"If you can't beat him, trade for him"

Yup :/

Thats what we did with Rittich

Mrazek does not waive his NTC to go to ARZ.

I'm going to go ahead and assume there will be a bunch of Vejmelka trades in Leafs ACGMs for the next few days.

Flavour of the week now.

I was actually looking for a cheap goalie, not Vejmelka specifically but yeah probably

I feel like the return here for Severson is rather underwhelming, but can easily be tweaked.
Leafs get:
Severson + 50% retention for 2 yrs.

Devils get:
22 1st
Mrazek
any prospect better than Abruzzese.

Boom. You just got one of the most underrated defencemen in the metro as well as netting roughly 2m in cap space, which im sure will come in handy when its time to resign Campbell.
Could also chisel out an extra million in cap space sending Holl to Arizona along with those picks for Vejmelka.

Mrazek would be the third goaltender in New Jersey….

would have to be a 1st + Niemela for me

Actually no, Bernier is out for the season and his career might be in jeopardy following hip surgery (just look at Cory Schneider post 2018).
Blackwood is supposedly dealing with a lingering heel issue as well, might need surgery or at least someone to share the net with him.
Also, both of out top AHL goalie prospects are currently out with injury as well.
I'd prefer taking payment in picks or prospects for Koskinen's cap from Edmonton but if Fitzgerald feels he cannot extend Severson in the summer I'd be happy if something like my suggestion above went down.



I'd love that. Thinking Dubas might not trade Niemelä though.

Please look at the goalie prospects in NJ and tell me what you think of them

I agree. For a year and a half of Severson, and we lose our right at any extension. If they are doing futures package...with 50% retention....

Niemela + 1st + 3rd
Niemela + Knies + 2nd
Niemela + Robertson + 2nd

That’s far too much. I understand the retention aspect but asking for a prospect like Niemela who’s a new age two-way dman who defends with his stick and positioning rather than throwing his weight.

If anything a the trade would be along the lines of:

Holl + Rindell + 2022 1st + 2023 3rd

NJD gets a roster player with 2yrs left on his deal back plus an extremely underrated prospect, a late 1st and a late 3rd.