RealGM

The Toronto Maple Leafs have put themselves in position to build their team through free agency for the next couple of years. To start off, next offseason they will be one of the top teams after Gaborik. If they do not go to crazy with the money to spend next year they could wait and spend it on the next year with a better free agent class for 2010. That player in 2010 would be Nash. Then all they need to do is get a top pick in the draft next year and get a top centre(Tavares, Duchene, or Schenn) to play between Nash and Gaborik

Trade Antropov for Ovechkin and Toskala for Luongo while you're at it.

it honestly depends where we are at the deadline. If we're anywhere close then they won't trade anyone. If not, look for the same type of thing as last year... except with guys like Kaberle. That would get another young prospect plus some cap. We'd finish low enough for a decent player and then we'd have to be able to plan out how to use our salary cap space

MAS wrote:it honestly depends where we are at the deadline. If we're anywhere close then they won't trade anyone. If not, look for the same type of thing as last year... except with guys like Kaberle. That would get another young prospect plus some cap. We'd finish low enough for a decent player and then we'd have to be able to plan out how to use our salary cap space

Thats how I see this thing playing out.

We will most likely be in the 10-12 spot come deadline time and Fletcher will perform another firesale similar to last year but I think Kaberle gets traded this time. There will be alot of teams looking for a puck mover from the blueline and we could really capatalize and get great return. At that point dealing Kaberle also helps us out alot with positioning ourselves strongly to get a top 5 pick. We would have about 10+ million to spend in free agency and we could add a player like Gaborik.

a deal would interest me is Kaberle to Boston for Kessel + 1st.

that would be a great deal to get kessel but I dont know if they would add in a draft pick. The only reason they would is because Kessel is a restricted free agent at the end of the year so he wont be able to play for the leafs long term unless he gets a big contract because im expecting big things this year from kessel.

Well Boston would have to add onto Kessel. They might not want to part with a first round pick but I wouldnt mind if we could grab someone like Brad Marchand or Zach Hamill. Phoenix is another team who will prolly be in the market for a defencemen at the deadline and they have some nice young players/prospects that they might be willing to part with. Something like Hanzel, Lisin, first rounder for Kaberle.

They could also talk with the flyers again about a kaberle for jeff carter trade since it was discussed at last years trade deadline but kaberle refused to waive his NTC. Another possibility is the penguins since they lost gonchar and whitney and would most likely give up staal in the deal