In this scenario, the following 3 things happen:
-Toronto is eliminated against Florida.
-Matthews is unwilling to sign an extension before his NMC kicks in. He wants to play out the year before deciding whether to stay in Toronto.
-Pittsburgh wants to rebuild.
-Crosby is willing to waive his NMC to go to Toronto.

Toronto cannot risk Matthews playing out the season once his NMC kicks in, because they risk having to let him walk for nothing.

Crosby might waive to go to Toronto. It's a chance to finish his career in a big Canadian market. Despite their complete failure in the playoffs, they are a perpetual cup contender. They will still have roughly the same core, and moving out Matthews will allow them to keep their core in place since Crosby's cap hit is considerably less than the 13M+ that Matthews will require on an extension.

This trade would not come with a guaranteed extension for Matthews, but the Kings have the cap space to pay him and with one of the deepest prospect pools in the league, they have the ability to build a contender around him if he stays. Byfield is a steep price without an extension, but his value has dropped since the draft. Teams usually don't give up pieces like Byfield for pending UFAs though. The trade could otherwise work with a package of picks and prospects going to Pittsburgh from Los Angeles, but Byfield is the sexier name and is more fun for a thread.

Byfield is not worth either of those 2... Even if you add 3 first round picks.

While it's hard to argue Crosby not being worth Matthews, Crosby is much older. Matthews brings more. So 1 for 1 for 1 is hilariously bad here.

Kings have to add prospects and top draft picks for the next year or 2 at minimum to even consider this. While the Pens have to add just a little bit.

Crosby + assets -> Matthews
Matthews -> Byfield + a kings ransom

In a scenario where Matthews wants to play out the year, Crosby is worth more to Toronto than Matthews. 2 years of Crosby at 8.7M is worth more than 1 more year of Matthews at 11.34M, with a risk of Matthews walking. If Toronto offers Matthews 13M+ in July, and he doesn't want to commit, that's an indication that he has 1 foot out the door. It would be a culture shift, and if it doesn't work, then they lose absolutely nothing because it wasn't working with Matthews, and they cannot trade him once his NMC kicks in.

As far as the LAK component of the deal, it's less important to the thread concept. It's the most flexible part of the deal in that, whatever you think LAK would give up for a 1 year audition with Matthews and the advantage of being able to offer him an 8 year deal later on, just insert that in there instead of Byfield.

The main concept is Toronto swapping Matthews final year for 2 years of Crosby in what would be a major culture shift and last ditch attempt to win with their core, similar to when the Raptors acquired Kawhi Leonard. Only that I think it would require a third team, because I suspect the Penguins need to rebuild or re-tool, and would have zero chance of extending Matthews due to their cap situation.

It just makes no sense, since he has no NMC atm. So the market for him will be a few teams that can afford him. He wouldn't be worth "nothing" I highly doubt Crosby will ever waive. Even to play in Toronto. And Matthews > Crosby. Regardless of the contract.

This scenario isn't plausible due to the NMC is not existing. If he was put on the market, almost every single contender and say Arizona and Anaheim would be all over Matthews. And the return he'd get would be a insane amount. He's a top 15 player in the NHL.

While the hypothetical scenario you said could exist, parts of it are so highly unlikely. I think he's going to Arizona. Even with his NMC he'd waive for Arizona.

Somehow I managed to put my response inside of the quote... oops..

Once the NMC kicks in, Toronto loses control over the asset. Come trade deadline, whether or not Toronto is in the playoffs, Matthews could decide he doesn't want to take on the risk of taking a trade. Or that he only wants to accept a trade if it is to his ideal destination with a massive contract in place. In which case, Toronto is not getting a massive return because that team already knows they can wait until the summer and have a very high chance of signing Matthews.

Crosby may not want to leave Pittsburgh at all, but it's obvious there are major changes coming there. If they decide they need to rebuild, he may want to go to a more competitive situation rather than spend his final few years on a non-playoff team. There is also the post-career aspect to consider. Crosby has been one of the most marketable players in the league. Going to Toronto and possible bringing them a cup (I hope not) would have massive implications for his legacy and however he chooses to market himself in his post playing career. Similar to how Gretzky wanted to go to Toronto or New York.

