Armchair GM Thread 2022-2023

[CarltonTheBear]

Malgin's a NHLer. COVID forced him to go home and it was just way too appealing to stay there for him. He never would have had the type of season that Marchment just had but I think he could have had at least a Kase-lite type impact on the team if he stuck around. If he did want to return the Leafs should absolutely give him another chance.

[OldTimeHockey]

If they can bring back Giordano I'd move on from Brodie and Muzzin.  Both are declining IMO.  It's a gamble but I think Sandin and Liljegren are top 4 guys.

I don't think taking out two of your top 4 defense is a wise move without some sort of plan in place to replace them. Muzzin and to a lesser degree, Brodie, may be declining but they still bring more of a complete game than Sandin and Liljegren at this point. So, if you're willing to take a step back defensively, I'd say, sure, go with the two young guys. If not, I think you have to keep one of, if not both, of Muzzin and Brodie. Muzzin may have had a rough year for stretches, but he was great in the playoffs IMO.

[Groundskeeper Willie]

If they can bring back Giordano I'd move on from Brodie and Muzzin.  Both are declining IMO.  It's a gamble but I think Sandin and Liljegren are top 4 guys.

I don't think taking out two of your top 4 defense is a wise move without some sort of plan in place to replace them. Muzzin and to a lesser degree, Brodie, may be declining but they still bring more of a complete game than Sandin and Liljegren at this point. So, if you're willing to take a step back defensively, I'd say, sure, go with the two young guys. If not, I think you have to keep one of, if not both, of Muzzin and Brodie. Muzzin may have had a rough year for stretches, but he was great in the playoffs IMO.

I agree, but I'd add in the caveat that if you're able to spend that extra money on a really good goalie it might be the smart move. We saw for years what a goalie like Cujo or Eddie can do and maybe that's the difference the Leafs need.

I don't know who that goalie is. Maybe Winnipeg rebuilds and Hellebuyck becomes available or maybe you gamble of Gibson regaining form. I also don't know where the cap space or trade assets are found, but that is the single biggest difference this team can make.

[Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate]

If they can bring back Giordano I'd move on from Brodie and Muzzin.  Both are declining IMO.  It's a gamble but I think Sandin and Liljegren are top 4 guys.

I don't think taking out two of your top 4 defense is a wise move without some sort of plan in place to replace them. Muzzin and to a lesser degree, Brodie, may be declining but they still bring more of a complete game than Sandin and Liljegren at this point. So, if you're willing to take a step back defensively, I'd say, sure, go with the two young guys. If not, I think you have to keep one of, if not both, of Muzzin and Brodie. Muzzin may have had a rough year for stretches, but he was great in the playoffs IMO.

The team is going to take a step back from this year's 115-point showing no matter what, I think.  It's way past time to get these two guys into the lineup every day.  Younger, quicker, better offensively ... I think it' a plus all told.

And Willie's point is an excellent one.

[L K]

If they can bring back Giordano I'd move on from Brodie and Muzzin.  Both are declining IMO.  It's a gamble but I think Sandin and Liljegren are top 4 guys.

I don't think taking out two of your top 4 defense is a wise move without some sort of plan in place to replace them. Muzzin and to a lesser degree, Brodie, may be declining but they still bring more of a complete game than Sandin and Liljegren at this point. So, if you're willing to take a step back defensively, I'd say, sure, go with the two young guys. If not, I think you have to keep one of, if not both, of Muzzin and Brodie. Muzzin may have had a rough year for stretches, but he was great in the playoffs IMO.

The team is going to take a step back from this year's 115-point showing no matter what, I think.  It's way past time to get these two guys into the lineup every day.  Younger, quicker, better offensively ... I think it' a plus all told.

And Willie's point is an excellent one.

Other than a perfectly fair criticism that our goaltending wasn't good enough for large stretches of the year there really aren't a lot of guys you can point at and say we need a big upgrade here.  Every single player who have leaving the organization this year is a downgrade.

Trade Nylander - we lose a guy who put up a PPG season and is a lock to score 30+ over a full season.  We aren't getting that same player back

Lose Mikheyev/Engvall - lose good depth scoring, lose a lot of speed and lose a great penalty killer

Lose Lyubushkin - lose one of the few guys who clears the crease

Lose Holl - lose a guy who is a good penalty killer and at times can be good in other positions.

