I hate the Stillman pick as much as the next guy but I think the Devils can get more trade value out of him

Not to familiar with his game but I did read he's an energy player and Toronto like guys like that in the bottom 6 (as long as they're willing to physical). Jarnkrok is good for 15 goals 30 points and PKs. Perfect utility player. I can see NJ going the route of getting picks as well for Stillman

Anaheim will keep Zegras and his multiple years of control over Marner but thanks anyways for another offer that has already been told no before

You’re going to have a lot of trouble finding anyone in Anaheim who wants to pay Marner $11.5M, let alone giving up both Zegras and Luneau (+ draft capital!) in order to do so

Zegras has been on the block for Anaheim for the past year. A lot of team will pay Marner 11.5 for elite RW that can play in all situations. As well it’s been said from CJ, Elliotte and other insiders that Marner will get an Eichel/Tkcahuk like return as he would come with a contract extension. This is more than a fair deal as it helps Anaheim to becomes contenders and it helps Toronto redistribute cap space in other areas while getting players to support the window.

I was thinking more along the lines of including Stillman in a package for a big fish if a GM can be suckered by Stillman's motor and first-round pedigree into thinking he's a better prospect than Casey

No he hasn't.

He has. Anaheim was shopping Drysdale for a while and they pounced on the opportunity when Gauthier became available. No secret why Verbeek was extremely tough on the negotiation with both Zebras and Drysdale. Zegras will be traded within the year and I'm willing to put money on that. The only reason why we don't hear it as loudly is because Anaheim isn't a large market

Roy and pesce underpaid by 1M for the US 1.5M for Canada
Florida not trading Knight for a 6th d man

I have cap space for the "underpayment"

Montour was viewed as a 6th man and blossomed into a number 1 man. For a goalie that is in the AHL that is overpaid it's a fair deal. No team will pay a lot especially when Florida has cap constraints and has a lot of UFAs to resign with minimal NHL ready prospects

Someone is not up to date on their Zegras rumors. Those rumors were dispelled months ago as simply rumors by Elliott based on multiple sources inside Anaheim, something every ‘rumor’ has lacked.

Nobody who knows hockey doesn’t like Marner. But not every team wants to build their roster like TOR did. ANA will have to lock up their entire core in the next 2 years coming off of ELCs. The absolute worst way to do that would be by setting the precedent of an $11.5M comp in Marner. Terry is $7M. That's the type of comparison that sets the team up well.

I wish Mitch and the Leafs well, and I’d love him in ANA for $9.5M. But considering his ask and where the ducks are at, he’s not for us, especially at that trade cost.

If we’re being real, this is all moot anyway. The dude isn’t waiving, especially not for ANA. TOR are going to be faced with resigning him next offseason or letting him walk a UFA like his agent prefers. My money is on the former

They offered Zegras up before and they will again. I'll bet money that Zegras isn't on the roster by the end of 2025 season. They offered him to MTL multiple times for a Reinbacher. Verbeek wants to move him and it's the perfect situation to move. him.

As for your 2nd point Anahiem has the cap space to do so and even with Marner making as much it helps them in negotiating as it forces the players under team control to take less to maximize the team control, something our previous GM (Kyle dubs) didn't understood fully. Not to mention they cap will be almost 10 million higher when Carlsson contract is up and 5 million when Mctavish is up and 15 million when Levnushov contract is up. We aint in a flat cap world anymore

That was explicitly denied. Elliott confirmed based on 3 sources that Zegras was never offered in a trade, nor even brought up in conversation by Verbeek. Other GMs called Verbeek asking about him, to which Verbeek listened to their offers and said no

I challenge you to show me any even remotely reliable source that suggests those comments of yours are true. Anything showing that he’s been offered to MTL. My life savings are on it, because you’re talking out your a$$ right now.

ANA has the cap space now, of course. In 2 years all of the below players we’ll be off of a sub-$1M ELC and on a big boy contract that will all become inflated because of Marner’s deal if we were to sign him
Gauthier
Leo
McTavish
Dostal
Mintyukov
Zellweger
Luneau
Lacombe

We pass in ANA. But I wish TOR well with him at $11.5M or walking in UFA

It’s wasn’t Verbeek lol. If you think GMs call each other from trade you’re wrong. It the agents hence how Tkachuk to Florida happened as quickly as it did. As this report about agents making trades has been prove correct by Alan Walsh.

As well you better hope you’re life savings isn’t that much as it’ll cost you when he is traded. No secret why Verbeek wanted Gautheir since 2022 draft.

As for the 2nd point you’re actually slow if you think Marner contract affects the cap. Players want to be paid a certain percentage of the cap based of the years they player in the leagues gurantee McTavish signs Hughes deal and Carlsson sings Eichel deal.

It’s really tough to have a coherent debate with someone who doesn’t actually argue based on fact. I wish you all the best man