Leafs Should Trade for Richards, Myers

[James_tanner123]

http://thehockeywriters.com/if-the-l...ichards-myers/

[mister_mcgoo]

Yeah but they're getting Stamkos and Tavares already so what do they need with those guys?

[marshal]

I don't understand how the Leafs acquiring Kessel can be considered a "serious discount". The trade is still debated years later, but do people actually believe that the price for Kessel was a "discount"...? That Tyler Seguin guy is pretty good and Hamilton appears to be progressing significantly.

Mike Richards is a number-one centreman...? He certainly hasn't been performing as one in quite some time. Since being dealt to the LAKs, he has 124 points in 220 games played. He's definitely been pushed down the depth chart, but Kopitar has far more offensive upside and Carter has been more consistent.

"Based on the difficulty of finding a top pairing defenseman in the NHL without drafting and developing him yourself, the Leafs should move heaven and earth to acquire Myers." - Why...? Myers isn't a top-pairing defenceman on any team, so why would it make sense for the Leafs to sacrifice a lot for him? I think it's premature to write the guy right off, but he's not an elite defenceman at this point. Not even close.

Aside from on-ice play, what about the financial aspect of acquiring these two guys? Myers' annual cap hit is $5.5M and as you state, Richards' is $5.75M. So the Leafs acquire more than $11M in payroll when they currently have less than $2M to spare. Who stays? Who goes?

I don't get the overall logic here.

[rataylor22]

"Leafs need a #1 center"

"Mike Richards is a #1 center"

Do you watch hockey? Mike Richards by no means better than Bozak.

New plan. The league should contract to one team, The Maple Leafs (the only team that matters amirite?) and then everyone should just play for the Leafs.

[ztking]

Richards at a higher cap hit than any center would just hinder the progression of guys currently in their system, Kadri, Holland etc. And Myers would do the same for a steep price. With Rielly developing incredibly well and Gardiner showing signs of improvement and good PP skills it doesn't make sense. They are a team almost against the cap and to acquire a shell of a player in Richards, who was almost bought out last year, and a guy riding the coattails of a great rookie season makes zero sense. Especially for an organization finally starting to develop good talent and get away from the "overpay for mediocre over the hill guys" mentality of the 2000s.

[JagrBomb]

leafs have surplus D, no need for myers, especially since they already have two young D on their team. plus the only way they could afford him is to move out a similar contract, so it would have to be someone like phaneuf.

as for richards, i'd actually like to see him on the leafs. i havent watched much of him so i'm not sure if he's washed up or simply screwed because of the defensive system and numbers game in LA, but i also fear he would turn into the forward version of phaneuf...i.e overpaid and useless a lot of nights. richards for phaneuf? done deal.

[2014olympicgold]

If Robidias was 10 yrs younger, then I’d say Dion is expendable. But unless we get a D back in a trade, there isn’t anyone on the Leafs right now that can step into his role. Even his captaincy, which I question constantly (big one was when someone got SERiOUSLY hurt on the Leafs, and Dion walked to the dressing room. Meanwhile a new captain in Stamkos stayed out the entire time), who’d take the C? Lupul? Bozak? Robidais (who sits every 4^th game)? Polak? Dion’s going to be a Leaf for at least 2 yrs, and he’ll wear the C always. He’s about 2mill over paid, but the Leafs options for replacing him are slim.

Richards would be interesting. He can play the LW, which the leafs are a bit shallow at, he can play center and win draws. But he’d be a third liner again. He’d take over for Holland, who is doing well and cheaper. Unless Kadri moves, this team doesn’t want a center at this moment.

[ericdaoust]

If anything the Leafs have been weak managing their cap ever since the 2004 lockout ended. Richards and Myers are steps backwards in this regard.