The Leafs Win the Cup!: February 2019

Last year Toronto, under the leadership of Lou Lamoriello, kept JVR as a rental and let him walk for nothing as a UFA in the summer to Philly. But the question is would Leaf GM Dubas have done that? Did he agree with that decision or did Dubas loudly protest the move ? We know one thing, one guy got fired and one got promoted. Something prompted Shanahan to make that move and it was likely that Dubas made the right call but got overridden by Lou more than once. If Dubas is of a different mindset he may want to get something for defenseman Jake Gardiner who could help a lot of teams close to playoff contention and fetch a pretty price. There a lot of teams who are close right now and would love a walkaway rental with very little left on his contract. Much would depend on what was available on the market for defensemen up until the Trade deadline in less than a month. Kyle Dubas has expressed his interest in acquiring a top 9 heavy hitting forward and rumours of Orangeville, Ontario's Nick Ritchie, a 6ft 3 234 lb LW surfacing, with Connor Brown going the other way. But what if some team made Dubas a good offer for say a 30 year old soon to be UFA Wayne Simmonds and defenseman Gudas, would Dubas look at that? I'm not sure as Dubas doesn't seem to like rentals but if the price was right, who knows? What if Detroit offered Nicklas Kronwall for a 2nd rounder ? I know Babcock would say something about it. Where would that put Jake Gardiner whose days are now numbered with the arrival of Jacob Muzzin from the Los Angeles Kings. It would likely put him on the block to the highest bidders, something the Leaf media haven't even considered. He would bring the Leafs a very good haul, at least a potential first round lottery pick plus a prospect to help Toronto's rapidly evaporating prospect pool. Dubas seems to be a guy who likes to develop but he now has no first rounder in 2019.

So how about this proposal. Connor Brown and Jake Gardiner to Dallas for Nick Ritchie and Dallas' first rounder in 2019 unprotected. Dallas ' owner is desperate to make the playoffs even calling out Seguin and Benn recently and clearly doesn't like losing all that money, nor do many owners. The Leafs then offer Bracco for Simmonds and Gudas plus a pick or prospect, and yes, that is the price on Bracco. All of a sudden the Leafs are a contender with a potential lottery pick. The fact is Toronto is going to lose someone come expansion draft, they can afford to lose Bracco and just resign Tyler Ennis. Bracco maybe good, but show me the room on this team if we re sign Ennis. Bracco is not suited to fourth line play and he will have a hell of time stealing ice time from Kappanen and/ or Johnsson.

Like it or not the trading of Gardiner is a very real possibility and in the long run may be best for both parties, Jake Muzzin just ate Jake Gardiner's lunch.