Good point. With all that cap space, the Leafs could go out and get another David Clarkson...
I just don't see how Phaneuf + Kardi + 8th = 1st overall, given that Toronto has been already been rebuilding for about 20 years.
This actually does make sense, it depends who the Leafs could sign with that freed up cap space and how ready the first overall is to step in. I don't mind it for both sides, but doubt it happens.
Good point. With all that cap space, the Leafs could go out and get another David Clarkson...
I just don't see how Phaneuf + Kardi + 8th = 1st overall, given that Toronto has been already been rebuilding for about 20 years.
This rumor makes zero sense to me. I like to smite FLA Panthers quite a bit but...I doubt they are this dumb. Nevermind...they probably are and would throw in Gudbranson and Bjugstad.
Don't think this rumoured trade would make sense from FLA's perspective. Firstly, Phaneuf's contract is a really bad one. The Leafs can trade him at least, but in comparison to other top-paid defencemen in the league, Phaneuf's cap hit doesn't add up to anything but an overpayment. Beginning next season, his cap hit will be identical to Drew Doughty's. Think about that for a minute.
Secondly, from what I've gathered in the past, Panthers ownership isn't terribly inclined to max out their payroll, nor has this been the case for some time. The Panthers would be taking on over $10M for next season in salary dollars and then would have to re-sign or trade Kadri the year after, unless ownership would be ok losing him after one year of play. I highly doubt ownership would accept this.
Thirdly, if you compare Phaneuf at his current ability and the field of prospects available at this year's draft, I don't think Phaneuf beats out Ekblad in terms of value. Phaneuf could very well have peaked in his performance as a player, while some have projected Ekblad to be a future top-pairing defender. That's assuming the Panthers even take Ekbland. They could take Bennett or Reinhart instead, or probably even get a better return than Phaneuf and Kadri for the first-overall pick.
For the Leafs, a deal like this would be Christmas morning x 1,000,000. They get a brutal contract off their books and whoever they want first on draft day. I'm not a fly on the wall in the Leafs' dressing room, but Kadri doesn't seem to be the most mature player on the roster. From the brief exchange I saw on the 24/7 series, no, Kadri and Carlyle don't seem to have a great relationship. If I remember correctly, Kadri also had pretty high expectations for a contract extension as well. Do the Panthers want to acquire a player with a questionable attitude...?
This sounds like a lotta wishful thinking from Mr. Berger. The Panthers will need contracts in order to get them to the floor next season, but I don't see why they'd acquire Phaneuf and Kadri when there are better options out there via trade or free agency. This draft has been described as "mediocre" by many, but the first-overall pick is still very valuable. It's worth a lot more than an overpaid top-four defenceman and a second-line forward signed for only one more season.
No offense gents but this strikes me as 'wishful thinking' than it does anything else.
"Makes sense for both teams"? No it doesn't, not if you're looking to build a franchise properly. I think the fundamental mistake Berger is making here is painting the Panthers as the same incompetently run team of years past and that's not accurate at all. Tallon has ushered in a new era in FLA with smart drafting, and shrewd trades/signings, I can't see any good reason why he'd want to be burdened with another team's mistakes when he's just getting warmed up.
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A few thoughts on this:
1. This is the worst year in a decade to get the No.1 pick. That's the last decade...and the coming decade.
2. I wouldn't do this deal if i'm the Leafs, in a million years
3. They just signed Phaneuf, they're not trading him. The only time I've ever seen that happen - ever - is when Philly signed Jeff Carter.
4. Howard who?
5. Seriously though, why is Howard Berger still working his contacts? He couldn't possibly be drawing enough income from this business anymore, once the Fan let him go. In fact, I'd put money on his having at least looked into real estate.
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Agree.
And - I still believe the Panthers (and Tallon... and owner, Viola) are smart enough to keep the team in a young state this year, do relatively poorly, and have a good shot at either McDavid/Eichel for next season.
Florida HAS a chance to be an NHL playoff lock & Cup Contender if they go:
1. Ekblad (a solid D, who will take a few years to become the beast he will)
2. McDavid/Eichel next year. (a distinct possibility if they can stink it up this year).
Nazem Kadri & Phaneuf are not going to turn Florida into a playoff team long-term... nor will they sell tickets.
Imagine Florida with all their young pieces + Ekblad/McDavid... or Ekblad/Eichel... or even a Nylander or Reinhart + Eichel.
THAT is the start of a championship team... and all they have to do is NOT make a trade.
(My other alternative is that they could move the #1 pick to EDM, who takes Ekblad, and still get a quality forward and ask for EDM's 2015 1st round pick... giving FLA two shots in the McDavid/Eichel lottery.)
This is dead on. Let alone that the draft this year is terrible. What a horrible hockeybuzz worthy rumour.
I can't believe people are arguing this is a bad move from the panthers perspective. They're getting a top defensemen and a solid 2nd/3rd line centre for next to nothing.
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I'll bet it's a lot more far fetched than you're thinking.
Kadri is a 23 year old 2C, a season removed from a 70 point pace year. He still put up 50 points in a year when he had constantly changing linemates and little offensive depth to play with him.
Phaneuf, for all the crap he gets, IS a top pairing dman. He plays the hardest minutes in the entire league, and has among the league's worst support systems (seriously, the team's next best dman were a 19 year old rookie, and a 23 year old developing dman with less than two years of actual NHL experience). He gets trotted out in every situation and does exactly what he's asked.
A top pairing dman, and a steadily developing 23 year old CURRENT 2C for the 1st pick isn't a great deal when you consider a lot of scouts basically say that no one in this draft is at the level of some of 1st overall picks in years past. Through in taking JoVoCop's salary and still giving up the 8th.
No thank you sir.
The Leafs problem is depth, not its core. Changing out the core pieces is doing nothing to fix the core issue.
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