As Leaf fans, we can complain about the validity of rescinded goals all we want, but that won’t change the imminency of the future. Now, with all this talk of what could be an upheaval for the ages, or a parting of the seas for the Leafs, it might not be all that drastic. Or, y’know, it just might be all that drastic.
As far as the Leafs management goes, I think it would be a bad idea to let Dubas go since he has done so well with moving low-risk pieces for high-reward pieces. I’m not saying he’s a perfect GM and that he’s never had a dud trade before, but his fingerprints are all over the momentary success that the Leafs have had. If Dubas and Keefe both end up without a role in the Leafs organization, I think that 1) Bruce Boudreau would make for a fantastic replacement for Keefe, and B) Brandon Pridham would make for an excellent replacement for Dubas. I’m not calling for them to be fired per se, I just think that they would be a good fit if the situation arose.
If anything is for certain, it’s that Murray is no longer of use in Toronto. It’s not to say that he was a bad goaltender (except for that little stretch near the end of the season), he was simply prone to injury too frequently. I think that as a result of that, the Leafs would have to replicate the Mrazek trade. Throw Boston’s first in with Murray, and send him to the desert to drop ten or so spots.
People are also clamoring for some or all of the core four to be split up. I personally don’t think it’s a great idea, but if any of them are at the height of their trade value, it’s Marner. He’s coming off a career year, he’s a finalist for the Selke and he’s an elite two-way player. Say what you will about his play-off performances, but he could just as easily be the player for a rebuilding team to build around. Trading him to Chicago along with a 2023 second and a 2024 first I think would secure the bag for Toronto to pry the first overall selection from Chicago in this year’s draft. This isn’t to say that Chicago would actually do this trade, or if Toronto management would consider proposing it in the first place. The point I’m trying to make with this is that if Toronto absolutely has to trade one of the core four, it has to be monumental, and it has to send ripples throughout the NHL. A trade of this nature also gives the Leafs some breathing room with the salary cap, especially if they want to resign Matthews and Nylander.
At any rate, I’m aware that the most likely thing to happen of everything here is the Murray deal, but the general idea of everything else is important to think about going forward.
"The point I’m trying to make with this is that if Toronto absolutely has to trade one of the core four, it has to be monumental, and it has to send ripples throughout the NHL. A trade of this nature also gives the Leafs some breathing room with the salary cap, especially if they want to resign Matthews and Nylander".
That's really funny, your statement above. Ripples? Ok you say one of the core four......Well Tavares has a NMC, and you want cap to resign Matthews and Nylander. So your logic says Marner is the only one to be traded. Not that I disagree, but then the Leafs would have to spend his 11m cap wisely on other players.
I'll never know why the Leafs would be better in 24/25 if Matthews and Nylander resigns with the Leafs for 2m more each. Same players just making more money.
tmlfan4life a aimé ceci.
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