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So looks like Marc Savard's available and the Leafs have interest. Not a fan of this move but if it doesn't cost us much to acuqire his cap hit isn't too bad. The one thing that is a must in any deal with Boston is re-acquiring our first rounder next year. Boston doesn't have much leverage and if they don't want to include the pick, Leafs should walk away.

Easy there, Marc Savard is a bonafide first line center at a cap hit of $4M (making big money for 4 seasons, then practically nothing for the last 3 so he's very buy-out or retirement friendly) who prior to this year averaged 80 games a season for the past 4 seasons. Over those 4 seasons he averaged 90 points per season. There is absolutely no way Boston includes our draft pick in a deal without significant value going back the other way. Boston isn't in a Chicago situation where they absolutely have to clear cap space, this just seems like a reasonable time to move Savard since he likely won't get the same amount of minutes next year and is 32 years old. If Boston doesn't get pieces that will help their team or totally open up their cap situation I don't see the need to move Savard.

I agree Boston doesn't have to move him but the Leafs don't have to take him either. Savard is a good player but is also 32 years old, making significant money and coming off a pretty serious injury.

Other teams would try and extract something more out of Boston for taking on the risk of that player. Worse case scenario, the Leafs shouldn't be giving up anything of value to Boston but I would make it an objective to try and get that pick back or some other picks.

The Leafs have been in the past too willing to just take a guy, other teams are great at making trades and then getting something extra for some of the risk they are taking with larger contracts.

Is it just me or is this team continually moving in the wrong direction? Again the team/city is focused on making the playoffs again and jeopordizing the future again. Our trades/moves seem to be based on making the playoffs next year so that Boston doesn't get another high draft pick. Maybe the worst part about the Kessel deal is the fact that it's next year's pick as well and we're trying to band-aid our team now so that they don't get that high draft pick again. This is the type of move that most Toronto GMs would have made in the past to try and make the playoffs. Our team isn't great and in need of top six talent but that's why we were going/supposed to do the rebuild properly through the draft so that we could acquire top six talent. We got Kessel but now can't get anyone to play with him because our assets that are directly affected by being a bad team are owned by a divisional rival. Whether the talent level equals Kessel is becoming mute b/c again we have forced ourselves to band-aid this team.

I think if Savard was healthy or we had a better idea of how he bounced back from the most recent concussion then yes, but our most recent mistakes (Kessel, Rask/Pogge) havs been due to us not being patient and I really hope Burke has learned this lesson. I'd rather wait and see how Savard is actually playing before potentially paying him to play 30 games a year. If it doesn't work, I see it as another move that handcuffs our management into actually improving our team in the long run.

IMO there is more to lose in this trade, then gain.

Brew666 wrote:Is it just me or is this team continually moving in the wrong direction? Again the team/city is focused on making the playoffs again and jeopordizing the future again. Our trades/moves seem to be based on making the playoffs next year so that Boston doesn't get another high draft pick. Maybe the worst part about the Kessel deal is the fact that it's next year's pick as well and we're trying to band-aid our team now so that they don't get that high draft pick again. This is the type of move that most Toronto GMs would have made in the past to try and make the playoffs. Our team isn't great and in need of top six talent but that's why we were going/supposed to do the rebuild properly through the draft so that we could acquire top six talent. We got Kessel but now can't get anyone to play with him because our assets that are directly affected by being a bad team are owned by a divisional rival. Whether the talent level equals Kessel is becoming mute b/c again we have forced ourselves to band-aid this team.

I think if Savard was healthy or we had a better idea of how he bounced back from the most recent concussion then yes, but our most recent mistakes (Kessel, Rask/Pogge) havs been due to us not being patient and I really hope Burke has learned this lesson. I'd rather wait and see how Savard is actually playing before potentially paying him to play 30 games a year. If it doesn't work, I see it as another move that handcuffs our management into actually improving our team in the long run.

IMO there is more to lose in this trade, then gain.

