Thinking Three Way

Everyone does mock drafts this time of year, but let me take a shot at a blockbuster draft day trade. Heading into the draft I think there is a trade to be made for the Leafs involving Tampa and LA, so how about a blockbuster.

When looking at any trade you have to look at the motivation for each team. Usually the teams involved in a trade are trying to achieve different things, so each team can get some of what they want. What helps get the Leafs involved is the ability to take on some bad contracts which they should be willing to do, if they also get assets that fit with their long term goals.

First let’s look at the Kings. Rumors came out a week ago with talk of the Kings being willing to move Jack Johnson and their 5th pick for Chris Pronger. That move didn’t make sense to me because of Pronger’s age and salary. However, with Doughty as their stud defenseman of the future, I can see them moving Johnson before they have to give him his big contract, if they can pick up the high priced superstar they want to be the face of their franchise. Ok, that was a long way of saying if they can get Vincent Lecavalier. I see the Kings being willing to move Johnson, Handzus and their 5th pick, for Lecavalier and a young defenseman with potential like Ian White. The Kings would love someone to pick up Handzus and his $4 million cap hit for the next two years since they already have Kopitar and Stoll that they would slot in as their two and three centers behind Lecavalier. Salary wise these deal is basically a wash for the Kings, and they pick up the face of their franchise that they can market.

Tampa looks like a team that is a world away from where they were just one short year ago. Last they were the cowboys of the league with their new owners throwing around money to take their team the next step. That didn’t quite work out did it? Today they’re an organization in disarray and just over one week away from having Lecavalier’s $10 million no trade contract kicking in. They’re also bogged down with long term commitments to Malone (6 more years at $4.5 million per) and Meszaros (5 years at a back loaded $4 million). What they have working for them is Stamkos and the number two pick this year.

I’d like to see Tampa give up Lecavalier, Malone and Meszaros, and pick up Kaberle, Kubina and Grabovski. Talent wise this may not be ideal since they are giving up the best player in the deal, but it saves Tampa over $8 million in salary next year and more importantly gets them out from under three long term contracts. You may laugh at them giving up Lecavalier, but I think a long term deal at $10 million per year is something the current owners cannot afford to commit to. As to the future, they still have Stamkos and will be able to add either Tavares or Hedman which is not bad at all.

What would all this do for the Leafs? They would lose Kaberle, Kubina, Grabovski and White, while picking up Johnson, Meszaros, Malone, Handzus and the 5th pick in this year’s draft. This is an addition of $11 million to the Leafs salary when you figure out the cost of signing Johnson to an extension. That would pretty much take the Leafs out of the bidding for the major free agents for this year, but it gives them a nucleus that I like. The defense would have three young horses in Johnson, Schenn and Meszaros. Up front Handzus and Malone are useful but expensive, but by drafting at 5 and 7 we can look at picking up two forwards like Brayden Schenn and Magnus Svensson-Paajarvi.

There’s risk and reward for all sides in this proposed deal, but I think it helps all the teams get something that they are looking for. Its likely much too big to pull off by next Friday, but let’s see if any of these pieces get moved.