TML10: Your opening line. " Leafs need to get rid of UFAS they are not going to resign for some assets." Why? Last season the Leafs acquired Boyle for a second rounder to help them make the playoffs. Boyle was an upcoming UFA. Leafs did not trade Hunwick and Polak who were needed to make them a better team to help them make the playoffs. Many teams held on their UFAs to help them in the playoff drive.... Gee the Pens acquired Hainsey and kept upcoming UFA and kept Bonimo and Kunitz. Why? It helped make them a better team for the playoffs.
So I ask. Why is so necessary that the Leafs trade their upcoming UFAs? Admitting I like the Manson deal because it does acquire a good asset that helps now, but that Bozak trade doesn't help the Leafs at all now and maybe never.

Bozak deal gets us something and to be honest leafs are not a cup contender, maybe playoffs, but we have to see if our young guys can match the seasons they had last year. I would move nylander to center anyway it helps clear a logjam on the wing while allowing fair minutes to players who have a future with the leafs. Bazooka is going to get overpaid in free agency and he deserves it.

You know Marner/Matthews/Rielly/Nylander will be good enough to make multiple runs at the cup.

You want to acquire players who can age with them and support them. Some who are ready today, and some who will be ready in a few years.
Players decline with age, Bozak is too old.
If Bozak doesn't help them win a cup, then trade him in service of that goal. He might just return a late round draft pick or a 23 year old fringe prospect, but that's more contribution than he can make on the roster.

By holding on to Bozak, you are saying no to a lot of things. Like good in-house prospects who never got NHL ice time with the Leafs. Like cap space allocated to defence. Like an asset who will still fit with the team in 5 years that makes the difference in the playoffs.

Just let good memories be that and no more.

OK, you say the Leafs aren't Cup contenders. Probably 24 teams aren't Cup contenders. So the 24 teams trade all their upcoming UFAs to the 9 teams that are Cup contenders. Is that the logic? There is value is having a team doing well and in contention for the playoffs. Don't you think that the Leafs young players deserve the best shot at doing well? So many Leafs fans seem to think that finishing out the playoffs is OK and gaining draft picking and then suddenly it's a Cup victory. It just doesn't work that way. Leafs really don't have a log jam at centre and the wing. They might have numbers but so many of these log jammed players aren't and likely aren't going to be NHL difference makers....Moore, Fehr, Sosknikov, Leivo and just about all the Marlie forwards.

Exactly, let younger players get the ice time to progress we have great depth and need to see what these players can become before we just trade them away. Bazooka is a great player for the right team and right now leafs are not that team anymore.

Gee goldie078, you say that about Bozak cause the Leafs aren't going to win a Cup, but you think the Isles can't trade Tavares this year. I'm sure the Isles aren't to win a Cup either. By the way, the Leafs have NO in house prospects at centre who can step in the NHL this season. That is why I say Bozak is needed this year, regardless of contract status. Trading him for something beneficial now, I could understand, but Leafs depth at centre and defence is lacking this year.

There are a lot of wingers who need ice time to see what they have before we trade them for nothing. Bozak will get a nice return, instead of using him for one more year to let him walk and only gain some playoff expierince. You mentioned pens in your first comment, with the pens keeping their UFAS its totally different they are a top team with a win now mentality, so trading for depth and keeping UFAS are what they should be doing because they can win now. Leafs need to get what they can they are not at that stage yet. Bazooka was a homegrown undrafted player and getting high pick or picks for him would be a major win especially with how much he has contributed to the team in his time.

Nylander and marner can both play center, but nylander preferably. look at the lineup i made tell me where all those wingers go. we have the opportunity to groom nylander into a center and we should do it, centers are more valuable than wingers.

marner has never played centre in the nhl a real assumption that he could right now. maybe nylander can, but you really want to take that change by trading bozak for second rounder. try nylander at centre and make bozak a fourth line centre and then you still have moore. injuries happen at least the leafs would still have centre ice depth.