Yeah, that's true as well. This is going to be a very weird offseason. It's going to be short, a flat cap, a pandemic still raging (particularly bad in many US states), a new CBA, and an expansion draft in about 10 months. Going to be a lot of factors considered in every trade and signing, and we could even see some very different approaches as there is no one that can really say they have been through anything like this.

Remember when Sabres fans thought Kapanen was worth a Montour or Miller

Perhaps he could be, but the odds are slim. He's already 23 and he couldn't even stick in the Marles lineup. It's possible he's just a late bloomer though... and perhaps JR saw something in him. Although I think the Leafs won it, I would trust his judgement at least somewhat.

I don't know what to think of it. One of the only things that's making me think he has a bit more potential is the John Marino trade last year.

If there's anything I can say about JR it's that he on occasion does make a really intelligent depth trade. I just have no idea when those are happening.

I don't think he has Marino type potential, but it wouldn't surprise me in a few years if he's a competent #6 dman.

6/7 Dman ceiling... sorry.

Ceci was qualified before the trade.

Both. I said the only way anyone was getting Kapanen was a big overpay.

No I think it was due to the current state of the NHL. With 15 teams being out and able to trade with one another I think it was simple as who was the highest bidder/ best pick. That said, any one who is willing to over pay for a 3rd line guy who couldn't fill an empty uncontested spot of one of the best top 6 in the league is a sucker. Cheecks Kapy couldn't produce with Tavares, Mathews, Marner and Nylander. Like he's worth a 15 overall pick. Pit got fleeced.

And if the highest offer wasn't enough he would have kept Kappy. Which means I was right. So why argue.

not trying to argue in a mean way. If it had that tone or connotation I apologize. But, I disagree I think the best 1st rd pick offered would have got it done in this scenario.

To clarify that could of been any pick. They needed to make moves.

The more I think about this trade the more it stands out as a clear Toronto win, but if I look it as a two year plan for Pittsburgh, I can see how JR rationalized it.

To be clear, this is essentially like polishing a turd, but if you look at Pittsburgh's contracts, they have a strong group put together for at least 2 more years. It's not necessarily the best way to build a championship team with a 10 year window, but it feels like ownership is seeing it through with JR. As a Pens fan I hope it works, because if they don't get a deep run out of the next two years they've given up WAY too much. Their revenue will drop and they won't spend to the cap.

If the next two years go sideways I don't expect Malkin to be incentivized to resign and to me, that's the first concrete mark of the end of the era. What's happening now is just the beginning.

in a vacuum, I get Pittsburgh's thinking about this trade... but I don't get that they chose Kapanen as the target. If they went after a rock solid top 6 winger instead of a potential top 6 winger, it would make sense.

I'm SICK of JR!!! He's sending Pens to HELL. JJ and Tanev nonsense contracts, trading Pearson for Gudbranson and now this stupid overpayment. I'm sure he'll trade Jarry or Murray for Abdelkader or Nielsen. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!! Lemieux must FIRE HIM RIGHT NOW, before he trade Sid or Geno for Bobby Ryan or Jeff Carter and Letang for Marc Staal or Brendan Smith.

It's amazing how lopsided this trade looks. Six months from now, maybe not. Maybe Kap scores 25G and PIT is in 1st place.

127 people said TOR won the Kadri/Barrie trade. Only 26 chose COL. A year later, huge, blowout W for Joe Sakic and the Avs. Like, not even close.

Everyone thought New Jersey won the Subban trade.

It's almost as if saying this **** a year later doesn't make you as astute.

Subban is terrible. Nobody wants him. But Nashville got worse w/ Duchene. Sometimes a trade is a lose-lose I guess.

Kapanen isn't as good as Kadri was who had 30 goal seasons under his resume.

I won't be surprised if Kerfoot is better than Kadri in 2-3 years near the end their contracts. He's like 5 years younger and that's just how things go in sports.

And Kerfoot was significantly more impactful in this years playoff series than Kadri was in his last two series for Toronto (he was suspended for like 12 of 14 games).

So I'm not sure if I agree just yet.

Kadri absolutely had to go. Dubas couldn't keep him after the suspensions. I just thought he could've done better on the trade. Barrie was not a good fit.

Yeah he wasn't. And an extra 1st + 2nd would be pretty nice right now. Or an cheap RD with term like Pesce or Mayfield.

The one thing about the Kadri situation that always annoyed me was that they never tried him at left wing in the top-six.

Wasting a center isn't ideal but neither is wasting talent. He put up 32G / 61P with Marner and (Marleau?) before Tavares signed.

He'd probably be a consistent 30G / 70P agitator at LW with Marner and Tavares, which would make him a steal at $4,500,000.

Then just sign or acquire a $2,000,000-$3,000,000 defensive 3C that plays that puts up 30-40 points. This would be dope:

Kadri - Tavares - Marner
Hyman - Matthews - Nylander
Johnson - Soderberg - Mikheyev
Engvall - Spezza - Korshkov
--------------------------------------
D.Malgin - Gauthier - Barabanov
Robertson - Hallander - Arguchinsev

Yeah that's on Babcock tbh for never putting him on the wing with JT

Your line combos raise an interesting point. I know Leafs fans are pumped about Robertson, and they should be excited. But, is he gonna fit in as a bottom six Forward next season? They need grit, physicality, and toughness in their bottom six, imo. He's probably gonna be a defensive liability until he matures a little. Where do you think Robertson slots in next season? Will he make the opening night roster? You gotta think he's not gonna play as a 4th liner, right? What do you think?

3rd line.

He'll be fine though.

He's small but he's known for backchecking hard and going to the dirty areas.

He's also pretty jacked (he posted some quarantine workout videos lol).