Lose Campbell - well he's easily our best goaltender and we don't have anyone else in the organization who I trust to perform.  The free agent goalie market sucks this year so replacing him is likely through trade or flipping a coin on a European option with no NHL track record.

Lose Mrazek - meh! But because of his season last year you are probably giving up an asset to unload him and that makes the organizational depth worse and he's probably primed for a rebound season because he is still a good goaltender....he just had a bad year and injuries really prevented him from getting into any sort of a groove.  I think he's a poor fit for this organization though. 

Muzzin/Brodie - frees up space for Liljegren/Sandin but it absolutely makes our blue line worse in the short term but also frees up cap space.

Every move we make is likely to make the team worse.

On that note, who is the 2022 Michael Bunting who we can get for a steal?

[Joe]

I don’t understand where this sentiment of moving on from Brodie is coming from. He’s quiet and dependable. The fact that he isn’t noticed most nights is a testament to how effective he is.

[Bill_Berg_is_sad]

I don’t understand where this sentiment of moving on from Brodie is coming from. He’s quiet and dependable. The fact that he isn’t noticed most nights is a testament to how effective he is.

I agree. Muzzin's money may be better spent elsewhere, but Brodie should stay.

[herman]

On that note, who is the 2022 Michael Bunting who we can get for a steal?

Malgin?

[Highlander]

Hope that Spezza is retained as a player development coach.  They need his message.

[L K]

I don’t understand where this sentiment of moving on from Brodie is coming from. He’s quiet and dependable. The fact that he isn’t noticed most nights is a testament to how effective he is.

I mentioned Brodie in my post just out of cap hit.  I agree.  I don't think Brodie is a guy I'm concerned about.  His play is fine.  I'd probably rather see him go back with Rielly next year.

[herman]

I think it's perfectly fine, and necessary even, to keep cap hit invested in players that elevate their teammates' production.

Guys that do that, in my estimation:
Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Tavares, Kampf, Engvall, Brodie, Muzzin, Giordano

Where's Rielly?
Rielly is a weapon from the blueline: he gets up in the play for the Leafs to create odd-man advantages, but his defensive game (off the rush, ironically) needs a lot of support. He's like a defenseman Kessel (without the shot).

[CarltonTheBear]

On that note, who is the 2022 Michael Bunting who we can get for a steal?

Feels kinda like slim pickings this year. Looking at some of the Group 6 UFAs first (younger guys who became UFAs early because of lack of GP, like Bunting) there's a trio of former Soo Greyhounds in Colton White, Zach Senyshyn, and Blake Speers. White might be an ok 7-9 depth defenceman option, Senyshyn would be a funny pick-up if the Leafs can salvage anything from him, and Speers is just a hard no based on his career stats. The first two wouldn't be the worst Marlies signings but that's about it.

A couple of Group 6 UFAs who have had big AHL seasons would be Sheldon Rempal and Tiro Hirose. Hirose might be a little more familiar to Leafs fans as they were rumoured to be among the teams chasing him when he was an undrafted NCAA free agent. He put up close to PPG numbers in the AHL the past 3 seasons but doesn't seem to have gotten much of a chance in the NHL. He might just be one of those tweener guys but I mean it wouldn't hurt to have a guy like that on the Marlies anyway.

Dakota Joshua would be the last Group 6 guy to jump out. Again, another name that Leafs fans would be familiar with as he was drafted by the team way back in 2014. It took him awhile to reach the NHL but it seems like he's turned into a serviceable 4th liner who likes to throw his body around. No real upside beyond that though.

As for just regular UFAs that might be good underrated options, I mentioned a few at the start of this thread: Domi, Paul, Aston-Reece. A couple other middle-6 wingers who I think might get contracts just a little out of Toronto's reach would be Valeri Nichushkin and Nino Niederreiter.

The biggest source of value might once again come from guys who don't get qualifying offers. Last year we were able to pick up Ritchie, Kase, and Kampf like that. Kind of impossible to predict who might become available from that though. Buy outs are another option too. One possible option there would be Philippe Myers, who actually played a bit with the Marlies late this season. He'd be a pretty intriguing option for a 7th defenceman.

