2026 NHL Offseason Thread: Major trade makes it easier to record podcasts for Tkachuk brothers

[practice]

Knies was probably the best Leaf in the high point of the past decade, a first round series win against a heavy underdog. Still I've always found him to be an exceptionally dumb player, I can recall multiple occasions where he basically left the field of play to pick up a stick he'd dropped or grab a replacement from the bench. Also for all the hit totals and the 6'3 240-50-60-80 lb frame he didn't seem to hit all that hard, I can't remember him ever laying someone out. On the other hand he had sick hands and hair and it was nice to have a consensus total steal of the draft type player. On the other other hand I wish Duber traded him for Hagel back in whenever it was that Tampa got him instead

[neuartillery]

Grain of salt:

Trade isn’t finalized yet, but here’s what we know:

To Columbus: Knies, Lorentz, Andrae and a 2nd

To Toronto: Marchenko, Miles Wood, Merzlikins (some retained salary)

[practice]

I enjoyed those couple days of reading about Andrae's impressive JFreshHockey stats.

[practice]

I am willing to believe any glowing assessment of Marchenko that I read but I think I think this: Knies was the team's best/only trade chip and so I think every effort should have been made to get a dman or a centre for him, instead of another winger.

[neuartillery]

It sounds like Marchenko agreed to a six year, 75 mill extension with the Leaves. That’s 12.5, almost twice what Knies costs. I could see Marchenko being more productive than Knies by not twice as much.

[neuartillery]

[practice]

It sounds like Marchenko agreed to a six year, 75 mill extension with the Leaves. That’s 12.5, almost twice what Knies costs. I could see Marchenko being more productive than Knies by not twice as much.

Yeah it's dicey for sure. One thing I'll say is that I don't think I ever gave much thought to handedness until I watched last year's Leafs with only Nylander and Jarnkrok and Stecher as right shots. It just seemed impossible at times for them to find angles to generate good looks in shooting positions.

[practice]

The other thing about Knies is he's had at least 2 concussions including the Bennett braining. All 3 of the most recent Leafs GMs tried to trade him, one of those was before the Bennett Braining but still

[sutterfamily]

I guess there are arguments to be made that this is maybe lateral-ish but it would be NICE if some of the players everybody wants would stop going to Atlantic teams (other than Ottawa)

[neuartillery]

Everybody wants Negative Dylan Larkin

[practice]

I feel bad for Knies signing a fair deal then getting traded to Columbus

[practice]

It sounds like Marchenko agreed to a six year, 75 mill extension with the Leaves. That’s 12.5, almost twice what Knies costs. I could see Marchenko being more productive than Knies by not twice as much.

I don't think cap space is of the same value anymore, the leafs had space all last year and no one to spend it on.

[neuartillery]

I agree with that, although I think Toronto's going to hit the ceiling whenever they can.

That came up on yesterday's Athletic Hockey Podcast, how cap management was such a key aspect of good GMs / front offices for a long time, but soon the cap will be almost 130 million and they anticipated maybe half the teams in the league not spending that much.

Supposedly Edvinsson wants 9-10 million AAV on a long-term deal. That's the market! Just give it to him!

[neuartillery]

Apparently the Leaves offered Knies to the Sharks for both of their first rounders

Pretty funny!

[neuartillery]

Billy Nylly not wasting any time

[practice]

Some pretty shambolic performances, Raddysh was a mess, Mckenna too. Mckenna skates and handles the puck weird, it looks like he could play with a wooden stick and not suffer much for the difference

[captain]

Evan fuckin Bouchard

[sutterfamily]

dude come on

[captain]

No