If I were Brad Treliving, this is the avenue I would explore. Trading a pending UFA to become compliant allows us to remain competitive, keep our future in tact, and add another veteran defenseman.
Matt Dumba makes a ton of sense for the Leafs in my opinion. There is no way a guy like him is still just sitting there on the free agent market. He's got something lined up and needs to wait for the pieces to fall into place before legitimately putting pen to paper. Treliving has talked about his love for "long D" at length this offseason, and I think Dumba checks the boxes. He just seems like the exact kind of guy Treliving would look at, especially considering the Leafs previous interest in Gudas. Pivoting from Gudas to Klingberg doesn't make any sense, so I think something is definitely lined up with Dumba, or at the very least a stylistically similar defenseman. Brad wanted to rework the defense group, and swapping Holl for Klingberg doesn't exactly scream "rework" to me. I think something bigger is happening.
That leads me into the Brodie trade, something I have harped on for the entirety of the offseason. Selling high on an aging pending UFA after a good season seems like a decent play, especially with the emergence of guys like Timmins / Niemela for the future. For now, replacing Brodie with Dumba wouldn't be too bad. Dumba's physicality would be a much welcomed addition on the backend. Hell, Schenn's physicality alone made a world of difference. Now just imagine a defenseman that can also contribute offensively. Like I've said in every other Brodie trade I've hypothesized; I don't WANT to trade the player TJ Brodie. I do want to trade the 5 mil though. I really like Brodie, but his contract just don't work for us right now. I think Vancouver makes sense, as Brodie would be a great mentor for Hughes, would mesh very nicely with Soucy, and fits the overall identity Allvin seems to be going for. Plus, for 1 year, why not? Bains is a prospect I really like, although it could really be any B tier guy.
Lafferty is another guy I think is on the outs, although I'd be more than happy to keep him. I really like Lafferty. He just doesn't really fit with the whole Treliving identity in my eyes. A guy like McMann meshes much better, and also no longer has waiver exemption. He is fast enough to replace Lafferty's strongest skill, and physical enough to mesh with Reaves. He is a good offensive producer and gives the fourth line some juice. He's also the cheaper player which helps.
I see you’re Arshdeep Bains
And raise you a Gunnarwolfe Fontaine
I do appreciate Gunnarwolfe, but when your name can literally be a sexual innuendo, I think you win that competition. A$$deep Bangs is basically what I see there.
NorthernLeafsFan05 et Knuckl3s a aimé ceci.
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