are by making their 1st round picks count. They should keep doing it, even if they aren't lottery picks.
- JohnFergusonJr

I think many of us have a different mindset than you.

Some fans struggle with the Leafs being a good team..

Leafs have actually over 14 million plus the cap increase and Hortons LTIR, not to mention both Hyman and Dermott.
- bobbyisno1

I was ballparking it because Johnsson and Kapanen haven't officially signed yet and their AAV could swing it to 13 or 14.

But the basic point is, they have the cap space to match a doomsday offer.

I doubt that doomsday offer actually comes.

But if it does, I really doubt they can replace Marner with those draft picks or a UFA. He's too good and too young. With Marner, you can have a guy that makes a big, big difference for a decade.

I was ballparking it because Johnsson and Kapanen haven't officially signed yet and their AAV could swing it to 13 or 14.

But the basic point is, they have the cap space to match a doomsday offer.

I doubt that doomsday offer actually comes.

But if it does, I really doubt they can replace Marner with those draft picks or a UFA. He's too good and too young. With Marner, you can have a guy that makes a big, big difference for a decade.
- JohnFergusonJr

If an offer sheet does come, we can trade him to Columbus..

Zaitsev and Marner for Jones, Savard and Josh Anderson

And even with the stars and scrubs makeup, having 7 1st round picks over the next 4 years gives you a much greater chance of having good guys on ELCs.

I love Mitchy.

But at the end of the day, he's a winger, and we have two elite centres.

Something has to give. If that something is Marner, those 4 1st rounders will make the pill a lot less bitter when swallowing.
- Atomic Wedgie

Yep. Also we could trade a couple of them 1st for actual players when the time is right. Could've had Subban for ome of them.

If an offer sheet does come, we can trade him to Columbus..

Zaitsev and Marner for Jones, Savard and Josh Anderson
- PatC80

Can you even trade a player that has signed an offer sheet?

Columbus would have to acquire Marner and match it or decline it and take the picks thus creating the strangest three-way trade ever?

I'd much rather move Nylander and match Marner.

If an offer sheet does come, we can trade him to Columbus..

Zaitsev and Marner for Jones, Savard and Josh Anderson
- PatC80

If he signs an offer sheet and the Leafs match, can't trade him this year.

If an offer sheet does come, we can trade him to Columbus..

Zaitsev and Marner for Jones, Savard and Josh Anderson
- PatC80

I can't imagine being able to pry Jones away from them. Matthews would probably do it. Although they're losing Panarin so possibly Marner? I'd trade anyone not named Matthews away for Jones

We can add that one to the list of things that Marner was clearly going to accept last year. Seriously. Go read through message threads. Here. On Sportsnet. On The Athletic. On anywhere online . . .

He was TOTALLY going to sign an 8 year deal for:

- $8 million
- $9 million
-$10 million
- $9.5 million

. . . but Dubas blew it and didn't sign him and now he's going to have to pay him so much more!

There was talk - by the media. There was no deal. Parameters were thrown around - by the media. There was never a deal. Marner's agent came on some shows and talked about parameters - but there was no deal.
- Monkeypunk

I don't know why guys would think that was Dubas blowing it. At the time that was too much. The issue for me is that then at the last hour he necessarily overpaid for Nylander. I'm all for standing your ground, but. Then he gave AM basically a UFA deal. So it's hard to understand why he went from playing hard ball to caving in after that. All that being said, all three will be overpaid come puck drop in October.

I think many of us have a different mindset than you.

Some fans struggle with the Leafs being a good team..
- Santo_44

I think having two young players like Kapanen and Johnsson made it easier to give up a late round 1st. Seeing what Tampa got for JT Miller, there are possibilities for trades that would net the Leafs some decent picks. For example how much better is Kadri than JT Miller? I know it was Benning but still......

Can you even trade a player that has signed an offer sheet?

Columbus would have to acquire Marner and match it or decline it and take the picks thus creating the strangest three-way trade ever?
- JohnFergusonJr

Assuming that CBJ is the team proposing/threatening the offer sheet..

If it's real, Dubas can talk to Jarmo Kekalainen about a trade, since they can't part with the 4 first rd picks.

If an offer sheet does come, we can trade him to Columbus..

Zaitsev and Marner for Jones, Savard and Josh Anderson
- PatC80

you guys are killing me

Yep. Also we could trade a couple of them 1st for actual players when the time is right. Could've had Subban for ome of them.
- walshyleafsfan

But you'll never get a player like Marner through all of that.

Subban didn't go for just a 1st round pick.

And even players like that come with mileage and expiring contracts.

I can't imagine being able to pry Jones away from them. Matthews would probably do it. Although they're losing Panarin so possibly Marner? I'd trade anyone not named Matthews away for Jones
- walshyleafsfan

Me too..

Assuming that CBJ is the team proposing/threatening the offer sheet..

If it's real, Dubas can talk to Jarmo Kekalainen about a trade, since they can't part with the 4 first rd picks.
- PatC80

You said "if an offer sheet comes" as if Marner had already signed one.

Can they trade him still?

Like, for example, the Islanders give Marner what he wants and he signs it.

Can the Leafs trade him to Columbus and let them decide whether they match it or not?

If he signs an offer sheet and the Leafs match, can't trade him this year.
- bobbyisno1

I have looked and can't find that rule or citation anywhere. I don't think this is true.

You can match an offer sheet and then trade that player. In a cap system, you can't create hard rules like that that would handicap teams.

If he signs an offer sheet and the Leafs match, can't trade him this year.
- bobbyisno1

Talking about if teams threaten an offer sheet.

I was ballparking it because Johnsson and Kapanen haven't officially signed yet and their AAV could swing it to 13 or 14.

But the basic point is, they have the cap space to match a doomsday offer.

I doubt that doomsday offer actually comes.

But if it does, I really doubt they can replace Marner with those draft picks or a UFA. He's too good and too young. With Marner, you can have a guy that makes a big, big difference for a decade.
- JohnFergusonJr

Marner has a ceiling at least as high as Kane's. It's more than unlikely that none of the picks come close.

But you'll never get a player like Marner through all of that.

Subban didn't go for just a 1st round pick.

And even players like that come with mileage and expiring contracts.
- JohnFergusonJr

For sure we wouldn't get a Marner.

But I'm suggesting having a worse player than Marner but a better player than whoever is playing 1st pair RD and 2nd pair RD or 1st line LW could have a net result of the Leafs being better and seeing the 2nd round of the playoffs.

I have looked and can't find that rule or citation anywhere. I don't think this is true.

You can match an offer sheet and then trade that player. In a cap system, you can't create hard rules like that that would handicap teams.
- Monkeypunk

Actually, I found the clause cited here, so I stand corrected: https://www.silversevense...eet-explained-rules-guide

I don't know why guys would think that was Dubas blowing it. At the time that was too much. The issue for me is that then at the last hour he necessarily overpaid for Nylander. I'm all for standing your ground, but. Then he gave AM basically a UFA deal. So it's hard to understand why he went from playing hard ball to caving in after that. All that being said, all three will be overpaid come puck drop in October.
- aminnes

First bolded: No he didn't.

Second bolded: Matthews is the best even strength goal scorer in the league.