Also forwards would have been set and you have Holls 2 million, plus trade Rielly and you have your Hamilton.
- bobbyisno1

I want to keep Rielly, so we need to trade someone else.

Engvall at 3C is grotesque.
- fifty__missions

He’d be fine if you give him some linemates not named Simmonds or Mikeyev. IMO

Seattle defense is shaping up to look pretty decent.

Forwards look pretty not good - but could be some surprises like with Vegas.

The more I read here about the cap situation, the more I blame the covid crisis on Dubas.

My point is that you literally can't find upgrades with so little cap flexibility, not to mention few draft picks and prospects. They are left trying to fill in holes with.....plugs. These are not "upgrades".
- fifty__missions

Why change anything, it's going so well.

So did the Penguins do well to trade Mccann for Hallander & 7th and then lose Tanev to the Kraken?

Or would they have been better off to just lose Mccann?
- Leafs43

Well they gained about 5 million in cap space and the Leafs.

[quote=Leafsmart]


Why do we care about the Penguins?

I don't care who they lose.. The Leafs had McCann, didn't protect(which was a bad move, they should have protected him) and then lost him to Seattle.

Well they gained about 5 million in cap space and the Leafs.
- bobbyisno1

Even more I think. Closer to 6.5 million. (unless you are counting Hallander)

Pretty good on the Pens side if you believe that Tanev has negative value with that contract.

He’d be fine if you give him some linemates not named Simmonds or Mikeyev. IMO
- Garnie

Describing an NHL player as "fine" is code for "he is playing further up in the lineup than he should be, but we're going to try to ignore it and pretend he's properly slotted".

It happens ALL THE TIME around here for some reason.

[quote=Leafsmart]
Pens totally won that, look what they gained.

My point is that you literally can't find upgrades with so little cap flexibility, not to mention few draft picks and prospects. They are left trying to fill in holes with.....plugs. These are not "upgrades".
- fifty__missions

An upgrade is just something better than what you have. Even a better plug is an upgrade.

There’s enough money to get more than plugs. I believe you can and should try to make significant improvements even if they’re not going to trade a core piece.

I want to keep Rielly, so we need to trade someone else.
- Garnie

Yeah, forgot it's the Leafy way to just let free agents walk.

He’d be fine if you give him some linemates not named Simmonds or Mikeyev. IMO
- Garnie

He was great Mikheyev and Hyman.

Even more I think. Closer to 6.5 million. (unless you are counting Hallander)

Pretty good on the Pens side if you believe that Tanev has negative value with that contract.
- Leafs43

Tanev was overpaid for a 4th line winger... Again, who cares about Pittsburgh.. They have their own HB thread

Yeah, forgot it's the Leafy way to just let free agents walk.
- bobbyisno1

The Leafs are gonna trade Rielly or re-sign him.

They won't let him walk for nothing.

[quote=Leafsmart]

They didn’t want to lose a C for nothing. ( Kerfoot )

So they traded away a couple nothings and got some protection, that’s how I see it.

I was wrong once, back in 77. I think I mentioned that last week.

You okay, grumpy cat?

If the Leafs don't have Tavares get injured in the first round last year, they are likely into the final 4. I think they would have lost to Vegas, but who knows? It likely would have highlighted the key deficiency here which is defense and softness. Of course getting through a couple of rounds hardens and hungers a team. Maybe we would have seen more from them - I don't know and neither do you.

We have big contracts on players who are good. That is a fact. Marner is overpaid but I don't know by how much given that he was 4th in league scoring last year and is continually among league leaders. Matthews is making a good amount and is the best goal scorer in the league. Tavares may be overpaid, but that's the price for taking your shot at an elite centre in the league. Nylander is maybe . . . what . . $400k over where people want him?

In retrospect, I wish they hadn't signed Tavares and had used the money on D. Not much we can do about that now.
- Monkeypunk

Good points made. Timing was everything. In the ideal world, it would have been nice to have MM, AM and WN locked into their contracts before JT came on board.

No doubt, we would have freed up some cash.

But oh well, a lot of teams would drool for a top 4 like ours.

The Leafs are gonna trade Rielly or re-sign him.

They won't let him walk for nothing.
- buddzy

They should trade him.

They likely won't. If they can upgrade him for a player with term, sure they'll trade him. But if you consider yourself a cup contender, why would you deal your top line and top PP defenseman while you're still going for it? He's the type of guy you acquire at the deadline if you don't have.

I would like them to sign Hamilton, trade Rielly, and move forward. I just don't see it happening.

Oh there was that brief 4 days....
- bobbyisno1

You bought a Leafs Olaf Kolzig jersey, didn't you?

Describing an NHL player as "fine" is code for "he is playing further up in the lineup than he should be, but we're going to try to ignore it and pretend he's properly slotted".

It happens ALL THE TIME around here for some reason.
- fifty__missions

He’d be fine to me = give him some time to gel and not bounce him in and out of the lineup every time he bobbles the puck or makes a bad pass.

I think his good games are really good.

Then he passes it to Mikey and he speeds down the ice and gives it away or Simmonds goes offside. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Tanev was overpaid for a 4th line winger... Again, who cares about Pittsburgh.. They have their own HB thread
- PatC80

You are aware that you were the first to bring up Pittsburgh and how they received assets for Mccann, right?

Regardless - if you don't like the Pittsburgh posts, you can ignore them - It's a really simple concept.

They didn’t want to lose a C for nothing. ( Kerfoot )

So they traded away a couple nothings and got some protection, that’s how I see it.

I was wrong once, back in 77. I think I mentioned that last week.
- Garnie

. . . but you could be wrong.

[quote=bobbyisno1]

A couple nothings for their rebuild?

Go Pens Go

Maybe we get Crosby or Malkin in the next couple years when they truly fold and start acquiring picks and holding some cap. 🥰🥰🥰

Crosby or Malkin at 3c wouldn’t be too bad for a run.

They should trade him.

They likely won't. If they can upgrade him for a player with term, sure they'll trade him. But if you consider yourself a cup contender, why would you deal your top line and top PP defenseman while you're still going for it? He's the type of guy you acquire at the deadline if you don't have.

I would like them to sign Hamilton, trade Rielly, and move forward. I just don't see it happening.
- Monkeypunk

Rielly played well enough in the playoffs, and he's been the longest tenured Leaf. Gotta love Morgan.

But i'm also of the opinion that if it makes sense, they should trade him.

Rielly doesn't even have the ability to take a slap-shot. He's above average offensively and maybe average defensively. I'm kind of sour on the tools he possesses as a '#1D'.

If you can squeeze in Hamilton, do it. If not, Rielly fits the bill well enough for sure.

Yeah, forgot it's the Leafy way to just let free agents walk.
- bobbyisno1

Resign him and keep him on 2nd pair.