We have to prepare for Cozens to be on the big club next year. Him going back to juniors does nothing for him. Top line AHL minutes to start would be ideal, but the CHL rule is what it is and it's not changing. We can't expose him too early if he's not ready and potentially stall his development, like we did with Mittelstadt. He needs to play with good players around him.
Bonino I think could be acquired from NSH for a fair price - he only has 1 year left on his deal and has entered the latter-half of his career. Finding something NSH would want from BUF for comparable value was tough, but I settled on McCabe + Tage because McCabe can fill the 3rd line D duties for the time being behind Josi/Ellis/Ekholm while NSH develops their younger D-core, and Tage is a good scoring prospect that I think NSH would like.
Tage gets a bad rep because he was one of the main pieces of the disastrous ROR deal, but the truth is he was starting to show promise and growth once he was sent down to Rochester before his injury last year (6 G, 12 pts in 16 games). The injury I believe was shoulder related and there should be no concern on his current or future health. I actually didnt want to give up Tage, but couldn't find anything else that NSH would be interested in that wouldn't be too much for Bonino, which is why I included the 3rd & 5th draft pick swap as well.
I'd be curious to hear from NSH fans if I'm anywhere on the right track with that one - I always try and put myself in the other teams shoes. They can afford to move Bonino because they still have Duchene, Johansen, Turris at C. They'll save a little bit of cap $ in the deal to address the roster elsewhere. They don't need much at D with their big 3. So an affordable & short-term 2nd/3rd line D and futures is what I settled on.
The Toronto trade is a trade that should've happened the moment we decided we weren't going to use Colin Miller properly after trading for him. Toronto would welcome him with open arms over the tire-fire at RD that is Cody Ceci, and I think would sacrifice Johnsson for him.
Edmundson signing is risky to me because its 4 years, cant see him not trying to cash in on a 4 or 5 year deal though since he's hitting UFA for the first time and has earned his payday, so I'm trying to be realistic. (Although realistically, if I'm being real here, he'd likely never want to come to BUF) He would be a really solid defenseman to help solidify our D-core though.
I'm not sure after the 2020-2021 season when Dahlin & Joki need new contracts that we'll be able to afford all of this D money, so as the year progresses, I would be actively looking to trade either Risto or Montour for scoring help/futures in a cap-saving deal. Probably at the trade deadline.
Yeah, a guy who couldnt be a regular on buffalo's right side is totally what the leafs need.
Ceci also wasn't near as bad as people say. I mean, he wasn't good or anything, but he played well enough to be a decent bottom pairing rd.
both teams are better from it... don't understand why something similar hasn't happened yet. Sabres need middle of the lineup scoring and have D. Leafs need RD and have scoring. I don't care if it makes Toronto better if it also makes Buffalo better.
Yeah, a guy who couldnt be a regular on buffalo's right side is totally what the leafs need.
Ceci also wasn't near as bad as people say. I mean, he wasn't good or anything, but he played well enough to be a decent bottom pairing rd.
Miller was a regular on buffalos right side. He was Dahlins partner for much of the year.
The Sabres had problems because they had too many NHL defensmen having a healthy Dahlin, McCabe, Scandella, Ristolainen, MIller, Bogosian, Jokiharju, Montour for much of the year. They dressed 7 defensemen a lot and had a bit of a rotation.
Every leafs fan was dying for Miller last offseason on this place.
I don't think I would trade him for Johnsson, who is hurt, and has a big contract for a guy who has had one decent year.
Bonino is a 3C. Not worth creating a hole at LD for him. Sell out for a 2c, throw Cozens into the fire, or just trust Kahun and insolate him with Skinner and another good RWer
Yeah, a guy who couldnt be a regular on buffalo's right side is totally what the leafs need.
Ceci also wasn't near as bad as people say. I mean, he wasn't good or anything, but he played well enough to be a decent bottom pairing rd.
He was a controversial scratch for us... he played very well at times. As for Ceci, you're the first person I've heard or read that says they wouldn't give him away for a bag of pucks.
Yeah, a guy who couldnt be a regular on buffalo's right side is totally what the leafs need.
Ceci also wasn't near as bad as people say. I mean, he wasn't good or anything, but he played well enough to be a decent bottom pairing rd.
Bonino is a 3C. Not worth creating a hole at LD for him. Sell out for a 2c, throw Cozens into the fire, or just trust Kahun and insolate him with Skinner and another good RWer
Truth is I'm not much of a McCabe fan at all, and would gladly move him + pay more $$$ to Edmundson to fill the LD hole.
I know someone else who could've filled the LD hole too..... his last name rhymes with "Violet"
both teams are better from it... don't understand why something similar hasn't happened yet. Sabres need middle of the lineup scoring and have D. Leafs need RD and have scoring. I don't care if it makes Toronto better if it also makes Buffalo better.
