i think Pickard will be the backup this year. He showed dedication and played a year in the AHL. Sparks isnt liked by management, hes a weirdo.. McBackup can go somewhere else.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

His one-way, $800,000 deal says he's playing in the NHL, so this may be the case.

i think Pickard will be the backup this year. He showed dedication and played a year in the AHL. Sparks isnt liked by management, hes a weirdo.. McBackup can go somewhere else.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

seriously, where do you come up with the s__t?

His one-way, $800,000 deal says he's playing in the NHL, so this may be the case.
- TrashPanda

its looks like Leaf management is setting up a Back-up competition of sorts... and you'd have to believe that they think its unlikely that McBackup can repeat his stats of last season while playing more games (need to give ANdersen more relief)

hall over mac? interesting

seriously, where do you come up with the s__t?
- BorjeFan4Ever

i know a guy who owns a pizzeria.

i know a guy who owns a pizzeria.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

Oh hi

Lol Hall Larson 1 for 1

i know a guy who owns a pizzeria.
- Arctic_AARDVARK

Oh hi
- GingKilmour

oh wow

Oh hi
- GingKilmour

He's still going on about trading Liljegren and the 25th for some player he's read stats about and a few articles trying to pump up fans to watch the draft?
- Thecakeisalie

I've watched Bouchard play a bunch and I'd love for the Leafs to draft him, but it's in no way worth trading Liljegren and the 25th for him.

its looks like Leaf management is setting up a Back-up competition of sorts... and you'd have to believe that they think its unlikely that McBackup can repeat his stats of last season while playing more games (need to give ANdersen more relief)
- BorjeFan4Ever

A better D would help, which I think is even more important.

hall over mac? interesting
- MikeBabcock

Yeah, I would have picked MacKinnon as winner. But Hall isn't undeserving.

And Doughty winning the Norris should have been easy for the voters.

I've watched Bouchard play a bunch and I'd love for the Leafs to draft him, but it's in no way worth trading Liljegren and the 25th for him.
- GreatGigInTheSky

I'd have to agree with you. I don't think Bouchard gets past Vancouver. The cost to move from 25th to 7th would not be worth it.

A better D would help, which I think is even more important.
- TrashPanda

I would enjoy a McElhinny for Trouba trade, but I think Winnipeg might have some reservations though.

I would enjoy a McElhinny for Trouba trade, but I think Winnipeg might have some reservations though.
- PatC80

i thought you were going to say Pesce..

i thought you were going to say Pesce..
- MaximusAurelius

That would cost us Sparks.

McElhinny for Trouba
Sparks for Pesce.

Defensive issues solved. This GM'ing stuff is easy. No wonder someone like Sergei Fedorov could do it..

Put too much work into this

Good video! But can also sell him on the amount of endorsements the local boy will make playing in Toronto than he would playing anywhere else.

But here's what I do:

82 Million projected cap for 2018/19

Offer JT 1yr max deal promising him another 8yr contract following the max deal.
So it would look like this:

1. 2018- 1yr 16 million 28yrs
1. 2019- 12 million 29yrs
2. 2020- 12 million 30yrs
3. 2021- 12 million 31yrs
4. 2022- 12 million 32yrs
5. 2023- 12 million 33yrs
6. 2024- 12 million 32yrs
7. 2025- 12 million 33yrs
8. 2026- 12 million 34yrs

Total 112 Million over 9yrs with an avg 12.4M+++++endorsements

I then sign Nylander to bridge deal 4M x 3yrs

Bridge Marner the following year 5.5M x 2yrs

Knowing after 3yrs your going to have to pay the best one top dollar making other dispensable as a trade chip

Give Matthews long term contract the following year 11.5M x 8yrs

knowing you have Gardiner (4.5M) Hainsey (3M) coming off the books next yr

I trade Martin or buy him out since he clearly is not a Babcock player

My team 2018-2019 team looks like this:

