Matthew Tkachuk
This is probably the longest shot I’ve ever suggested, but why not?
Matthews Tkachuk, who definitely received at least some Hart votes this year, is an RFA this summer, while the Flames have franchise player Johnny Gaudreau as a UFA.
This means the Flames can be pinched.
No one uses the offer-sheet, but they should. If you can add Matthews Tkachuk, one of only a handful of actual power-forwards in the NHL, it’s worth all five first round picks it will cost you.
If the Leafs actually got rid of Campbell, Muzzin, Brodie, Kerfoot, Mrazek, Evgvall and Mikheyev, they’d have $20 million to spend. Liljegren, Sandin, Giordano, Lyubushkin, Carter Hart could be had for $10 million, leaving you $12 million to fish for Matt Tkachuk.
I for one think 5 forwards for $50 million has a much better ring than The Core Four for $40.
Tkachuk gives the Leafs everything they need – basically an actual tough player who can play in the heart of their lineup, and it’s almost poetic how they’d have to double-down on their most controversial philosophy to make it happen.
And before you write 1000 words telling me how dumb I am, I realize this not likely to happen. That is why I used the phase “Unorthadox” in the tile, instead of “realistic and bound to occur!”
However, I do believe I’ve shown how the Leafs could completely alter their lineup while maintaining their belief in the core, and improving their team.