LeftWinger

Next year dude, next year. They would not have been able to afford to re-sign him with Marner and Matthews taking up mot their space. I did say won't be able to RE-SIGN HIM in my initial post. Did you read it or were you just looking at an opportunity to LOL? Gee....look there are the words RE and SIGN, meaning give him another contract, when this one at $925k is up, after this season, as in July 1, 2019 and not being able to because Marner and Matthews will take up most of the $23M in cap, meaning they had to deal him away instead of not being able to, here it is again, RE-SIGN him.

...and the chips begin to fall in Toronto. https://www.tsn.ca/leafs-trade-leivo-to-canucks-for-carcone-1.1220043 Weren't going to be able to re-sign Leivo with no cap. They better win this year.

Next announcement? Ken Holland GM. Remember the rumor about after the 1st of year. Holland announcement, Yzerman let out of contract (I'm sure Tampa will be compensated) and Stevie the new GM. I'm not so sure about Blashill being replaced, but I'll take 2 out of 3 from my "source."

We'll get a 1st for Nyquist, somewhere in the 22ish range, he'll drop to us and you'll have your wish!

Basically they need to go for it all right now, this year. If its true that you're hearing Marner $10M and Matthews $12M that's all but $1M of their available cap next season. It all or nothing right now. So now is when we should offer them up Nyquist and Glendening to solidify their potential run! I'll take a 1st and Liljegren.

Here are current point totals for some of the projected top 10 draft prospects.

Marner and Matthews are going to take up about $19M of their available $23M cap space next season. The better win this year or it could be bad. They will lose a lot of supporting actors!

https://www.tsn.ca/leafs-sign-nylander-to-six-year-41-4m-deal-1.1219272

HYPE-rbole! "If Holland does not step aside tonight, I'm done!"

Toronto actually does not NEED him, they are doing very well. If they acquired some key pieces that they need (not necessarily blockbuster pieces) it could put them over the top. Which is why I mention Nyquist and Green.

They'd probably want an NHL D-Man in return for sure, not sure Hronek would intice them. Too bad Green has that NTC, maybe he'd waive it to go to Toronto? If he would, How does Nyquist, Green 2020 1st sound? Laugh if you must, because I am just throwing stuff out there. Maybe Hronek as well? I guess first we have to see if we can even afford Nylander. What is he looking to get, have we seen that anywhere? Obviously, if we dealt Nyquist and Green (roughly $10M this season) we'd be ok, but moving forward could we afford him on a long term deal?

Babs loves him some Nyquist, Helm and Glenny. If they'd take it, I'd do Nyquist, Glenny, Hronek and 2020 1st.

He'd be better than Abby up there. Imagine the same with Larkin and Mantha running around. Oh well. It was a missed opportunity, but Holland would rather stick with his loyalty plan.

IMO it wouldve been like getting an extra draft pick. There's no harm in building your farm up with talented players. This was a fail by 11 GM's, I'm just tired of ours being one of them. Much rather have had Zykov here instead of Ehn or Frk.

Holland is going to regret passing on Zykov. How often it's said that Detroit needs a scoring right winger, yet he let's a free one go through his hands. Sometimes Holland is an idiot.

Claim Zykov now!

With two weeks left, it's time for all of our favorite and least favorite memories to flow like the tears that will most definitely be flowing when that final horn sounds...Thank You Joe Louis Arena, from when i was 9 years old, up until I moved away 33 years later, no matter how luxurious the new barn will be, you will never be replaced. I look forward to reading everyone's good times and bad at our home. Games, concerts, events... Here's the video from NBC Sports today to start is off.

Well that puts a damper on it for sure, maybe we go with a different team. But I still think we need to turn him for a pick/prospect, especially if teams are calling with offers. I don't think a deal with St. Louis helps us, unless we get a high, HIGH end prospect, because moving forward a goalie tandem of Allen and Bernier is pretty depressing sounding for the next couple seasons...

I'd do Howard for Bokk straight up and go with Bernier the rest of the season. I'd call a team meeting and let them know the plan that I am not throwing Howard or the season to the wolves (no offense Bernier) but it's a move to make the rebuild even better. Tell Howard, if you want to come back, we will definitely be interested come July. I think the team would understand and accept the downgrade in goaltending if it meant having more higher end talent in the wings and on The Wings! Plus, maybe Bernier steps it up and at least plays up to what he did last season and keeps us competitive. Plus there is always the draft lottery. A top 5 pick (not counting Hughes) gets us a great player. With all that in mind, I don't think the team up front would lose any confidence. With the idea of Bokk, Addison and Hughes in this organization should keep any player confident in the rebuild! If we could swing Howard to St. Louis for Bokk and bad contract and Nyquist to Pitt for Addison, I think that would excite this young team. Especially with the idea that we would be offering both those players a contract back in July. If they want it.

Howard to St. Louis or Philly for a prospect and bad contract. Nyquist to Pitt for either a 1st or Calen Addison.

Then again, a 2nd from St. Louis might be a 30's pick. Again, trading both Nyquist and Howard is not about "getting rid" of them, it's about acquiring assets to make this team's rebuild better and faster. We can always re-sign them in July if we want them to retire Red Wings. And if getting a couple of 1st's or maybe a higher end prospect for a couple of months of not having them, I am all aboard! Also, Gus and Jimmy should be as well. It just means that we have that much of a better team for them to come back to!

What about Bokk and a bad expiring contract for Howard?

Dreger also says that once a GM is named in Philly, they will be searching for a goalie. We could get handsomely compensated for Jimmy.

Ok. I'll expand a little. I trade both Howard and Nyquist at the deadline for best pick(s) I can get, then I would also let them know I am interested in them as UFA's. I'd be good with both on 1 year deals at $4M each. NO NTC's! I'd also bring vanek back, at a lessor rate, if he doesn't find work elsewhere or retire. I need to have as much cap open as possible for when AA, Mantha and Cholowski are up for contracts. Cholowski is going to cost at least $5M when his deal is up, look at what they gave Chychrun. AA is going to get Larkin or more money and I believe Mantha is going to also be at least $6M. It's going to be very tight in a few years... I can't be giving players like Howard and Nyquist 3-5 year deals.