In today’s Leafs Links, the discussion surrounds Tyson Barrie’s availability and the possibility of multiple moves to find a right-shot defenseman with term before the 3 p.m. EST deadline on Monday.
Leafs Links
Seravalli: Vegas, Carolina, Calgary, Vancouver showing interest in Barrie (TSN)
On That’s Hockey with Geno Reda, Frank Seravalli outlined the four teams showing interest in Tyson Barrie.
I believe at least four teams have contacted the Toronto Maple Leafs with interest in Tyson Barrie. That would be the Vancouver Canucks, the Vegas Golden Knights, the Calgary Flames, and the Carolina Hurricanes.
We reported on Thursday night that Vancouver is one of those teams interested. They are trying to bolster their blue line before the deadline.
It really gets interesting with the Calgary Flames. They have a lot of different balls up in the air. One of the proposals that was tabled was a straight-up one-for-one, pending-UFA-for-pending-UFA deal of TJ Brodie for Tyson Barrie. Ultimately, I think that was something that was discussed a while ago. Nonetheless, very interesting to consider if the Leafs think TJ Brodie can be a better fit for their roster.
The Vegas Golden Knights are also interested in Tyson Barrie, but the key there — now that they have some salary cap space from trading Cody Eakin’s cap hit to Winnipeg — is to try to get a guy like Tyson Barrie signed much like they did with Mark Stone at the deadline previously.
For the Carolina Hurricanes, it is the exact-opposite scenario. They view Tyson Barrie as a rental player because they are trying to replace Dougie Hamilton, who has been on the shelf with an injury. Keep in mind that the Carolina Hurricanes have the Leafs’ first-round pick from the Patrick Marleau buyout trade.
Why does that first-round pick matter? I think it is important to point out that the Toronto Maple Leafs are not guaranteed to trade Tyson Barrie. What they are looking for is a better fit to find a way to make their team better. They can either do that by trading him for another defenseman who they think is the better fit or, as I mentioned with the Carolina Hurricanes, potentially get a pick and a prospect back that they can then package to trade to another team to get the player they have been coveting.
Friedman on Dubas’ aggression level at the deadline (SN 590)
On Lead Off with Scotty Mac and Mike Zigomanis on Friday, Elliotte Friedman discussed Kyle Dubas’ current mindset and his level of desperation to make another move before 3 p.m. on Monday.
I really feel that if he was chasing it, a guy like Georgiev would already be a Leaf. I think that he has a lot of balls in the air. I do think that is true. I think he has been looking at a lot of things. There have been a lot of rumours. You look at the deadline they made for Campbell and Clifford — they could have done Georgiev, and I think it would’ve been a lot higher of a price. Do they really want to avoid missing the playoffs? Yes. 100% yes. Do I think they are looking around at a lot of different things? Yes, absolutely.
I do know that when they pulled the deal on Campbell, I looked into whether Georgiev was at all a possibility. My answer to that question — it definitely was a possibility, but the price would’ve been a lot higher. They said they were passing on that and doing this. That says to me that there is a level head there.
If they miss the playoffs this year, I don’t think he’s getting fired. That saves that kind of concern for me, too. I think there are a lot of GMs now who kind of think, “Even if I am in trouble here, do I want to be that guy who makes that deal that in four years they’re saying, ‘Can you believe the trade that guy made?’”
On the Tyson Barrie situation:
I think there is a reason why a lot of the talk right now is concerning Barrie. They know he is not a long-term piece here. For whatever reason, it just hasn’t worked. Sometimes fits are bad for people. This one this year — Barrie and the Leafs — it hasn’t worked. I do think they would do something there if they thought whatever they did — whether it’s what they got for Barrie in the deal or what they got for Barrie to flip — they would try to make themselves better.
The other thing we are learning here is that Liljegren isn’t ready yet for this year. Sandin can play this year and he is really talented, but I don’t think he is ready yet to defend at a playoff level. I think that is a consideration, too.