If the Leafs offer to make Matthews the highest paid player in the league on an 8 year contract with a NMC, front loaded money, and signing bonuses and he turns it down wanting to play out the season, then he is very unlikely to stay. In that scenario, they aren't weighing whether 9 more years of Matthews is worth more than 2 of Crosby, they are weighing whether 1 of Matthews (or whatever trade return they get for him at the draft) is worth more than 2 of Crosby. At that point, age is hardly relevant, unless you think Crosby is going to fall off in 2023.

Both in the room and for their fan base, unless they come back against Florida, they are going to need to do something major. Bringing in the biggest or second biggest name in the league, who has won multiple cups, and is apparently a strong veteran leader - that's a major change. You also have to factor in the cap implications, they save a few million by switching from Matthews to Crosby next year.

This isn't a trade they should make if Matthews is going to stay. That would be idiotic. The idea is, if Matthews has one foot out the door, the opportunity cost would be 1 year of Matthews, 9. In the Leafs unique situation, 2 years of Crosby helps them more than 1 more year of Matthews. If the right futures based deal is on the table for Matthews at the draft, you could make an argument for that instead, but I don't think they are going to want to take a step back and re-tool.

Also add in the fact that if they add Crosby, it likely frees up cap to improve the team elsewhere, and possibly make a move like re-sign O'Reilly.

Crosby is not getting traded, it would kill off large chunk of the Penguin fan base to trade Sid not a Kid

Byfield is not fetching Matthews or Crosby.

Even though LA is the one giving up the least value, they are giving up a young stud prospect for a rental. No thanks. We'll wait a year and get Matthews for free.

It is absolutely hilarious to include Byfield in trade discussions with Crosby and Matthews, especially without adding anything to offset the obvious difference in calibre of player. Give Byfield another year or two and he will be considered one of the biggest busts of his generation.

This thread confuses me as Matthews is a top 5 player in the league whereas Crosby is a top 15 and Crosby doesn't waive to begin with. and with everyone on this thread saying "LA should just wait for Matthews to hit FA and sign him there"... you are either a huge gambler or delusional as he has: Vegas, LA, Arizona, San Jose and Anaheim and maybe even Dallas/Colorado if he wants to get close to home but still wants to be a SC favourite. TO still has a ton of power... Even before that causes in issue. Toronto isn't out (yet) and could still (in theory) beat out Florida and make it to the 3rd round which would incline Matthews to stay.

This situation reminds me of the Stamkos to TO era.

Yes, and he's just as likely to wait until free agency afterward, you can't just trade a player and assume he is going to reup with whoever you trade him to. If you sell Matthews, you sell him as a rental.

wtf

Ok, but then he should go for what a Matthews rental price would be right? Not at a 50% discount like I've seen

The Kings need a long term answer at 1C, not a gamble on if Matthews reups with them. Move Matthews to a must win next season team with retention and you can get a ton, just not from LA.

Then that's what would happen. If Horvat got A tier prospect, 2023 1st and roster player (who's young and can develop); that would be the base for Matthews

I say go for it, but put yourself in Matthews shoes, your draft team isn't offering you your big contract, what do you owe them? Your best course of action is to let half the NHL try to woo you with big contracts and long-term promises.

The Leafs would be stupid if they didn't offer Matthews 14.5/8+... That's what franchise players (top 5 players) would get and they have the Leafs have the advantage of paying players in USD due to their proximity to NY state (means lower tax). the Leafs are going to be trying to do whatever they can to extend Matthews. It's really a question of where does Matthews want to go

That's the Leafs issue to iron out, and it likely won't be done this offseason. So the Kings will keep looking for a goalie and left-shot defensemen.

Why don't the Kings resign Gavrikov and keep persisting on their rookie defensemen... this offseason isn't the goalie market some teams (cough Oilers cough) want

Korpisalo will be our priority, Portillo is the future, Copley is our safety. Petersen might be given a chance but more likely he is moved to Chicago, Philly, or Arizona for picks/prospects.

Our LD will either be Gavrikov or Graves, they have a ton of RD young players: Durzi, Walker, Clarke, Grans to potentially be moved, but our 2LD is the weakness.