Toews should get at least twice that AAV

Would you trade Toews one for one with Shayne Gostisbehere?

Although 2 years is a strange amount of time for a bridge deal, I could see that working with the current cap situation. It gets Boychuk and Hickey off the books and by that time the cap might be increasing as well. I could see giving Toews a bit more, but going 2 years with Barzal and Toews may be the smartest.

I think the Kings trade is realistic because although Leddy does have value, get out from Komorov is important. LA has room and doesn't want to part with higher draft picks. If you're willing to essentially give away an asset, this would work (Lou doesn't like to do that though).

The two years is for the exact reason you explained. I think cap wise the Kings trade is the best case. If I were GM I would love that trade. But if they want to move the Ladd/Boychuk contracts I can see trade just being Leddy, then maybe Bailey goes. A lot of moving parts

I would think they'd want to move as many of those bad contracts as possible. But so are others so there are definitely going to be teams stuck with bad money. There aren't easy to buy out contracts on the Isles either (except for maybe Hickey if you don't want to play him).

The only downside to this is that it will be tough to add to the roster for those two years. With Pelech, Beauvilier and Sorokin coming up RFA's before that you either need more bridge deals (too many are not a good idea) or needing to move one. Tough but flat cap land is trouble for all.

Yea that's a good point. I think maybe 3 years would be better on the bridge deals then next offseason move Ladd/Boychuk with a 2nd or 3rd + B prospect. Just to save the few firsts we have

Toews is much better than Gostisbehere

I would disagree. I think Gostisbehere plays better against better teams. But regardless, the point is that players like him, kelfbom, Reilly, Werenski, Gardner, McAvoy get paid 4-5M all of which have more experience and have proven to be better than Toews. Can't pay a guy who is going to be a bottom 2D on the team 4.5 per without proving he's worth it. Unless it was a longer term deal (4+) then I would say he could get 4per max.

Gostisbehere is overpaid and he was a healthy scratch during the playoffs.

A lot of isles fans are overreacting to toews bad playoff performance. Despite that, he’s still our best two way defenseman. He’s by far the best at generating offense and he’s well above average defensively.

I can see him getting 3 mill x 2 , 4 mill x 4, or 4.5-5 mill long term.

I just worry that the isles are going to be paying him 4.5M to be the third best LD on the team. He could get PP minutes but it isn't like we produce on the PP at all so that value doesn't matter all that much

He’s already the best two way D on the team...

I love pelech and he’s solid defensively, but isles fans overrate the hell out of him. He’s a great dman , but he’s a negative offensively. If toews was the one that tore his Achilles we would have been worse off and fans would be saying the same things about him.

Heres where toews ranks among isles D

Generating offense at even strength : 1
Powerplay : 1
Defensively : 2

He’s not replaceable and in 2 years his market value will be over 6 mill.

I interned with the Flyers this year, he wasn't just a scratch in the playoffs. He was frequently sitting up in the press box with us.
I don't think Toews should get the contract Ghost got, but I'd agree that Toews is signficantly better.

I would give Toews that contract because he’s already a top pairing caliber D and will definitely out perform the contract. We need more value contracts and there’s little to no risk in extending toews long term at 4.5-5 mill. If he didn’t play in trotz system, he would be recognized as a borderline elite D

That's fair. If they choose to upgrade the top 6, by moving one of Pulock or Toews, you'd rather move Pulock?

Yeah I’d probably move pulock. I’d rather keep both, and I think that’s what theyll end up doing. Leddy will be the odd man out.

Pulock and toews are both top pairing caliber D, I just think toews is better long term. He’s a solid PP QB and he drives play at an elite level at even strength. In a year or 2 the pairings could be:

Toews-dobson
Pelech- wilde