Kral is not a particularly exciting prospect, and the Ducks already have a log jam of guys his age trying to make the roster, so he's not a value add, we'd want a different prospect. One of the requirements of shipping Kling out is that we take a RD back the other way, so toss Holl in our deal.

We're short on top 6 capable LW, preferably a power forward, and big, hard hitting, defensive D, either side. Pick prospect(s) that checks those boxes.

This helps! Appreciate the response. Throw in Holl and snag any forward prospect not named Matt knies.

Klingberg is NOT the type of defenseman the Leafs need. They need a bruiser who can skate.

Do you have a player in mind?

If the cap goes up 4m, then the Leafs would be fine affording Miller next year, however they will need a Bunting replacement and a Klingberg replacement for 4.5m. Giving up their top prospect +2024 1st + 2nd +3rd is not worth it at all.

I'm ready to strip it down to the studs in Van. This prob wouldn't be near my first move, but the value seems ok. I would be working hard to get OEL out of town as first priority.

The only other LW I am seeing in their system stamped with "top 6 potential" is Robertson, so Robertson and Kneis are the only two of interest. Drop Kral and the 4th and toss one of them in, or drop the prospect and bump the 4th to the better of the 2023 3rds.

More silly "agree to an extension", especially when the Leafs don't have the cap for it, and Miller on board
I would rather have all those draft picks, Niemela and 15m in cap rather than JK and JTM. Besides Muzzin isn't waiving for Vancouver.

@giggywithgibby hit the nail on the head with regards to a potential return (Though a 1st+Robertson is getting greedy, IMO).

I'm more curious as to what extension you'd think Klinger would be agreeing to here?

Not *necessarily* true. If the cap goes up to $84 or $85 (Who knows!), then you've got $15 mil in space (or so...) with 13 guys signed. The only two potential major signings at this point would be Bunting and Klinger. Not saying that sticking with the cheap depth that you currently have is the right way to roll, but there technically *is* space.

I honestly think Leafs fans would learn to loathe Klinger pretty quickly given that his defensive game is sketchy at best (He's been a great addition to my beloved Ducks though!).

I'm not getting the impression he ever plays again, you are trading for his note, not him. It is sounding like he has a chronic condition as a result of injury.



I mean, yeah, you are right, we'd have to lower the pick to then ask for Robo. Kind of a moot point since I think of al the competitors, Toronto is probably the worst fit for Klingberg, unless the belief from last years exit vs Tampa was that they just needed a bit more offense.

Agree with you about Klinger. He's probably playing as hard as he can trying to get a good long term contract. I'm just not that enthused with 30 year old Miller starting a new 7 year contract either.

OK here's my prediction. Leafs make the playoffs, though they aren't as good as last year. Dubas is not allowed to make any deals that depletes the Leafs iffy prospect list.

Leafs have new GM in the summer of 2023

When it looks like the Leafs are kinda just treading water, and Matthews and Nylander aren't going to resigned in the summer of 2024, the Leafs make a decision.
Trade pending UFAs Matthews, Nylander and Brodie at TDL February 2024. Leafs use those young assets in return, and cap space provided...(Murray and Muzzin contracts expire too) for a retool.

UFA McDavid signs as Leaf in summer of 2025.

He wanted like 8m+ in Dallas, ended up with 6m+ offers in FA. In Toronto, he'll want 1m more than what he can get elsewhere probably, so I'm guessing 7m-7.5m would be the middle ground where an agreement would have to occur.

If I were to guess where Klinger ends up, I'd actually bet on Tampa making it work.

Cheap version might be Nicolas meloche??? Don’t know much about him but looked alright in preseason

I think it'll depend on what the cap actually ends up going to. 7-7.5 with term is a dangerous deal for a guy like him (And again, I love what he's doing in Anaheim).

I don't know...Matthews has a full NTC that kicks in during that offseason, no? I really, really don't see him being moved...there's so few teams out there that can offer the type of bonus-laden contracts that the Leafs gave (will give) him.

Unless the Oilers' playoff success peak was last year, and only gets worse in the next 3 season, I don't see McDavid leaving while Draisaitl is still around.

My prediction for the Leafs is that they either resign Dubas for 2-years, and he resigns Matthews/Nylander this off-season (2023), and in the 2024 off-season resigns Marner and Tavares resulting in the core 4 taking a combined 38-42m combined (currently 40.5m).

Or Dubas walks away/is not renewed, and Nylander gets traded/resigned, Matthews tests FA/resigns in the last minute (he has a NMC so he's probably not going to get traded unless he wants to go somewhere in particular). Marner gets an extension in the 2024 off-season, Tavares gets resigned in 2025 and perhaps they sign McDavid.

Yeah, I don't think he's a good fit unless he's willing to come in at 6m, and Liljegren+Sandin are defensive studs.

I think he is destined to be a King. They should be good young team with cap, and Koptiar 10m contract is expiring when Matthews becomes a UFA. Matthews to Kings in a trade and Matthews gets an eight year contract instead of a seven year deal from any other team. IMO Matthews wants to go to big USA market. LA fits the bill, as the winter team Lakers seems to be floundering.

I just can't see the value in the Leafs renewing Nylander, Marner and Tavares at all. Yea, Matthews has value but so do most of the other 31 other teams league think so.
Doesn't McDavid's and Draistail contracts expiring at the same time in the summer of 2025?

I can't see Dubas walking away.....I can't imagine any team wanting him as GM, including the Leafs. He has the protection of Shanahan, but Shanahan seems to missing in action. Dubas's trading, drafting and contract negotiations have been pretty horrid.

The value in signing Marner and Nylander is that they are elite players and should still be elite. Tavares could still be good depth player or top 6, so I'm guessing either 3m or 5m contract wouldn't be bad to sign him at if he's scoring and with his faceoff ability. People try to discredit Dubas on trades/letting guys who were depth pieces or not even cracking the roster after having success elsewhere. What happens when Matthews, Marner, and Nylander go elsewhere? They are probably going to have more success both in personal stats and team success.

Dubas probably easily gets a management job (not necessarily a GM job) elsewhere. The trading and drafting have actually been good, Tampa and Toronto's drafting is in the high quality and low opportunity, on a quality vs opportunity chart. He's not going to get praise for his negotiation skills but for every big contract he has 1 discounted contract (it might even be a 1:2+ ratio). If you just restrict it to long-term 5+ year contracts. Then you have the Marner+Matthews contracts vs Reilly's, so a 2:1 ratio. The Tavares and Nylander's contracts weren't anything out of the ordinary when they were signed.

Dubas could walk away if he's not getting any results, no matter what he does, this team might just need a different perspective to perfect it.

Right price, wrong team for Kerfoot.