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The Official 2026 Off-Season Thread: Revenge of the Nerds

Also, I would like to pay Cowan and McKenna $4.3M each for the next two years so that every time I look at puckpedia, I don't have to see Colton Sissons as our fifth highest paid forward.

I never thought today would go like this. The morning started so promising - Werenski and no Knies in the deal. How did we get here?
 
Probably the most perplexing day since I've been a fan of this team. Everything up until this point seemed to be data driven and they had a real opportunity to contend for the division if they kept at it this summer. And then today they were just like fuck yo data and absolutely torched their roster and essentially locked it in by adding like 7 4th liners for $$$$, all now locked into roster spots.

Just genuinely insanely confusing.
 
Preston said:
Probably the most perplexing day since I've been a fan of this team. Everything up until this point seemed to be data driven and they had a real opportunity to contend for the division if they kept at it this summer. And then today they were just like fuck yo data and absolutely torched their roster and essentially locked it in by adding like 7 4th liners for $$$$, all now locked into roster spots.

Just genuinely insanely confusing.
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I think they successfully bewildered all of us.

In analyzing what he did though, I think I know what he's planning to try to do.

I now think he can't possibly have interest in Joshua or Lorentz staying since they aren't his guys, so while we see the bottom six as packed, I bet he's trying to trade them off and sees two spots as remaining open to fill in with potentially a couple of remaining UFAs or otherwise.

I'm also not convinced that he intends for Roslovic to be in the bottom six. I wonder if Matthews specifically requested him as a linemate. If so, in Chayka's head, he would step into the void created by moving Knies.

If he's trading Knies, it's for a dman. If it's for a dman, Rielly or McCabe or OEL have to go. So it might happen in the same deal - Knies and one of them for the dman. Does he go after Harley now, and then Dallas trades off Robertson or has an extra few bucks to extend him? Does he keep chipping away for Werenski, though I don't think that's possible after those statements issued today.

I'm bracing myself for 1-2 more bad/risky/unnecessary trades and 1-2 more UFA signings.

And I'm so jarred by all of it because I thought we had a guy who knew exactly what he was doing.
 
CH1 said:
Wow. All those bonuses and NMC suggests another team was in heavy pursuit of this very unpredictable asset
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Or that Chaykes was dying to land who he called today maybe the best goalie in NHL history and thought he had to pony up to this extent.

And if they were talking prior to today, much of this deal may have already been hammered out.
 
LeafOfFaith said:
Or that Chaykes was dying to land who he called today maybe the best goalie in NHL history and thought he had to pony up to this extent.
.
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You got me there. I’m scratching my head on the risk. I think highly of Zito so if he didn’t prioritise signing Bob, then I’m leery. Sunny in NJ also had no interest, and got rid of his 6M goalie earlier this week.
 
CH1 said:
You got me there. I’m scratching my head on the risk. I think highly of Zito so if he didn’t prioritise signing Bob, then I’m leery. Sunny in NJ also had no interest, and got rid of his 6M goalie earlier this week.
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None of that bodes well, and then add in the fact that he dumped a cheap young goalie who put up a .914 in front of a bottom five team as part of it.

Why most of these GMs are scared shitless to give young players their chance is beyond me. Rather pay 7x more for an old guy who hasn’t been great in the hopes of having him recapture glory pushing 40 years old. Why?
 
Because the team has become incredibly risk averse after missing the playoffs for a season, and Matthews is two years out from potentially walking away. The last time the Leafs had a goalie that could put 50+ games in was Freddy Andersen, and he couldn't get us out of the first round.
 
There's no question that running a Stolarz-Hildy tandem was risky for a team that fancies itself a cup contender. But then again so is signing a 38 year old goalie to a 3 year contract coming off a really bad year.
 
LeafOfFaith said:
None of that bodes well, and then add in the fact that he dumped a cheap young goalie who put up a .914 in front of a bottom five team as part of it.

Why most of these GMs are scared shitless to give young players their chance is beyond me. Rather pay 7x more for an old guy who hasn’t been great in the hopes of having him recapture glory pushing 40 years old. Why?
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DH will be TB`s 1G in a few years , shocked Leafs dumped him
 
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