What would it take to move the 1OA pick?

[cw]

I can't stress this enough, the Leafs don't have their 1st round pick for the next two seasons. "Rebuilding" and tanking gets you nothing.

I'm not so sure.
If you move Matthews with 2 years left on his deal and Nylander with a bunch of years left on his deal, you're going to get more than a 1st round pick for each of them.
If they have a sell off, they'll collect a bunch of picks and prospects from the rest of their roster. They could try for more prospects instead of picks to help accelerate getting NHL talent on the roster.

BUT that will only happen if Matthews and Nylander with their NMCs want it to happen. Matthews is allegedly already on the fence. Nylander is on the record as not wanting to go through a rebuild. If Matthews goes, Nylander likely follows.

If that happens, they're rebuilding around their 1st pick in 2026.

 

[mr grieves]

BUT that will only happen if Matthews and Nylander with their NMCs want it to happen. Matthews is allegedly already on the fence. Nylander is on the record as not wanting to go through a rebuild. If Matthews goes, Nylander likely follows.

If that happens, they're rebuilding around their 1st pick in 2026.

And if they say they're staying, then what are the Leafs doing?

 

[cw]

Like CW said, force Matthews to make his call now and get on with it. Watching him walk would be a ridiculous thing for a floundering team to do. What could the Leafs possibly do to be a legit contender over the next two years?

A Tanev/Woll/Stolarz repeat of 24/25 is not happening.

One of Woll, Stolarz or Hildeby will have to be traded because none are waivers exempt. They could help return a puck moving dman.
Throw money at UFA puck mover
Add top draft pick to forwards top 6
Pick up a few bottom six pieces on UFA market
If Matthews returns for 2026-27, they probably have a playoff team if they figure out the coaching to have the right coach & system for the talent they have.

EDIT: I'll get flamed for this: If they want a free top 4 puck moving dman: change the coach. His name is Morgan Rielly

It is not what I would do but I could see them doing that if Matthews hangs around for 2026-27

 

[cw]

And if they say they're staying, then what are the Leafs doing?

probably something like my post#43 above

 

[ZBBM]

The threads are hot again.

Talking about hockey POTENTIAL again.

People are walking 10 feet off of Beale again.

Thank you Rick Couchman for keeping this site alive.

 

[L K]

I'm not so sure.
If you move Matthews with 2 years left on his deal and Nylander with a bunch of years left on his deal, you're going to get more than a 1st round pick for each of them.
If they have a sell off, they'll collect a bunch of picks and prospects from the rest of their roster. They could try for more prospects instead of picks to help accelerate getting NHL talent on the roster.

BUT that will only happen if Matthews and Nylander with their NMCs want it to happen. Matthews is allegedly already on the fence. Nylander is on the record as not wanting to go through a rebuild. If Matthews goes, Nylander likely follows.

If that happens, they're rebuilding around their 1st pick in 2026.

It's our own internal pick that matters in that sense though. Yes, we should get a haul for Matthews/Nylander in pick/prospects. But getting say Philly's 1st round pick (unless we traded it to get our 1st back) I'm not sure that I view the Leafs bottoming out and giving up a top 10 pick but recouping the 20th+ pick a worthwhile trade just to trade of the sake of it

Barring an injury that destroys Matthews/Nylander's performance, I'd be more inclined to trade one/both either at the deadline or next offseason rather than this year in the off-season (unless Matthews asked out).

The team has an uphill climb to get out of things but I really do think that McKenna moves the needle enough that it will take creativity but it is doable for this team to become competitive again. It needs the right coach. It needs a different mentality from the players. And it absolutely needs some free agency/trade luck.

I don't think giving Raddysh 9 million dollars fixes our blue line....it does help though and right now we have the cap space to handle that kind of acquisition even if he regresses.

 

[dappleganger]

I'm not so sure.
If you move Matthews with 2 years left on his deal and Nylander with a bunch of years left on his deal, you're going to get more than a 1st round pick for each of them.
If they have a sell off, they'll collect a bunch of picks and prospects from the rest of their roster. They could try for more prospects instead of picks to help accelerate getting NHL talent on the roster.

BUT that will only happen if Matthews and Nylander with their NMCs want it to happen. Matthews is allegedly already on the fence. Nylander is on the record as not wanting to go through a rebuild. If Matthews goes, Nylander likely follows.

If that happens, they're rebuilding around their 1st pick in 2026.

If Matthews moves this offseason I think it's for a type of return similar to what we saw for Matthew Tkachuk, NHL Roster players and not futures. Something I suggested in another thread was Quintin Byfield + Brandt Clarke for Matthews. They'll want something in return to remain competitive.

The Leafs won't be tanking, the Leafs receive nothing from tanking for the next two seasons.

 

[dappleganger]

And we are talking about Mckenna all the time, what if they draft Stenberg as #1 ? how would you feel ? (see Matthews x Laine all over again)

There isn't consensus among pundits that Stenberg is the #2 pick so I doubt McKenna isn't the #1 pick. That's my take.

