Quoting: reelkena
Ok, well, I guess I'll respond.
First I didn't make the trade. Second I didn't accept the trade. I said it's not as bad as people think and it's at least close. Here's why.
Toronto has too many big contracts. One has to go. These are facts. Tavares has a no move. Matthews isn't going and Nylander's money isn't big enough. (it really isn't, trust me) It's not that Marner sucks or Marner is overpaid or any of that. Marner kinda has to go because it just ends up that way.
So assume that's the plan. (if you wanna argue that point that's fine, it's a separate argument but I'm going on my assumption Marner has to go)
Now what do you look for back? You need to save money and you need spread out the contracts especially over defensemen. You want prospects and picks because they have value but don't cost you cap. (this is why I wouldn't do this trade because it doesn't have the little pieces it needs)
Yes Doughty is on a scoring decline. Hugely. 100% agree. but that's not a problem for Tor. Scoring is not what's missing. D that actually play D is what's missing. Doughty for 5.5 million playing 24 min against top lines is 1000% Tor's biggest issue being solved and at a steal price. (contract wise not Marner wise)
So as I said, it's not as bad as you think. Doesn't mean I'd do it. So relax.
Was that so hard? instead of coming at me and trying to ... idk put down the new guy? just be a d*ck? you could have simply laid out you position on it, so we can ... yaknw go back 'n forth and debate it like a forum is meant to be, unless this is another one of those forums where the environment is just completely toxic and unless you have X,000 Posts your POV is disregarded and irrelevant.
Now that we've got the 'formalities' out of the way lol
Fair, I can agree that we have too many big contracts (the fact our big 3 takes up $30+ mill doesn't help). The point of Nylander's cap hit not being enough I just can't get behind though, the reason is because he's slotted at $7 Million (Marner at $11 Million, $4 Mill diff) considering what we do with the situation there is a real possibility we could get a quality D-man and not lose Marner.
If the Leafs don't resign Ceci and Barrie (cap reasons, unless we keep him or we do a sign and trade) you have $7.2 Million, now you can either take that as it is, enter the market with Nylander on the block and the $7.2 Million and have a total of $14 Million of free cash to play with. OR we go a different route, we sign Barrie to a $3-5 Million contract and then decide to either keep him or move him with/without Nylander. Either way you look at it moving Nylander (plus a few other pieces) to acquire a top defenseman and save cap is a realistic move, we don't 'have to' get rid of Marner.
Back to the other points now, Saving money, Agree. Spreading contracts out, Agree. Prospects + Picks, Agree. Heck, even the leafs needing a Dman that actually plays Defense vs focusing on scoring I even agree but to let go of Marner isn't the way to do it, now while the OP's trade isn't ideal and I'd rather search for another defenseman to trade for and for a better deal it's something that I could see being done, swap Nylander for Marner in the OP's trade and that just becomes unrealistic to me, at the very least a gross overpayment for a declining Dman that won't be on the Leafs as a number 1-3 in 2-4 years potentially; which is the point I was making by laying out the statistics.
At the end of it though my thoughts are, the moves the Leafs need to make and their intricacies are going to be a minefield for Dubas in order to achieve lowering his Cap Hit, Acquiring a Top 2 Defenseman, and holding on to as much talent as he can. Now in saying that I know, cap-wise were in a precarious position which makes the other tasks even more difficult to attain, but trading away one of the top wingers on the team and even in the NHL for a Dman that meets our needs of today at the expense of tomorrow's future isn't how we do it. If we go the route of moving Nylander and a few prospects instead (still leveraging tomorrow's future but not losing that elite winger) then that I can get behind as that satisfies a few of our needs. Like I agreed with before simply put to effectively (Nylander) to make it happen I can get behind that.