Let me first premise my analysis on a Leafs-Nash trade by saying that it would take a lot of work on the Leafs part and a whole lot of luck.
That being said I believe that Brian Burke is not interested in making it to the playoffs and losing in the first round, second round or even the conference finals. It is all about winning a Stanley Cup in Toronto and thus if the Leafs make the playoffs this year the outcome will be only incidental to their eventual goal. I think that Burkie knows that the Leafs are not going to win the cup this year because they are not talented enough, they aren’t far enough along in their development and they don’t have consistent goaltending. I like the Leafs and I am a fan but we need to face facts and that is with the team as it stands, and with hopefully no high first round picks in the near future (unless acquired via trade), being a cup contender is not an eventuality for the Leafs.
That being said I believe that Brian Burke is not interested in making it to the playoffs and losing in the first round, second round or even the conference finals. It is all about winning a Stanley Cup in Toronto and thus if the Leafs make the playoffs this year the outcome will be only incidental to their eventual goal. I think that Burkie knows that the Leafs are not going to win the cup this year because they are not talented enough, they aren’t far enough along in their development and they don’t have consistent goaltending. I like the Leafs and I am a fan but we need to face facts and that is with the team as it stands, and with hopefully no high first round picks in the near future (unless acquired via trade), being a cup contender is not an eventuality for the Leafs.
So my proposition is that the Leafs blow up the team to a certain extent to acquire A+ talent and work on redeveloping the farm in the next couple of years. I propose we do this by acquiring Ryan Suter and Anders Lindback from the Preds to start off and then acquiring Nash and perhaps Mason from the Jackets. Jeff Carter is also an interesting option that could be pursued if Burke knows something about the new CBA that the rest of us don’t but otherwise the contract is just too long.
I would hope that the Leafs could acquire Suter and Lindback from the preds for Komisarek, Holzer or Aulie, Grabovski and Gustavsson. Some of these parts could be interchangeable as Schenn would be in play as a substitute for the Holzer-Aulie spot and Blacker could be thrown in there if the Preds would take him as such. Komisarek would be a contract dump which Nashville could afford but if they don’t want him he could be waived or pawned onto another team hopefully. Also I would like to keep Grabo and thus would prefer to get rid of Macarthur, Connolly, Lombardi or Armstrong instead but I think it would take Grabo and is expendable as a second line center with Colbourne and Kadri presenting cheaper options. The Leafs could also throw in up to a second rounder as well. So in summary the dream deal is Suter and Lindback from the Preds for Komisarek, Holzer, Grabovski and Gustavsson from the Leafs with a Tim Connolly throw in. The most the Leafs should pay for Suter and Lindback is Aulie, Grabovski, Macarthur and 2nd round pick.
I would hope that the Leafs could acquire Suter and Lindback from the preds for Komisarek, Holzer or Aulie, Grabovski and Gustavsson. Some of these parts could be interchangeable as Schenn would be in play as a substitute for the Holzer-Aulie spot and Blacker could be thrown in there if the Preds would take him as such. Komisarek would be a contract dump which Nashville could afford but if they don’t want him he could be waived or pawned onto another team hopefully. Also I would like to keep Grabo and thus would prefer to get rid of Macarthur, Connolly, Lombardi or Armstrong instead but I think it would take Grabo and is expendable as a second line center with Colbourne and Kadri presenting cheaper options. The Leafs could also throw in up to a second rounder as well. So in summary the dream deal is Suter and Lindback from the Preds for Komisarek, Holzer, Grabovski and Gustavsson from the Leafs with a Tim Connolly throw in. The most the Leafs should pay for Suter and Lindback is Aulie, Grabovski, Macarthur and 2nd round pick.