Amen Bro ....

THAT IS THE PENS BIGGEST NEED IMO too

Yes I agree, I think the lot of people have written off the Leafs but perhaps that's when they will come deliver a surprise.

Thanks for the feedback. The last 2 seasons, DeMelo has played a top 4 role and done very well. He might not be a legit top pairing guy, but I think he is someone who can compliment Rielly pretty well. Gudas is a good option as well, but I feel DeMelo is more mobile which fits the team's style. Sandin played well during his brief stint this season so he'll most likely get a spot, Robertson is an unknown for now. I do believe the team will underachieve, however, I can't see Nylander getting moved unless he really stinks this playoffs. GMs usually don't trade someone who's played with fire all season, if anyone goes, it's probably Marner.

I think the Pens biggest need is a better third pairing cuz Jultz stinks. However, I agree, they need a smooth-skating RW who can carry the puck into the zone during the powerplay. That's why I think they should target Marner.

Playing a "top-4" role on one of the worst teams, if not the worst team, in the NHL (as in the Sens) doesn't impress one bit. I call DeMelo a fringe top-4 for a reason, because he not proven at all that he can handle big and tough minutes against better competition. Thinking he can be paired with Rielly seems a little ridiculous to me, because even if you shortened Rielly's even strength minutes in order to keep the pair together, it is likely whoever pairs with him will have to play at least 15 even strength minutes per night against top-6 competition from the opposition and my honest assessment, and as unbiased as possible, there is absolutely no way DeMelo can do that, or has proven he can do that. He was sheltered quite readily on San Jose, and only got more minutes in Ottawa, well, it was Ottawa. The Leafs are going to have to make some sort of deal trading some of their offense for a more reliable top-4 option, and if not reliable, then at least a young D with more potential. I would easily qualify in that second group to include Myers (PHI), Graves (COL - he could play the right side), Pulock or Pelech (NYI), etc. And as far as forwards go, it makes more sense to trade Kapanen, Johnsson and Kerfoot, then Nylander or Marner, because you can deal them separately or together, and they all come with a substantially less AAV with decent term and control. If Nylander goes, the Leafs would be trading high on a player that can run hot and cold, and sometimes takes nights off. In Marner, his contract and signing bonus structure basically makes his contract untradeable, and I can't see the Leafs getting fair value for him based solely on that contract. I would say that if the Leafs lose the return to play, this group will look a lot different come the 2020-21 season, whenever that gets started. I would hold no weight to what Dubas said during his press briefing. The Leafs' tight cap situation and underperforming will lead to either him getting fired, or him having to make some gigantic changes in order to change up the dynamic of this group and keep his job.

I don’t agree with your take on DeMelo at all. Just because he’s played top 4 minutes on bad teams, it doesn’t mean he isn’t capable of doing the same thing on a better team. His individual performance in Ottawa was excellent. He ranked in the top 13 percent league-wide in both generating and preventing quality scoring chances, plus he falls in the top 7% in generating offensive zone time. This shows he’s a very good two-way defenceman who can both shutdown the opposition & exit his own end effectively. The fact that he’s achieved these results while playing top 4 minutes on Ottawa is even more impressive since he had to face the opposition’s top players while carrying his awful linemates. Imagine how he’d do playing on a team with players that are actually good?

I stand by what I said. When you are on a terrible team playing the 4th or 5th most minutes behind Chabot, Ceci (last season), Lajoie, Harpur (last season), Hainsey (this season), Zaitsev (this season), etc. it tells me that he was often sheltered with the Sens lined him up against. I don't know the Senators enough to know who was his usual linemate the last 2 seasons, but every time the Leafs played Toronto with him in the lineup, he usually did not look very good. It's surprising, because I thought more of his potential when he was working his way up the lineup with San Jose before he was traded. Regardless, the Leafs have to trim salary. So on a what if basis, you are telling me you would prefer signing DeMelo, over say, trading Dermott and Kapenen as part of a package to acquire Ryan Graves?

It’s not last season though. This year, he’s played in a top 4 role for over 20 minutes a night & has done very well. He went to Winnipeg & played top pair minutes, continued to excel. He’s averaged more minutes than Graves this season & has achieved better on-ice results. If Toronto ends up acquiring Graves, I would not mind it at all, but why give up assets when you can sign a similar player for free?