Armchair GM 2016-2017

[TBLeafer]

I'd love to see a big trade as much as the next fan but ATM I think the thing to do is stand pat on JVR.

Bozak is the one it's time to move on from and maximize his value.

[LuncheonMeat]

I'd love to see a big trade as much as the next fan but ATM I think the thing to do is stand pat on JVR.

Bozak is the one it's time to move on from and maximize his value.

Except Bozak's value is probably a 2nd round pick. Which is nice, but it doesn't exactly address a need.

[bustaheims]

Except Bozak's value is probably a 2nd round pick. Which is nice, but it doesn't exactly address a need.

Yeah. I mean, another 2nd round pick would be great. There are still usually a few pretty good players available, and it helps the Leafs to continue to build and fill the pipeline, but it doesn't do anything for the team in terms of the very near future.

[Nik]

I actually disagree about Bozak's value. I think he's worth a little more than a 2nd. Not a 1st maybe but I think what you could get for him is a late 1st/high 2nd type prospect who's AHL ready and who a team might be willing to trade due to being pretty set at the NHL level.

I'm thinking along the lines of a Gabriel Carlsson or Jacob Larsson here. Columbus and Anaheim seem to have pretty set, solid defenses with young talent already. It would sort of be akin to the Santorelli/Leipsic deal only ideally getting someone the Leafs wouldn't want to bury inexplicably.

Bozak for Larsson, Stoner and a 4th? 

[TBLeafer]

Believe it or not, I'm wondering what a trade with Tampa would look like.

Their center depth leaves something to be desired with those injuries.

I think Bozak could help them out and stop the bleeding in the standings.

Bozak for one of Stralman or Tampa's 1st?

[Nik]

I don't think they'd trade one of the better #2 defensemen in the league for someone who's maybe their #3C when everyone is healthy(He's a marginal upgrade on Filppula at best). Especially when right now their problems are more defensive than they are offensive. 

[Heroic Shrimp]

I don't think they'd trade one of the better #2 defensemen in the league for someone who's maybe their #3C when everyone is healthy (He's a marginal upgrade on Filppula at best). Especially when right now their problems are more defensive than they are offensive.

And Stralman plays not only as many minutes for Tampa as Rielly does for the Leafs, but it's also more than 4 minutes more than their #3 defenseman, and he is heavily used on both the PP and PK.  There's no conceivable way they trade him without a very solid defenseman coming back, let alone for the likes of Bozak.

[Frank E]

Except Bozak's value is probably a 2nd round pick. Which is nice, but it doesn't exactly address a need.

Yeah. I mean, another 2nd round pick would be great. There are still usually a few pretty good players available, and it helps the Leafs to continue to build and fill the pipeline, but it doesn't do anything for the team in terms of the very near future.

I think you guys are light on Bozak.  He's a pretty consistent 40-50 point producer on some pretty bad teams, and he's on an affordable contract.

It think he's worth a first round pick, or the equivalent prospect.

EDIT:  We got 2nds for Polak.  Lee Stempniak went for a second and a 4th.

[louisstamos]

Bozak is one of those players that teams tend to pay a lot for at a deadline.  Very much like an Antoine Vermette, who went for a 1st round pick.  Bozak is not as good at faceoffs as Vermette is, but is much more offensively inclined.  I would say a late 1st is definitely fair value for him, or at the very least, a 2nd + something...

[bustaheims]

I think you guys are light on Bozak.  He's a pretty consistent 40-50 point producer on some pretty bad teams, and he's on an affordable contract.

It think he's worth a first round pick, or the equivalent prospect.

EDIT:  We got 2nds for Polak.  Lee Stempniak went for a second and a 4th.