They have to do something though, they abandoned the rebuild the second they acquired Kessel and gave up our first rounders this year and next. Savard is not the answer, I'd rather get someone younger in a trade. If Boston gets Seguin and another top pick next year and they both turn out well, this is going to look so bad. Not only will the team not be improved but also the fact that a division rival got two key pieces.

"the Leafs shouldn't be giving up anything of value to Boston but I would make it an objective to try and get that pick back or some other picks"



So let me get this straight. You not only want them to give up there best center to us for basically nothing but they should also throw in the Leafs 2011 first rounder? Why exactly would they do this? You do know that Boston doesnt have to deal Savard to Toronto?

Honestly that is by far the biggest pipedream I've ever heard. I can understand not wanting to give up alot for him because of contract length and injury concerns but thinking they will give him up for scraps and also give back the first rounder is just foolish.

Griff83 wrote:"the Leafs shouldn't be giving up anything of value to Boston but I would make it an objective to try and get that pick back or some other picks"



So let me get this straight. You not only want them to give up there best center to us for basically nothing but they should also throw in the Leafs 2011 first rounder? Why exactly would they do this? You do know that Boston doesnt have to deal Savard to Toronto?

Honestly that is by far the biggest pipedream I've ever heard. I can understand not wanting to give up alot for him because of contract length and injury concerns but thinking they will give him up for scraps and also give back the first rounder is just foolish.

Then Toronto should walk away. I mean we're not talking about a young center. We're talking about a good player who is up their in age and is coming off a pretty serious injury. I never said we would get our pick back, but I would go in trying to get as much out of it. I mean we could acquire Savard and he gets hurt, then what?

I've seen other teams (not specifically like what I'm talking about) go out and give up far less and get more value but whenever the Leafs make a deal we give up way more value then other teams do.

There's risk in every deal, you can't just expect to get a perfect fit for nothing. Savard isn't going to cripple this franchise in the future whatsoever and Burke has made it clear we need to start winning NOW. It's so difficult to get players of this calibre and when a team is looking to move him with limited value coming back you have to jump on that. Tomas Kaberle is nearly the same age as Savard and is at a cap hit of 4.25 (likely to get a hefty raise one year from now). Savard is locked up longer than Kaberle which is a huge advantage but obviously that one major injury is a concern. I don't see why there should be such a large difference in their trade values on the open market to the point where we're getting Savard for nothing, yet getting significant pieces in return for Tomas Kaberle.

I think the part of this article in regards to Savard (by Howard Berger) is pretty good:

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Howard-B ... le/3/29070

A little OT but Cheechoo was placed on waivers. Maybe the Leafs should try him out? Also any reason why this guy has regressed every season since his 56 goal season? He's not that old either.

^He benefitted greatly with the players/system in San Jose. There have been plenty of opportunities to get in on Cheechoo and I just don't see it happening. Even at his worst he's a solid third liner though.

Relentless88 wrote:A little OT but Cheechoo was placed on waivers. Maybe the Leafs should try him out? Also any reason why this guy has regressed every season since his 56 goal season? He's not that old either.

Luck + Joe Thornton?

Boston is trying to trade Savard before the injuries ruin it all.... Then that contract that looks so great, would actully look very ugly.

If im Toronto, i take a chance if Boston gives him super cheap..... We cant be tanking next season knowing we owe the 1st rounder again. Brian Burke just cant offered to do that. the guy will be jobless for the rest of his life.


---------------------------------------------------

Toronto:

- Mac Savard

Boston:

- Nik Kulemin ( Burke dosent wanna pay him)
- Mikael Gabovski (can play wing too)
-------------------------------------------------

Boston gets two young promising players, while Leafs get a top line centre and hopefully Kessel erupts.... Garabo/Kulemin in total would be about the same cap-hit as Savard, nut they r two young players with no injury history

^This in terms of value seems to make sense to me, but that wouldn't have any cap savings at all for the Bruins (they'd likely be taking on more money). Kulemin negotiations are apparently moving in the right direction as per TSN also.