No thanks

Ekblad has a concussion history and Murray is a big downgrade

Minnesota isn't giving up a 1st for a rental goalie when there are plenty of UFAs available for free.

Would you do something around Kapanen for Barbashev? You’d get close to Kerfoot production for about 2 mil less.

How many more full seasons does he need to put up before you reconsider that his two concussions dont play a role in his game anymore?

Tell me how far I'm off here. Would the Leafs have been better served not to sign JT? I know his prowess as a player, but couldn't they have kept Kadri (Who I assume is missed?) and added a defensive DMan via signing or trade?

EDIT: Or even another goalie?

I wanted Kap as a main piece to get someone to play with Ekblad. Kapanen for Barbashev would be okay valuewise though. I dont like Barbashevs advanced stats however. How is he on PK and how does he compare to a guy like Sundqvist.

But...Ekblad > Rielly...

Also, when a team is looking to cut payroll, adding payroll and giving up future ELC's in the form of 1st round picks seems like a bold strategy...

Acquiring Tavares speeded up the rebuild to the extent this team looked pretty good instantly after he was acquired. To the point where the holes of this team still under a rebuild weren't exposed until the playoffs.

Imo things happened a bit too fast. In this sense acquiring Tavares was a mistake, in hindsight.

Then again, who wouldn't use the opportunity to land a TOP10 C in the league? At least that he was when he landed the free agency.

No. JT signing was great move and I dont think many moves would make it be bad or even mediocre. Maybe if we got similar trade for ROR that STL did (which was close) and Leafs got a top pairing partner for peanuts. That would make it a bad or even mediocre move worth regretting. Other than that I dont think so.

They would save money with Rielly in next 2 years and get a top line guy for peanuts. Would those 2 1sts or even one of them get you a player like Nylander? I dont think so. And he is versatille so he can play at 2C or 1RW depending on what you need or want.

-Freddy had excellent, consistent numbers at the time. There wasn't really a need for goaltending.
-Kadri brought over a RD, plus Kerfoot. Seemed like a win for the Leafs at the time, plus Kadri was on the media chopping block for his suspension during the Boston series, if I recall correctly.
-If you get the chance to sign Tavares, you absolutely sign Tavares and figure out the rest later.

Really, they still have the opportunity to trade for a good dman, it just depend on their willingness to move a solid asset.

Sammy. Name one other trade where a 1st was sent for a goalie rental? Now go back and see how well that goalie did. Were they 30th in SV% for all goalies with 25 games? Even Robin Lehner (A far better goalie) only got a 2nd rounder and thats at the TDL when players have their maximum value and picks their minimum value.

Giving up a 1st for andersen but somehow the guy you want to replace him is worth Kerfoot.
That's never going to fly.

The talent level of this draft makes it seem like there's a good chance that you get a Nylander-type player at 12. Obviously it won't be immediate, but if the worst you're going to do is get one of Jack Quinn, Lundell, or Jarvis (Or heck, pick Sanderson if he falls and help fix the D long term!), you're in pretty good shape.

Murray for Kerfoot

Flip Kerfoot to Kapanen+ and you have a chance.

not in my opinion. All of those things could have been done around Tavares. They could have kept Kadri and moved other guys like Johnsson or Kapanen or moved Ceci. They could have signed a defensive D this upcoming year. They have their "other goalie" in Campbell.

These are pretty bad, all slanted in the Leafs favor.

Yes it was a mistake, their cap flexibility went out the window with the JT signing, great player but they didn't need him, Kadri was a good 2C and $7M cheaper, many ways that $7M could've been used to better the team elsewhere.

Kind of my thoughts. Tavares is great, and sure these moves could still be done with him on the team, but it definitely makes things much harder to do. But, I also respect the notion that their fans are echoing here.

I wouldn’t say it was a mistake.. but I think they would’ve been better off using that $7M difference between Tavares and Kadri to sign a good RHD.

I'd agree with this wholeheartedly. It should never be a mistake to sign a 1C, especially if that gives you two legit 1C Caliber players.

However, in the long run, that $11M could be used somewhere else. Like a #1RHD

They could of just played out the last season of Marleau's deal with that $7M, they'd have another 1st round pick as either a prospect coming or as a trade chip.

He’s great on the PK. Him and Sundqvist have been a huge part of our 4th line’s success but Barbashev probably has more offensive potential, he centered our top line with Tarasenko in the playoffs a couple years ago.