Your Mission: Trade Tucker!
I think it is time to consider that the Leafs are not (or at least should not) be able to afford Darcy Tucker this off-season. Barring injury, or a total collapse, he is in for a BIG pay raise this summer.
I don’t for a second believe that JFJ has any autonomy running this team. How else can we explain the McCabe fiasco from last year’s trade deadline? MLSE is less concerned with winning than perhaps ANY ownership group. Their objective, year to year, is to add a couple playoff dates to their coffers. Given that the deadline is in February this year, the Leafs are likely to be in the hunt for a playoff position. So, all of this is pure fantasy speculation on my part.
Judging by what other playoff rentals have gone for in previous years, is there a match out there for Darcy Tucker? People hate him, not only for his past (and sometimes his present), but because he is a Leaf. The REALITY is that the guy can play. He brings grit, heart, experience and goal scoring ability to the table. There is not one single team in the league that would not want him.
So what could the Leafs get for him? The team would have to be a playoff team, with serious aspirations this year and therefore be willing to give up some promising youth. The return has to be forwards to help the Leafs at all.
So your mission, is to think up a reasonable trade for Tucker.
I will go first and say Anaheim. They are in the west. They are playoff bound, and serious cup contenders. They have the cap room, they have good young forwards and could give up one of them and not hurt their team in the present, or even too much in the future. I am thinking maybe one of Penner, Perry, Getzlaf, or Kunitz. Probably Penner or Getzlaf.
I understand that Anaheim doesn’t *want* to give one of these guys up, but again, going by the cost of a good playoff rental, I would say that is going to be the approximate return. Another team might be Edmonton, going the other way would be Torres + 1st rounder or Joffrey Lupul, or Rob Schremp or something like that.
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Sorry to have to repeat myself, but look at what Tucker brings to the table, and compare to Weight last year.
Then come back and call my ideas stupid.
I didin't read everything but if you have to reapeat yourself its not my intention…..I see what Tucker brings to the table: he goes to the net and touches the puck the 6 inches it needs to go across the line or it bounces of his body. He is having one of those years and he will cash in just don't thinkk that GMs will trade alot. Guys like this are worth something but not a top prospect like Getzlaf or Lupul….
ok, everyone is panicking now and coming down to earth here in Leaf country (its about time, now lets talk trades):
so the Leafs are probably hanging about 5 games below .500 with about 6 teams in front of them for the final 3 playoff spots and 3 teams behind them. Like last year, the leafs have a shot at a playoff spot but unlike last year, JFJ has learned his lesson (yeah right) and decides that regardless of the chances to get into the postseason, deals that can be made to improve the club's future and cap space MUST be made. So he swings 2 trades:
Trade 1:
To Edm: Tucker, Bell, 3rd round pick
To Tor: Torres, Cogliano
Trade 2:
To Phx: Gill, Antropov, 2nd round pick
To Toronto: Nagy
So, in other words:
IN: Nagy, Torres, Cogliano
OUT: Tucker, Antropov, Bell, 3rd and 2nd round picks.
Edmonton's POV: Tucker more than replaces Torres' grit, but the key to this deal is that this trade gives Lowe an option in terms of signing Smyth, and gives the Oilers some more scoring and a more dangerous PP. Bell gives Edmonton another young puck moving defencemen with a lot of upside and the Oilers get a pick in the third round. They lose Cogliano but they have a lot of young centres coming up in the organization.
Phoenix's POV: at this point for the Coytoes, the playoffs are long gone and resigning Doan has become a priority. Nagy had a so-so start but the dogs need to move this guy to make room. They get Gill for 2 more years for 2.1 million a year but they also get a tough guy on D. Antropov by this point will have (hopefully) 30-40 pts and seems to be having the best year of his career (and he is only 26) so the Coyotes are willing to take a chance with him and his 1 million deal. Antropov must be resigned in the offseason.
Toronto's POV: The picks are a bit much to give up considering the depth of the draft this year. But the leafs do have a top-100, 4th round pick from the Coyotes thanks to the recent Tellqvist trade.
The two players that Toronto acquire are both left wingers and both are UFAs in the offseason. Torres, at age 25, will give Toronto some of the grit that they lost in Tucker and 40 pts a year. Nagy will give the Leafs their first line winger for Sundin. Combined, they'll probably sign close to 5.5 million.
The Leafs just dumped close to 4.7 million in Bell, Telly, Tucker, Gill, and Antropov (and actually more than that considering the huge raise Tucker is getting and the raise Antropov would get too). The Leafs need to resign Poni, Steen, Peca, Aubin, maybe O'Neill and their young D (Colaicovo, Kronvall, White). Waiving Belak in the offseason, would help them with their cap situation. These deals also hinge on the solid return and health of Coliacovo and Kronvall.
Cogliano is the key to all of this though. Assuming that Jeremy Williams is with the big club, next year, the Marlies will feature at least 5 forwards and maybe 6 or 7 that will have some decent speed and skill.
The point of all of this though is building the Marlies up and trading more veteran players when their stock is high. Remember, the Leafs are still an organization that is adjusting and re-stocking their farm system and they are still far away from having solid organizational depth. it takes time, and shrewd moves like the one above.
However, knowing JFJ and knowing is inability to make such shrewd moves last year (i.e. McCabe or Allison), I don't see the Leafs trading either Tucker or Gill.
