Murphy Best Trade Asset

Why would the Leafs trade Niemela when he's so close to the NHL?

As a Hawks fan, HARD pass. Clearly not interested in Matt Murray. That 1st we can get without any retention for Murphy and for a lesser piece. It'll be a very late 1st. Topi is a fine prospect, but no reason to move away a guy that will VERY much help the development of Vlasic/Phillips/Kaiser/Korchinski/Del Mastro/Allan etc... We need to keep him.

Oh and now we can discuss the 3 years of TOR buying cap space. Not doing that for free.

Murray's on LTIR so no need to move

And that package for Murphy no thanks

Yeah....nope. I don't mind moving Murphy. I don't mind retaining on Murphy. I don't even mind taking a Murray cap dump. I do mind doing all of that for THIS return. Murphy retained that much for 3 years easily is more than what you got for McCabe (retained for only 2 years) which was a 1st and 2nd. The proposed return here is barely that (and only if you are fairly exuberant on Niemela). This package is easily short one significant piece.

My Counteroffer is Murphy (2.2) retained for Murray, Niemela, Liljegren, '24 1st, '25 3rd

Wasn't this the mentality for McCabe? And what did it end up with? Leafs obviously pass on that counter... I wouldn't do Lilly straight up for Murphy... let alone an additional 1st, 3rd and the Leafs' best defensive prospect