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

Preston said:

View: https://x.com/i/status/2051848779670925369

Still in shock. Only lof knew. In hindsight we should have known when we saw Jeff Veillette running the machine.
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Yeah, it still seems surreal. An even bigger sudden shift in franchise fortunes than the Matthews lottery.

Back then, we already had a young Rielly plus Mitch, Nylander and a slew of other promising-looking prospects in the fold. And lottery win or no, in the worst case scenario we were going to be adding another top-3 pick to that group.

Here we go from one year out from walking Mitch out the door for nothing, an empty prospect cupboard, very little of note available in free agency and better than 50-50 chance of handing a top-10 pick to the Bruins...and suddenly, instead we're adding an 18-year old potential franchise player to the mix.
 
Another thing we've suddenly got again, between the lottery win, the deadline picks added and some more good fortune with the Kings making the playoffs & upgrading the Laughton pick to a 2nd rounder, is essentially a full slate of picks in each of the next two years:


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LeafGm said:
Another thing we've suddenly got again, between the lottery win, the deadline picks added and some more good fortune with the Kings making the playoffs & upgrading the Laughton pick to a 2nd rounder, is essentially a full slate of picks in each of the next two years:


View attachment 34092
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Yup, if we get back our 100+ point self in short order it would basically feel like the last 18 months was all just a bad dream. The only real casualty is our 2028 1st. But if that's in the mid 20's, meh, I'm already over it.
 
MindzEye said:
Would he sign here though if he wouldn't sign in Minnesota? Don't the Hughes boys want to do some sort of weird gay brother trio in Jersey together?
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Who the fuck knows. I would also assume it. But if you add Hughes and McK - this team should contend for a cup for the next 5-10 years until Nylander and Matthews are old or some shit luck (Berard styles). Maybe winning > then gay bro bedroom shit when bored in Utah on a 6 game road trip.

Assumed it with the Staals and only two of them got together
 
MindzEye said:
Would he sign here though if he wouldn't sign in Minnesota? Don't the Hughes boys want to do some sort of weird gay brother trio in Jersey together?
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Quinn Hughes did grow up in Toronto from age 10-15 & played a lot of his formative years in the GTHL during the years his dad Jim was Burke & Nonis's Director of Player Development. So who knows---it's not impossible he might still have enough of a connection to Toronto that he'd consider signing here even if he's not willing to sign in Minnesota.

But the likelihood he's just playing out the string until he can join his two brothers in Jersey is high enough that you absolutely don't pull the trigger on acquiring him unless it's a sign & trade where he comes along with a shiny new eight-year deal. Otherwise he's just an epically expensive one-year rental.
 
Just don’t overthink this Chayka, McKenna is the pick. Perfect replacement for Tavares as second line center.
 
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