This is a terrible move for TO long term. Why didn't Nylander for Pietrangelo happen before he signed his deal? Because Dubas knows that a guy turning 30 and needing a new contract (after next season) is not worth the future assets who will be better in the not to distant future.

This actually makes a lot of sense. STL gets their young up and coming players and TOR gets a dman who is arguably better than Rielly (who’s having a Norris like year). This would make Toronto a bigger threat than they already are

There’s is no way you think Liljegren and Kapa- actually never mind it’s not worth it

Yes, Petro's "back nine" is going to be expensive, but I feel like it's unfair to discredit the 1.5 seasons you're technically trading for (at a bargain cap hit here). Say a player hits his prime for about 8 seasons. Let's say for a defenseman it's from age 24-31 seasons. Making a trade for Petro this season would get 2 guaranteed years of prime top pair D, and the possibility for a couple more, and then a declining asset that would have to be dealt with. I know where you stand (and Dubas as well), that trading cost-controlled, young assets for aging, UFA-to-be's isn't the gameplan. But you're totally overlooking the fact that you'd be adding a franchise d-man with gas in the tank! Maybe you don't think adding one guy is going to change the outcome in the playoffs, and that's a fair opinion, but to say it's a "terrible move" to try to stack the roster is just, like, your opinion, man.

If you'd like an honest and thoughtful discussion I am happy to oblige you, if you want to troll people then you are correct, its not worth it.

I like the return for the Blues enough that I'd add Barbashev instead of Maroon. RFA, cheap, can play all three F positions, can play with pace, works hard. Def a better fit than Maroon.

Of course its just an opinion and I don't mean any disrespect towards Petro. I do think he is a terrific player and a top 5 RHD still. I also know that his best days are behind him already, he isn't declining much yet but he isn't what he was 3-4 seasons ago. So now I have to weight a trade based off what it does now vs what the cost is in the future. And when I do that, I see so much more hockey from Kapanen and Liljegren for a lot of years a head. Let's assume TO does a good job drafting, they certainly have done a fantastic job of that over the last 6 drafts or so, this trade could take 3 effective inexpensive roster players from the team for a the twilight of Petro's career. Each year you look forward the trade becomes worse and worse which is why I wouldn't make it. I think the controllable assets for a cap stressed team like TO is far more valuable to them than an aging veteran.

I'd trust Dubas on that exchange if it was available. Maroon is just that bit of sandpaper that everyone screams the Leafs need, so I think he'd bring some value on the 4th line.

And the price is probably a little high, but it's of my opinion Pietrangelo puts this team over the top. And a cup is worth it to me.

I give the author Matthews34, five stars for creativity in this trade. If Pietrangelo is such as difference maker, and would propel the Leafs to to greater success....at least for two years then I appreciate the trade.
Then it's the subjective worth of Pietrangelo is worth to the Leafs, minus the assets it takes to get him. Certainly Blues fans think Pietangelo is a difference maker. I'm not so sure, 4 playoff round wins in 9 years
So the trade is really Pietrangelo and his upgrade over Zaitsev, at the cost of Kapanen and Liljegren. I certainly don't think it's worth it for the Leafs as now you have competent replacements for Kapanen and Liljegren who still years of NHL control for the teams that own them.
So, five stars for the thought and structure of the trade. As a Leaf fan, I don't think it's a "difference maker" deal for the Leafs.....but Pietrangelo's worth and the other players are subjective.

Anyone else remember eight games into this season when Kapanen was a point a game player, and had helped Matthews start the season as a 1.5p/g player, or is that just me?

I mean, we know Kapanen alone has the skill to be better than Pietrangelo for a short stretch. It's probably just a matter of experience and conditioning before Kapanen alone is better year round than Pietrangelo. Liljegren even making the NHL would just be cake.

Eli been writing for the Onion for too long

Olli Maata has won eight rounds. He's lost a couple, too, though. Christian Djoos is 4 for 4!

I wouldn't want to trade Djoos, but for Liljegren and Kapanen, I think it could happen.

They never send my checks! When will the Onion put me on payroll?

I really think Kapanen's eight game points streak shows that he can be a complimentary top line wing, though. Pietrangelo is perennially one of the top 30 defensemen in points and in even strength points, and Toronto's RHD depth chart is led by Zaitsev, who has two points, but their top prospect there is Liljegren, who supposedly will get more than two points a season.

Eli.(who I think is a thoughtful CapFriendly alumni), it's just that I don't believe that one player, in this case Pietrangelo is going to the difference maker to the Leafs winning or not in the next two seasons. Seems there is this myth that any RHD to the Leafs is going to propel them to greatness. And your playoff round records. If I had been member of the the Montreal Canadians from 1955 to 1960, the Habs still would have won five consecutive Cups. . See it's a total team not just one player.

Exactly.

Zaitsev doesn't play the PP, thanks to the emergence of Marner. Take away Pietranelo PP points, their point totals are a lot closer. If stats are so important, making Zaitsev minus one to Pietrangelo's minus 8 should be considered. So is the current Pietranelgo not the perennial one. Is he that much of an upgrade over Zaitsev at the cost of Kapanen and Liljegren?

I agree again. Jokes aside, and barbs on all sides aside, Zaitsev is at the top of the charts in hits, he plays a lot of minutes, he plays good defense. I spent half of last year trying to convince Leafs fans to trade him to Washington.

Now neither team might have cap space for him, but trading him for a different RHD at the same cap hit doesn't make that any better from Toronto's side. Getting older with a different mix of offense to defense doesn't make a difference either.

This is a lot of good conversation here.

I think it really just comes down to differing opinions on if Pietrangelo would be the final piece of the puzzle. Me, I think he would be. Others, may disagree. Which is totally fine.

Hopefully Dubas and Armstrong are smarter than all of us and find something everyone is happy with, but I think there is a move between these two clubs somewhere