Hudler, coming off a 30+ goal, 70+ point season and producing at a similar level to Bozak went for a 2nd and a 3rd. The extra season on Boak's contract makes things interesting. To some teams, it will be an asset, to others, it's a cap issue ($4.2M is a decent contract for what he brings, but teams are facing the real possibility of a flat cap, making Boak's cap hit just enough to cause a potential issue). Even still, I'd say a 1st round pick is pretty much off the table unless the market has drastically shifted from last year. Most likely, we're talking, at most, a 2nd and an equivalent prospect who is still a couple years away, or a pair of 2nds in different drafts.

[Frank E]

I think you guys are light on Bozak.  He's a pretty consistent 40-50 point producer on some pretty bad teams, and he's on an affordable contract.

It think he's worth a first round pick, or the equivalent prospect.

EDIT:  We got 2nds for Polak.  Lee Stempniak went for a second and a 4th.

Hudler, coming off a 30+ goal, 70+ point season and producing at a similar level to Bozak went for a 2nd and a 3rd. The extra season on Boak's contract makes things interesting. To some teams, it will be an asset, to others, it's a cap issue ($4.2M is a decent contract for what he brings, but teams are facing the real possibility of a flat cap, making Boak's cap hit just enough to cause a potential issue). Even still, I'd say a 1st round pick is pretty much off the table unless the market has drastically shifted from last year. Most likely, we're talking, at most, a 2nd and an equivalent prospect who is still a couple years away, or a pair of 2nds in different drafts.

Why are you trying to ruin 2017 for me?

[McGarnagle]

EDIT:  We got 2nds for Polak.

You are not technically correct. The best kind of correct.

And whatever laptop you bought, it was the wrong one.

[LuncheonMeat]

I think you guys are light on Bozak.  He's a pretty consistent 40-50 point producer on some pretty bad teams, and he's on an affordable contract.

It think he's worth a first round pick, or the equivalent prospect.

EDIT:  We got 2nds for Polak.  Lee Stempniak went for a second and a 4th.

Hudler, coming off a 30+ goal, 70+ point season and producing at a similar level to Bozak went for a 2nd and a 3rd. The extra season on Boak's contract makes things interesting. To some teams, it will be an asset, to others, it's a cap issue ($4.2M is a decent contract for what he brings, but teams are facing the real possibility of a flat cap, making Boak's cap hit just enough to cause a potential issue). Even still, I'd say a 1st round pick is pretty much off the table unless the market has drastically shifted from last year. Most likely, we're talking, at most, a 2nd and an equivalent prospect who is still a couple years away, or a pair of 2nds in different drafts.

That's where I'm at. I think there are a pretty wide range of players that could fetch a second of varying positions in the draft order, but 1st round picks seem much more difficult to pry away these days. I think Nik is on to a more likely scenario with Bozak fetching a prospect/prospects. Hopefully with a higher perceived value than a late first. 

[Tigger]

Retaining salary on Bozak or JVR might get you more, maybe a lot more and the Leafs could do both without blinking much.

[Bullfrog]

Was working on another Leafs brass 'speed up the process' pov and wondered if some of the beneficial by product might be added value to minus one year ufa contracts at the following deadline, Komarov, JVR, Bozak

FORWARDS

L. Komarov ($ 2,950,000) --- A. Matthews ($ 925,000) --- W. Nylander ($ 894,166)
J. Van Riemsdyk ($ 4,250,000) --- N. Kadri ($ 4,500,000) --- C. Brown ($ 1,200,000)
N. Soshnikov ($ 736,666) --- T. Bozak ($ 4,200,000) --- M. Marner ($ 894,166)
K. Kapanen ($ 863,333) --- F. Gauthier ($ 863,333) --- Z. Hyman ($ 900,000)
...

That's a LTIR team, but, between Horton and Lupul it could be interesting. I'm not convinced selling JVR now is a slam dunk better choice than waiting til next year, unless the Leafs really are willing to keep bottoming out and maybe retains now to make it a more attractive option.

Maybe someone can weigh in on this, but Matthews is definitely hitting some of his bonuses and will have a higher cap hit.