[CarltonTheBear]

Scrolling through the list of pending RFAs, here's a couple of names that I think might have a chance of not getting qualified that the Leafs could have interest in: Dominik Kubalik and Miles Wood.

Kubalik put up 30 goals and 46 points in 65 games in his rookie season back in 19/20. He followed that up with 17 goals/38 points in 56 games last season and 15 goals/32 points this season. He had a pretty sky-high shooting percentage in his rookie season so a drop in goals/points wasn't totally unexpected. He's due a $4mil qualifying offer so I'd be pretty surprised if Chicago offered that to him at this point. Even if he doesn't get back to 30 goals someone who could pot 15-20 would be useful to have somewhere on the 2nd or 3rd lines. Also seems to be a pretty good PP guy. Maybe he forms a Czech connection line with Kampf and Kase.

Miles Wood turns 27 this September and has established himself as a heart and soul bottom-6 type player who hits a ton and is capable of putting up 30 or so points a season. He's not really a guy the Devils would want to part with but he was only able to play 3 games this past season because of a hip injury. He'll be due a $3.5mil qualifying offer this summer, and I definitely think it's pretty likely New Jersey offers that to him despite his injury but on that small chance they decide not to he should shoot right up to the top of Toronto's targets. Even if they do qualify him, the Leafs should probably check in on his availability since he'll be a year away from UFA status.

[Bill_Berg_is_sad]

Scrolling through the list of pending RFAs, here's a couple of names that I think might have a chance of not getting qualified that the Leafs could have interest in: Dominik Kubalik and Miles Wood.

Kubalik put up 30 goals and 46 points in 65 games in his rookie season back in 19/20. He followed that up with 17 goals/38 points in 56 games last season and 15 goals/32 points this season. He had a pretty sky-high shooting percentage in his rookie season so a drop in goals/points wasn't totally unexpected. He's due a $4mil qualifying offer so I'd be pretty surprised if Chicago offered that to him at this point. Even if he doesn't get back to 30 goals someone who could pot 15-20 would be useful to have somewhere on the 2nd or 3rd lines. Also seems to be a pretty good PP guy. Maybe he forms a Czech connection line with Kampf and Kase.

Miles Wood turns 27 this September and has established himself as a heart and soul bottom-6 type player who hits a ton and is capable of putting up 30 or so points a season. He's not really a guy the Devils would want to part with but he was only able to play 3 games this past season because of a hip injury. He'll be due a $3.5mil qualifying offer this summer, and I definitely think it's pretty likely New Jersey offers that to him despite his injury but on that small chance they decide not to he should shoot right up to the top of Toronto's targets. Even if they do qualify him, the Leafs should probably check in on his availability since he'll be a year away from UFA status.

How about Kapanen?

[bustaheims]

Scrolling through the list of pending RFAs, here's a couple of names that I think might have a chance of not getting qualified that the Leafs could have interest in: Dominik Kubalik and Miles Wood.

Kubalik put up 30 goals and 46 points in 65 games in his rookie season back in 19/20. He followed that up with 17 goals/38 points in 56 games last season and 15 goals/32 points this season. He had a pretty sky-high shooting percentage in his rookie season so a drop in goals/points wasn't totally unexpected. He's due a $4mil qualifying offer so I'd be pretty surprised if Chicago offered that to him at this point. Even if he doesn't get back to 30 goals someone who could pot 15-20 would be useful to have somewhere on the 2nd or 3rd lines. Also seems to be a pretty good PP guy. Maybe he forms a Czech connection line with Kampf and Kase.

Miles Wood turns 27 this September and has established himself as a heart and soul bottom-6 type player who hits a ton and is capable of putting up 30 or so points a season. He's not really a guy the Devils would want to part with but he was only able to play 3 games this past season because of a hip injury. He'll be due a $3.5mil qualifying offer this summer, and I definitely think it's pretty likely New Jersey offers that to him despite his injury but on that small chance they decide not to he should shoot right up to the top of Toronto's targets. Even if they do qualify him, the Leafs should probably check in on his availability since he'll be a year away from UFA status.

How about Kapanen?

I think that ship has sailed.

Pavel Zacha might be someone who shakes loose. NJ might not want to qualify him at $3M considering his production has been disappointing for a 6th overall pick. He could be a nice 3rd line C who can chip in some offensively.