Depth Chart for October 2007:
Nagy——Sundin—–Wellwood
Poni——-Stajan—–O'Neill
Torres—–Peca——-Steen
Kilger——Pohl——-Suglobov
[Battaglia, Westrum]
===========================
Tlusty——–Cogliano———-Aubin
Earl——-Foster/Mitchell——Kulemin
McCabe—-Kaberle
Kubina—–Coliacovo
Kronvall—-White
[Woz]
=========================
Harrison——Belak
Harrington—-Stralman
Brown———Oreskovic
Raycroft
[Aubin]
=========================
Pogge
[Racine]
October 2007 payroll: $42.8 million
Sundin – 6 million
Nagy – 4 million
Peca – 2.75 million
O'Neill – 1.75 million
Torres – 1.5 million
Poni – 1.5 million
Steen – 900K
Kilger – 900K
Wellwood – 800K
Stajan – 800K
Suglobov – 550K
Pohl – 450K
Westrum – 450K
McCabe – 5.75 million
Kubina – 5 million
Kaberle – 4.25 million
Coliacovo – 950K
White – 700K
Kronvall – 650K
Wozniewski 475K
Raycroft – 2 million
Aubin – 700K
Last time we checked in the Leafs were 6-4-0-3 and the general feeling was positive. Of course, this also meant that the expectations began to soar (which i dont understand but whatever). So the Leafs start November on a positive note (5-1) but end it on a negative one (2-5-1-0). Their record for the month is 7-6-1-0 for a total record of 13-10-1-3 through 27 games. In other words, the leafs are ONE-THIRD of the way through the year, and on pace for a 39-31-3-9 record or 90 pts. This record falls just short of the projected magic record i set out at the beginning of the season, which would be 40-28-7-7. So lets recap:
The magic record: 40-28-7-7 (94 points in 82 games).
DIVISIONAL TEAMS – total of 14 wins and 33 points (out of a possible 64 points).
1) vs Buffalo: 2-8-0—————-so far: 1-1-0
2) vs Ottawa: 2-7-1—————-so far: 1-3-0
3) vs Mtl: 5-1-2——————–so far: 2-0-1
4) vs Boston: 5-1-2—————-so far: 1-2-1
The record against most of these divisional teams look pretty solid but the late-month swoon to the Bruins may come back to haunt the leafs if they are battling with them at the end of the year. Hence, the upcoming games against the Bruins (in Boston this week), Habs (in Montreal tonight) are crucial and they MUST WIN IN REGULATION. They are way more crucial then the game against the Sens that ends this month. Also, it looks like most of the divisional games in the 2nd half are against the Sabres (not good).
SOUTHEAST DIVISION TEAMS – total of 12 wins and 27 points (out of a possible 40 pts)
1) vs Carolina: 1-2-1—————-so far: N/A
2) vs Florida: 2-1-1—————-so far: 1-1-0
3) vs Washington: 4-0-0—————-so far: 1-0-0
4) vs Atlanta: 3-1-0—————-so far: 1-1-0
5) vs Tampa Bay 2-1-1—————-so far: 1-0-0
Everything seems to be going smoothly for the Leafs with this division with the exception of Atlanta, who the leafs lost in regualation too. that means the first adjustment (of many this year) needs to be made here. According to the plan, the Leafs needed to be perfect again against the thrashers this year. now they must be 3-1-0. The Leafs must now be perfect against the Caps. This month, the Leafs take on each team from this division once with their only road game being in Carolina on Dec. 15th. The Leafs MUST WIN against Atlanta (this week), Florida (Dec 19), Washington (Dec 23).
ATLANTIC DIVISION TEAMS – total of 10 wins and 24 points (out of a possible 40 points)
1) vs NYR: 1-2-1—————-so far: 0-0-1
2) vs NJ: 2-1-1—————-so far: 0-1-1
3) vs Philadelphia: 2-2-0—————-so far: 1-0-0
4) vs Pittsburgh: 2-1-1—————-so far: N/A
5) vs NYI 3-0-1 —————-so far: 1-0-0
The Leafs have yet to take on Pittsburgh but will face them this month along with the Rangers. Future games against the Devils will me must-win games as well since they have already used up all of their losses to NJ. This month they lost in regulation to the Devils (2-1 – mikael Tellqvist's last game as a leaf) and beat the Isles and Philly on home ice.
WESTERN CONFERENCE TEAMS – total of 4 wins and 10 points (out of a possible 20 points)
1) Cgy: Lose—————-result: Win
2) Col: Win—————-result: Loss
3) at CBJ: Win—————-result: Win
4) at Det: Lose—————-result:
5) at Chi: Win—————-result:
6) Minny: Lose—————-result:
7) Van: Win—————-result:
8) at Nsh: Lose—————-result:
9) at St.L: OTL or SOL—————-result:
10) Edm: OTL or SOL—————-result:
No Western Conference games in Nov. but this month will see two road games in Detroit and Chicago and at home to Minny. The plan calls for a win in the Windy City. but any additional wins (in Detroit and against the Wild) would cover possible losses in the future to the Canucks or regulation losses to St.Louis and Edmonton.
so a recap:
There are SIX must-win games this month —-
a) tonight against the Habs
b) tuesday against the Thrashers
c) thursday against the Bruins
d) against Florida (or an SOL/OTL)
e) in Chicago
f) against Washington
He has been the heart and soul for many years. There is no other tucker like player in the league, that's why most teams would want him on their team.
the lockout was caused by Pittsburgh, Ottawa and Buffalo filing for bankruptcy.
Nagy is definitely a free agent they should target. But I also think they should renew Antropov's contract over Jeff O'Neil. Or replace both of them with a differet UFA because there should be a lot of good ones.