 

[dappleganger]

Like CW said, force Matthews to make his call now and get on with it. Watching him walk would be a ridiculous thing for a floundering team to do. What could the Leafs possibly do to be a legit contender over the next two years?

A Tanev/Woll/Stolarz repeat of 24/25 is not happening.

There was no way to predict the Leafs were going to be awful this and I think there is no way to predict the Leafs are going to be awful next season.

Having McKenna in the fold for the next 3 seasons below $1m is going to be such a godsend to the roster. The Leafs can spend in other areas over the next 3 years and take advantage of that.

The Leafs do have a 1st round pick next season (Colorado's). Let's see what happens and what they can do with the roster.

 

[cw]

If Matthews moves this offseason I think it's for a type of return similar to what we saw for Matthew Tkachuk, NHL Roster players and not futures. Something I suggested in another thread was Quintin Byfield + Brandt Clarke for Matthews. They'll want something in return to remain competitive.

The Leafs won't be tanking, the Leafs receive nothing from tanking for the next two seasons.

Flames got Florida's first rounder as part of the Tkachuk deal.
Quinn Hughes returned prospects/young players and 1st round pick
Trading for 2 years of Matthews will return more than one year (unless it is a sign & trade)

 

[L K]

One of Woll, Stolarz or Hildeby will have to be traded because none are waivers exempt. They could help return a puck moving dman.
Throw money at UFA puck mover
Add top draft pick to forwards top 6
Pick up a few bottom six pieces on UFA market
If Matthews returns for 2026-27, they probably have a playoff team if they figure out the coaching to have the right coach & system for the talent they have.

EDIT: I'll get flamed for this: If they want a free top 4 puck moving dman: change the coach. His name is Morgan Rielly

It is not what I would do but I could see them doing that if Matthews hangs around for 2026-27

Obviously if the right deal comes along, Mo goes out the door for me...but if we change the coach, I'm willing to listen to the idea of Rielly staying. He absolutely can't be on PP1. He can't be played 20 minutes a night, but I think there is still value in Rielly even though he is a warty player.

His last two seasons under Keefe:

4G 37A 41P in 65 games (Missed 15 games in November due to an MCL injury)
7G 51A 58P in 72 games

6G 54A 60 points/82 games

His two seasons under Berube:
7G 34A 41P in 82 games
11G 25A 36P in 78 games

9G 30A 39P/82 games

He put up 20 points less/82 games under Berube. He's still a defensive liability but if he's used more like a 4th/5th defensemen I'm not entirely against bringing him back....under the right circumstances.

 

[cw]

There was no way to predict the Leafs were going to be awful this and I think there is no way to predict the Leafs are going to be awful next season.

Having McKenna in the fold for the next 3 seasons below $1m is going to be such a godsend to the roster. The Leafs can spend in other areas over the next 3 years and take advantage of that.

The Leafs do have a 1st round pick next season (Colorado's). Let's see what happens and what they can do with the roster.

I felt they were a better team than they showed. They under achieved for the talent they had.
That provides some optimism for bouncing back this upcoming season.
They need to adjust the system to better suit the talent that they have - which probably means trying a different coach (which MLSE doesn't appear they want to do)

 

[dappleganger]

Flames got Florida's first rounder as part of the Tkachuk deal.
Quinn Hughes returned prospects/young players and 1st round pick
Trading for 2 years of Matthews will return more than one year (unless it is a sign & trade)

Exactly, The Leafs won't be doing the return Quinn Hughes got, they'll want roster players. LA can throw in a 1st pick too, I won't complain.

 

[dappleganger]

I felt they were a better team than they showed. They under achieved for the talent they had.
That provides some optimism for bouncing back this upcoming season.
They need to adjust the system to better suit the talent that they have - which probably means trying a different coach (which MLSE doesn't appear they want to do)

I think the majority of the problem last season was the coach (whoever you want to slice that, wrong tactics, wrong players, tuning the coach out, etc.)

Change the coach and I think you can expect to see a positive change, but they need to upgrade the right side D. It was abysmal last season, imo the reason the season went in the gutter, and they can't rely on Tanev being healthy and returning to form.

 

[dappleganger]

One of Woll, Stolarz or Hildeby will have to be traded because none are waivers exempt. They could help return a puck moving dman.
Throw money at UFA puck mover
Add top draft pick to forwards top 6
Pick up a few bottom six pieces on UFA market
If Matthews returns for 2026-27, they probably have a playoff team if they figure out the coaching to have the right coach & system for the talent they have.

EDIT: I'll get flamed for this: If they want a free top 4 puck moving dman: change the coach. His name is Morgan Rielly

It is not what I would do but I could see them doing that if Matthews hangs around for 2026-27

Morgan Rielly wasn't that bad last season. I do agree it was more coach related. Although, I would move on from him, It wouldn't be the worst thing if he returned.