Quoting: MacerV
All teams carry at least two goalies, so Copley scraping into the top 50 isn't exactly overwhelming. He is a backup and has backup value, which in the NHL is generally pretty low (Max like a 3rd round pick) unless you have legitimate starter potential which Copley does not.
Gudas I am definitely interested in, but more so for this off-season as a shorter-term UFA acquisition. Him playing "top pairing" means as much as saying the Leafs let go of their "top pairing" defenseman Ron Hainsey last off-season.
If it was Kapanen for an extended Gudas I could understand that trade for the Leafs in terms of rebalancing the team. But as a rental, it just doesn't make sense, especially when adding Mikheyev into the mix when he should be ready for the playoffs.
IRL, trades with extensions happen in the NBA, but not in the NHL. It's just not in the league culture.
Copley's a backup. Agreed. Copley finished 36th in wins last year, which is pretty good for a backup. Of goalies with at least 25 games, he finished 33rd in GAA. The top 31 are starters? I think he's a good backup goalie, but I'm sure you'll tell me his spct in that group makes him just a slightly above average backup goalie. That's true. He's not going to be mistaken for Ken Dryden soon.
I agree that most teams in the NHL have a backup goalie. Toronto has a streaky starter, plus two guys with GAA of 4.03 and 6.00. Hutchinson and Kaskisuo rank 68th and 76th in the NHL in GAA just this year. They are not backup goalies. One is a prospect and one is not. Hutchinson was pretty good last year. Something must have happened. Now the Leafs should look to add a backup goalie.
Tor fans are still divided on that Hainsey trade, but Hainsey will be 39 soon, so I think they made the right move.
As for value, I'm looking at it as the unproven 25 year old rookie for the proven backup on the great three year deal, and the young top nine forward for the tough top four defenseman, but the description says to respond with counteroffers, not insults. If you want to insult guys, I have the patience to give that back.