Do you guys think this team is strong enough to win the cup? (PS Sorry for the tag!)

As you have it here, Yes. But I have my doubts that you would get Hall (with 50% retention, no less) for that.

I'm not a fan of acquiring Hall, but he gets more than Engvall in a trade. Brazeau not a NHL (maybe not even an AHLer)

There are still too many question marks on the blueline and in net for me to 100% say this team is a contender, but coming from the north division... I'd expect them to be the remaining Canadian team. I just question against the likes of Boston, Washington, Tampa Bay, Florida, Carolina, Vegas, Colorado... can they beat teams that are solid through and through?

Not sure that gets hall.

This leafs team can be very good but I’d say a physical player in the top 6 is needed. He has a minor injury but nick foligno would make this team very scary. Good size and physicality, solid enough d and very talented forwards. Also your big guns have to step up

This lineup could win, but that's not close to enough for hall

I don't think Hall is the right guy and if he is available he isn't going to cost much. Not many buyers out there. Also I would rather keep Engvall and Brazeau

Brazeau is still a project but if he gets his skating up to even Thornton level he will be an NHLer. His shot it nuts and he's huge. Just has cement feet.

His two goals, two points in 15 games at age 23 with the Marlies tells me he isn't an NHLer.

Well I think the current line up is and you oddly acquired oleksiak to play his offside and bump Bogosian out of the line up so probably neutral move but odd and otherwise acquired hall on the Uber cheap for engvall. So of course they could win.

But it's more odd/unrealistic than anything else

It's so hard to say how good any team is really. Look at the west, there are 2 teams that are good, Minnesota and then a bunch of nothing. I'd wager Calgary and even Vancouver would have fought for a playoff spot in the west. The central has 3 good teams and the rest are all bad. It's the weakest division. And the East is much like the north 4 clear playoff teams and then meh. So how do any of these teams matchup against anyone else? It's all really hard to tell. TO isn't the team it was last year. Much better defensively and just as good offensively and haven't had 100% healthy goaltending for pretty much the whole season. To think they can't win is foolish, they have everything you need to win. Matthews is unstoppable right now as well.

Foligno of 2021 isn't Foligno of 2016.

I'd acquire him on the cheap but I feel like he's just going to be like Simmonds a shadow of his former self

Still he isn't even an NHL contract, he's a free asset to sit on.

He’s not what he was, but he’s still a truck. He’s big,physical, and a leader. And playing with nylander and tavares or Matthews and marner how good does he have to be?
I know I’m a Habs fan but the leafs keep getting pushed around in the playoffs. I think that him or another physical top 6 guy along with Simmonds could really change that

As has been seen with Simmonds he can't get it done there.

I'm all for acquiring actual talented toughness.

But this reminds me of when the moron Carlyle tried to put Orr with Kadri for toughness.

Foligno 2-3 years ago or even last year absolutely. But he doesn't seem to be that same player anymore.

If we're going to acquire someone we should pay more for an actual effective tough top 6 winger.

Not 2021 foligno

If history repeats itself the big stud goalie on the Canadian team gets injured and the veteran who lost his starter role can maybe get them to the next round (probably not further) since they're not against Boston who always takes them out in the first round. Cup tho even with Campbell would be unlikely. Something always just seems off with this team in my opinion. In the past I just didn't think their back end was good enough including their goalie. This year they have the goalie and their forward group looks good on paper but a lot of these players are still out of their primes. Now their defense group looks meh on paper in comparison but is decent. Is it better than the islanders back end tho or Minnesota's or Vegas or TB. I don't think so.

Personally, I do not.

Fair enough.

IDK if the Leafs need to trade for a forward but if they do, Hall would be my target. Good 2 way player & elite forechecker. What’s not to love? He’d be another Galchenyuk.

I think if they go into the playoffs with this defence, I wouldn’t be concerned. Everyone except Rielly is good at preventing scoring chances for the role that they play. I do think they will struggle when they play a heavier forechking team. The D will get outworked cuz the forwards don’t like to go back to give them any support.

Thanks for the suggestion. I like Foligno but I just feel Dubas would rather give up a low pick for Hall than a 1st for Foligno. Hall is a lot more of an individual talent, plus they have similar stats in forechecking.

Hall is someone who plays like Galchenyuk with Hagelin’s forechking ability. If you can get a guy like him you don’t really need a hitter.

Yeah i don’t think Toronto’s defence even with Oleksiak & Mete would be as stacked as VGK, NYI, COL or MIN. Talent wise it is probably similar to Tampa but they have the generational D Hedman which separates them. Still their defence is solid & they have a more stacked offence than most of those teams IMO.

Yes

Hall is an awesome acquisition and id happily pay a third team to make it happen if we could