FORWARDS

Johnsson (1.6M) Matthews (0.925M) Marner (0.900M) FIRST LINE

Marleau (6.2M) Tavares (16M) Nylander (4M) FIRST LINE

Hyman (2.25M) Kadri (4.5M) Brown (2.1M) SHUT DOWN LINE

Grundstom (0.925M) Aaltoen (1.2M) Kapanen (0.87M) 4th LINE

Spare: Levio (0.925M)


DEFENCE

Rielly (5M) Hainsey (3M)

Gardiner (4.5M) Zaitsev (4.5M)

Dermot (0.87) Ozhiganov (1.5M)

Carrick (1.3M)


GOALIES


Anderson (5M) McElinney (0.85M)


BUYOUTS

Kessell (1.2M)
Martin (1M)

GRAND TOTAL $71.2 Million Leaving 10M in cap space to load up at deadline with a top 4 D

2018-19 STANLEY CUP CHAMPS.....YOUR TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS!!

Wishful thinking....That will never happen (especially with that defense!) and why put all that stock into an aging John Tavares??? If the Leafs want to win a Stanley Cup adding Tavares puts them further away from that. This team needs guys who can play defense and have a damn clue about how to play in their own end. These guys aren't even close to a Cup contending team. They have some pieces, but the puzzle is FAR from complete! And Tavares only adds a big piece to the puzzle that really doesn't fit IMO.

That would cost us Sparks.

McElhinny for Trouba
Sparks for Pesce.

Defensive issues solved. This GM'ing stuff is easy. No wonder someone like Sergei Fedorov could do it..
- PatC80

Put too much work into this

Good video! But can also sell him on the amount of endorsements the local boy will make playing in Toronto than he would playing anywhere else.

But here's what I do:

82 Million projected cap for 2018/19

Offer JT 1yr max deal promising him another 8yr contract following the max deal.
So it would look like this:

1. 2018- 1yr 16 million 28yrs
1. 2019- 12 million 29yrs
2. 2020- 12 million 30yrs
3. 2021- 12 million 31yrs
4. 2022- 12 million 32yrs
5. 2023- 12 million 33yrs
6. 2024- 12 million 32yrs
7. 2025- 12 million 33yrs
8. 2026- 12 million 34yrs

Total 112 Million over 9yrs with an avg 12.4M+++++endorsements

I then sign Nylander to bridge deal 4M x 3yrs

Bridge Marner the following year 5.5M x 2yrs

Knowing after 3yrs your going to have to pay the best one top dollar making other dispensable as a trade chip

Give Matthews long term contract the following year 11.5M x 8yrs

knowing you have Gardiner (4.5M) Hainsey (3M) coming off the books next yr

I trade Martin or buy him out since he clearly is not a Babcock player

My team 2018-2019 team looks like this:

FORWARDS

Johnsson (1.6M) Matthews (0.925M) Marner (0.900M) FIRST LINE

Marleau (6.2M) Tavares (16M) Nylander (4M) FIRST LINE

Hyman (2.25M) Kadri (4.5M) Brown (2.1M) SHUT DOWN LINE

Grundstom (0.925M) Aaltoen (1.2M) Kapanen (0.87M) 4th LINE

Spare: Levio (0.925M)


DEFENCE

Rielly (5M) Hainsey (3M)

Gardiner (4.5M) Zaitsev (4.5M)

Dermot (0.87) Ozhiganov (1.5M)

Carrick (1.3M)


GOALIES


Anderson (5M) McElinney (0.85M)


BUYOUTS

Kessell (1.2M)
Martin (1M)

GRAND TOTAL $71.2 Million Leaving 10M in cap space to load up at deadline with a top 4 D

2018-19 STANLEY CUP CHAMPS.....YOUR TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS!!

Wishful thinking....That will never happen (especially with that defense!) and why put all that stock into an aging John Tavares??? If the Leafs want to win a Stanley Cup adding Tavares puts them further away from that. This team needs guys who can play defense and have a damn clue about how to play in their own end. These guys aren't even close to a Cup contending team. They have some pieces, but the puzzle is FAR from complete! And Tavares only adds a big piece to the puzzle that really doesn't fit IMO.
- royalgardens

So why go through all that trouble of such a long winded post?
Easier to say Tavares = Bad idea for Leafs.

