I would do this 100%

Edit: Minnesota would probably want someone better than brooks though, maybe engvall, maybe even a prospect like SDA

Bonino has 2 assists and is getting killed defensively this year and is a 32 year old pending UFA. He isnt worth a 1st, not even close.

I'm all for upgrading the Leafs, but so many have their minds back four years ago. Seems like so many CF folks think bottom enders on non playoff teams or bare playoff teams can be big contributors to to Leafs now.

He's being played above his role. He's a great 3C on a good team, they've been using him in the top 6.

Is a 1st too much? Yeah probably. But realistically he's worth a 2nd. & with Toronto being in the league lead in points right now that puts their 2nd as the last pick in the round. So any other team contending can offer just a 2nd and it would beat Toronto's. Bonino fits a need for Toronto perfectly. 3rd line shutdown centre than can win faceoffs, kill penalties and brings a ton of speed. Minnesota is a worse team so Bonino's numbers are down. It's more like Toronto paying for a need than proper value, and teams overpay all the time. Tampa traded a 1st for Barclay Goodrow. He was never worth that. But it's what Tampa needed and it got them over the hump. Same type of deal. That late 1st in a weak draft doesn't help Toronto win for minimum 3-5 years. It's much smarter to have Bonino to help them win now when he's a proven playoff performer.

It makes tons of sense for both sides actually. People on this site are so attracted to picks that may or may not work out. When your team is in a win now mode you have to get upgrades to win now or the window closers faster and you have to show your good players why they should stick around. Matthews and Marner would rather have Bonino help them win this year then a prospect that might make the league in 3-5 years and might help them win if they stick around.. that's a lot of lights just for a 17 year old kid.

Just because a team is at the bottom of the standings, doesn't mean that every player on that team sucks. Minnesota has had horrible goaltending this year which is the main reason they're lower in the standings.

Also, that player that you seem to hate so much for the Leafs finished 12th in Selke Trophy last season. 12 games this season with terrible goaltending doesn't change that.

even if he's playing above his station he's still getting destroyed out there and that effects his value, especially as an older UFA. Should the leafs be interested in him? sure, but they shouldnt be paying good assets for him.
the difference between Bonino and Goodrow is pretty significant and they arnt comparable. Goodrow was 26 and putting up good defensive numbers and above average offensive numbers for a guy playing a depth roll on a bad team. He also makes less than half of what Bonino makes after this trade and there was zero retention and an extra year.

As you pointed out above, Bonino has been settling in the bottom 6 and is starting to look the part again. Not being on the power play helps you remember what he’s there for. I have a very strong feeling that first is going to go towards Granlund but maybe a 2nd/3rd and a guy like Liljegren or SDA? I get the sense TOR has soured a bit on Liljegren.

Deployment matters, top 6 offensive deployment and line mates are really impacting him. He’s only been put in a checking role in the last 3 games and he looks as advertised, and still fast and winning draws.

yes, it matters, but only so far as how he performs. He is basically drowning and putting up the worst numbers of his career. Good players put up good underlying results even in bad situations on bad teams. Bonino is being slaughtered.

Granlund isnt worth a 1st or a prospect like Liljegren, and no, Toronto has not soured on Liljegren.

Bonino was 12th in Selke voting last season. Goodrow didn't get any. So there's a skill difference too that you seem to forget about

I'm not saying you're wrong, but I think a contending team makes the centrepiece of the deal the 1st to give up the lower prospect. Beak cause of the pandemic I feel like better prospects will be more valuable to a team to call up when needed this year. If this was a regular year, yeah I'd say a mid round pick and a guy like Liljegren. But this year I feel like regardless of where Liljegren is at, he'll be valuable as a call up.

I agree that the team seems to view Liljegren a bit differently now (wrong to give up on him already, he's battled injuries and still produced at a top AHL level) but I don't think it's gone south enough to throw him away for a rental this season when it's a lower amount of games.

Bonino had 2 votes for Selke last year, one person thought he was the best defensive person and one person thought he was the 2nd best. he's only on the list at all because of the weighted system where two people galaxy brained their way into thinking he was not only a good choice for best defensive forward in the NHL when Bergeron, Stone, ROR, etc exist but that he was the BEST choice. So those votes mean about as much as some homer Nashville media voter thought.

I think you need to stop overvaluing a pick and prospects so much. Granlund is 100% worth at least one of those. Playing great defensively and putting up offensive numbers. If Nashville is looking for a rebuild on a pending UFA, that's a great deal to make if they retain 50% on him for this year. Do that every day of the week.

& yet Goodrow still got none. I'm not saying the voting system is perfect, but generally guys get votes that deserve it.

You know Matthews finished 16th in the same voting last year right? With only 1 vote. But I'll bet you justify that he's worth it because you're a Toronto fan.

I think you need to stop thinking that contending teams give up 1st rounders and good prospects for old soon to be UFA 3rd liners . The only reason Coleman got that much was because he had an extra year

It's called a buying trade at the deadline. It literally happens all the time..

no, the point is that if a guy gets 1 or 2 votes and they are way too high it means that they didnt deserve squat and mean about as much as no votes at all. Media voting is a joke and the fact that the league uses it for career defining trophys and awards is dumb as hell. This is a league where the clear 2nd best player on his team won the "most valuable player" award.
And no, Matthews didnt deserve a top 5 vote for best defensive player last year because he wasnt a top 5 defensive player.

it's called valuing players relative to market. Coleman was better than Granlund at the time of the trade and had an extra year so he was worth significantly more. An entire extra season brings in a ton more value than 20ish games

So then give up a higher quality prospect instead of the pick, like a Sandin, Liljegren, Robertson, Amirov, etc.

... you can't get something good without giving up something valuable. Teams aren't gonna just help you just because you want them to. They don't care. They need something valuable back or you don't get the player and some other team does. Then have fun losing in the first round again and likely trading Nylander because of it.

yeah, terribly over paying for a 3rd liner who will be gone in the off season will totally prevent catastrophy

Then stick with Kerfoot as your 3C who's been horrendous defensively on a line that his coach wants to be the shutdown line. & again, lose out in the 1st round all because you were too stubborn to move a 17 year old who may or may not make it in 3-5 years and may help out then.

Great way to convince Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Rielly, Andersen, etc to stick around and win in Toronto. They gotta hire you soon!

let me put it this way, Steve Simmons and Pierre McGuire get to vote on these trophys. So if they voted 1-2 on a guy to win the Selke and that player got no other votes, how meaningful is that?

Still more meaningful than your vote.

I get the sense you value the defense and face off ability more than the offense at the deadline, which is reasonable. I’m in the boat that you could have both buy giving up a 1st and 3rd plus 2 prospects. We will see how it plays out. From a Wild perspective, any of the Bonino trades we’ve discussed would be seen as wins in Minnesota.

This is likely the leafs best shot and the year to throw around draft capital like candy.