Buffalo doesn't get much better from this and really helps their direct competition.
Maybe. I had a tough time coming up with comparable trade value the Preds would be interested in from BUF.
I think NSH is a better team with Bonino than with the players in this package. I have the feeling that NSH will keep Bonino til at least the deadline and if they are out of the playoffs then they'll sell high on him and if they are in the playoffs they'll keep him for their run. I could see them even resigning him to a cheaper, short-term deal in the off-season. If he does end up walking as a UFA, I'd be fine with that too - so I'd rather just keep him for now and see how next season plays out.
Yeah, a guy who couldnt be a regular on buffalo's right side is totally what the leafs need.
Ceci also wasn't near as bad as people say. I mean, he wasn't good or anything, but he played well enough to be a decent bottom pairing rd.
miller wasn’t a regular this past season because of our incompetent management not because of his lack of skill. he’s a good defenseman trust me. he’s good enough to be dahlins d partner if that tells you anything.
Buffalo doesn't get much better from this and really helps their direct competition.
We'll have to agree to disagree there, I see Johnsson as a nice upgrade over Sheary/Frolik/Simmonds/Vesey or whoever the hell else we had playing that 2nd/3rd line wing role last year.
Miller was a regular on buffalos right side. He was Dahlins partner for much of the year.
The Sabres had problems because they had too many NHL defensmen having a healthy Dahlin, McCabe, Scandella, Ristolainen, MIller, Bogosian, Jokiharju, Montour for much of the year. They dressed 7 defensemen a lot and had a bit of a rotation.
Every leafs fan was dying for Miller last offseason on this place.
I don't think I would trade him for Johnsson, who is hurt, and has a big contract for a guy who has had one decent year.
Injury concern is my biggest red flag for Johnsson, but I'd be willing to roll the dice. I don't think Miller is going to be a part of our long-term plan regardless. If we don't trade him, I'm sure he'll gladly walk to UFA in two years. Can't imagine he's too thrilled with Sabres management and ownership since he was acquired
We'll have to agree to disagree there, I see Johnsson as a nice upgrade over Sheary/Frolik/Simmonds/Vesey or whoever the hell else we had playing that 2nd/3rd line wing role last year.
I'm not disagreeing with that point. But why not just sign a better winger or look for something better than Johnsson he just had season ending injury. I know leads fans will be tight but I would do a trade revolving around Kapanen but not johnsson there is a reason all leaf fans trade him away.
Injury concern is my biggest red flag for Johnsson, but I'd be willing to roll the dice. I don't think Miller is going to be a part of our long-term plan regardless. If we don't trade him, I'm sure he'll gladly walk to UFA in two years. Can't imagine he's too thrilled with Sabres management and ownership since he was acquired
thats fair, just stating my opinion. if miller can keep his play with dahlin up, it allows jokiharju to improve another pairing
I'm not disagreeing with that point. But why not just sign a better winger or look for something better than Johnsson he just had season ending injury. I know leads fans will be tight but I would do a trade revolving around Kapanen but not johnsson there is a reason all leaf fans trade him away.
I didn't see much in UFA for $3 mil that was going to provide scoring help for us. If I was a Leafs fan, I'd be asking for a good prospect or good pick at least on top of Miller for Kapanen. Maybe that is the better trade if TOR would agree to it, but I think it'd be tough to work out.
thats fair, just stating my opinion. if miller can keep his play with dahlin up, it allows jokiharju to improve another pairing
I looked into trading Risto first, but couldn't land on anything. Tried really hard to trade Risto to the Caps... they have very little on the roster or pipeline behind Carlson at RD... but couldn't work it out both ways.
Miller is definitely more valuable than Johnsson. First thing is I'd drop the picks from both sides of that trade then go shopping in B level prospects from the Leafs, maybe SDA.
Truth is I'm not much of a McCabe fan at all, and would gladly move him + pay more $$$ to Edmundson to fill the LD hole.
I know someone else who could've filled the LD hole too..... his last name rhymes with "Violet"
McCabe is severely underrated. Behind Dahlin and Jokiharju he was our best defender, and the D, contrary to popular belief, was the best thing going this year, 5v5.
No Dubas says, I didn't want him when he was a health scratch in Vegas and I don't want him have you health scratched him several times this season. Literally every option the Leafs have is better than Miller. Even Marincin is more valuable since he can at least kill penalties.
both teams are better from it... don't understand why something similar hasn't happened yet. Sabres need middle of the lineup scoring and have D. Leafs need RD and have scoring. I don't care if it makes Toronto better if it also makes Buffalo better.
It doesn't make TO better. Miller isn't good, he has been a healthy scratch for Vegas and Dubas didn't want him and then he was a healthy scratch in Buffalo and that certainly isn't going to help his stock. He just isn't worth acquiring.