Plus the Leafs MUST be able to trade McElhinney and look for a defender somewhere for him. A solid backup, older yes but a good veteran backup, won't female dog about playing time. Several teams can use him (Chicago comes to mind right away with their situation with Crawford, maybe even Carolina?) Keeping Sparks and Pickard in the AHL where both of them have nothing more to prove is stupid! No reason to carry 4 goalies, on top of the fact that I just don't believe Andersen is the true answer in goal and perhaps either Sparks or Pickard are? and they both deserve that shot!

No way the leafs defense is even good enough to get through a playoff series and we are talking about winning the Cup!!! Good god! I would kill to see the Leafs win the Cup in my lifetime, but lets get real...they are not close. This is a huge offseason for them, Dubas needs to find some defensive gems somewhere someway to fit in with these young dynamic forward core. They will never win a single playoff series with Gardiner, Reilly and Zaitsev as your 1-3! Weak, soft and just plain poor defensive players. With one year on his contract left, I would look into dealing Gardiner with or with another forward to land some help that way. But McElhinney must be moved first.

So why go through all that trouble of such a long winded post?
Easier to say Tavares = Bad idea for Leafs.
- PatC80

Oh , I didn't write at all that, but yes, going after Tavares is NOT a good idea and not what Dubas and company should be doing. If in fact that is the route they are heading, then the Leafs are definitely not going in the right direction.

This is a huge year for the big three however (Matthews, Marner and Nylander). They each struggled this season (struggling with plenty of scoring, but just not as good as they an still be, Matthews especially, and it showed in the playoffs, he was not close to being 100% and was frustrated). I don't even think it would be crazy to think about moving Matthews in a huge deal if in fact he struggles to stay healthy again. Just thinking about the possibilities in what the team could get for Matthews even scoring 34 goals in a season missing 20 games and being unhealthy for much of it...? We are talking about winning a Cup here and would much rather have Matthews being the first to lift it if and when that day comes...but seriously ? The Idea will/should come up if he struggles to stay healthy and has another poor first round in April/May and get sent home again early.

By the way, the Leafs will be in Chicago to take on the Blackhawks Sunday October 7th for the Hawks' home opener!

Johnsson on 1st line?? he's shown nothing to prove he can be a top6 fw in NHL, let alone a first liner. Hyman's staying on that line anyways as long as Babcock is the coach. Johnsson is turning 24 in November and he's just on the verge of making it to the NHL, that's quite late for a forward these days.. people get all wild about him after a few decent games in NHL and AHL playoffs - but then again, people were wild about Frattin and Soshnikov a few years as well (they were tagged as 1st/2nd liners by some on here as well).

Adding Tavares to this Leafs team, even without adding another D (apart from the Wizard) would directly make Leafs one of top 3 contenders for SC this season.

Oh , I didn't write at all that, but yes, going after Tavares is NOT a good idea and not what Dubas and company should be doing. If in fact that is the route they are heading, then the Leafs are definitely not going in the right direction.

This is a huge year for the big three however (Matthews, Marner and Nylander). They each struggled this season (struggling with plenty of scoring, but just not as good as they an still be, Matthews especially, and it showed in the playoffs, he was not close to being 100% and was frustrated). I don't even think it would be crazy to think about moving Matthews in a huge deal if in fact he struggles to stay healthy again. Just thinking about the possibilities in what the team could get for Matthews even scoring 34 goals in a season missing 20 games and being unhealthy for much of it...? We are talking about winning a Cup here and would much rather have Matthews being the first to lift it if and when that day comes...but seriously ? The Idea will/should come up if he struggles to stay healthy and has another poor first round in April/May and get sent home again early.
- royalgardens

I think going after Tavares is a good idea.I just think he's not leaving the New York Islanders