Johnston on Leafs’ intentions at the deadline (Sportsnet)
On Tim & Sid on Friday evening, Chris Johnston discussed the likelihood of explosive trade movement around the league
It’s a busy day, but I don’t know if you’re going to get the movement that you wanted. It might be the kind of movement where your eyes are glazing over and you’re like, “Oh man, we did 10 hours of TV for this.”
I think Toronto is trying to do something more than just a traditional deadline move. That will get headlines here if they’re able to pull it off. But this is a depth and “around the margins” kind of time in the NHL.
Pagnotta on interest in Tyson Barrie (SN 650)
David Pagnotta joined Sportsnet’s Reach Deep to discuss the interest in Tyson Barrie around the league and what the asking price might be from Toronto if he is moved.
It is not something they had actively explored until about a week ago. Teams basically said, “You guys are in a bit of a funk. Maybe you’d consider moving Tyson Barrie.” Given the Leafs’ cap space and desire to bring in a defenseman with term who can play the right side and be part of the team for a few years at least, it may given them the flexibility from a creative perspective to move him out and bring in some assets.
From a rental perspective, he is the number-one guy on defense if they are considering moving him. He has a beautiful cap hit at $2.75 million because Colorado is eating half of the deal. If you can bring in that calibre of a player and you give him a prominent role on your blue line for that cap hit, it is very attractive to a lot of teams.
They are going to explore to see if they can collect a bunch of assets they’re going to flip. We may see the old fashioned three-way deal here if the Leafs are able to finagle a move for another defenseman with term. They have been linked to Matt Dumba, who is injured right now, but there are other players they are exploring and trying to add to this team.
Josh Manson is one. The price tag on him is very high. This may change things a little bit since teams started knocking on the door asking if Barrie might be available.
On the asking price if Barrie moves:
I think you could ask for a package that includes a first-round pick. I’m not sure if anyone is going to pay that, but I think the asking price would be a pick and a prospect — a first and a prospect — and you could ultimately then swap that out elsewhere.
From Barrie’s perspective, based on the rentals out there, the only other guy who can command a first-round pick is Chris Kreider. Outside of that, I would be surprised to see anybody else. Maybe Pageau, but I don’t see it happening. From a rental perspective, you are still seeing Kreider being the number one guy. If Barrie enters the mix, you could say you see a first-round pick and a prospect, and then Toronto could flip that for a guy with term in a larger type of deal.
Friedman: Leafs won’t move Barrie if it makes them worse this year (SN 650)
Friedman discussed the Leafs’ possible pursuit of more bottom-six help before the deadline on The Program with Andrew Walker and Satiar Shah.
On the market for Tyson Barrie:
What Toronto has been doing over the last couple of weeks is saying, “There are a lot of different directions we can go.” I don’t think they are packing it in by any stretch of the imagination, but they have checked out the value on some of their expiring D. The Muzzin deal has been verbally agreed to, but they are not going to sign Barrie. It just hasn’t worked.
They have been asked a lot about Barrie this year periodically. Just before Babcock was fired, there was a meeting between Barrie’s representatives and the Leafs. They made it clear that it wasn’t working and if it didn’t change, maybe a trade would be the best option. They made the coaching change and things got better a little bit, but now Toronto is at least looking at the possibility of it.
It wouldn’t surprise me if Calgary was in that, too. Vancouver has had a lot of interest in Barrie, so I think it is possible. But Toronto is not going to do it to the point where they make themselves worse.
On the Leafs’ desire for more bottom-six help:
I think they are looking for some grindy-ness around their bottom-six. Last year, around the trade deadline, they were looking at Khaira from Edmonton. It wouldn’t surprise me if he is a guy they look at and ask if he can help them this year. He has had a rough year in Edmonton, but I think he is a better player than he is shown. I do think, at the very least, they are looking for some edge.
