Post by Toronto Maple Leafs on Jul 29, 2015 16:09:44 GMT -5
Because it is fun??? maybe yes.....maybe no here is my take on trading.
When do you make a trade?
Why do you make a trade?
Who do you trade for?
In any trade, in real life or playtime, there is the inherent chance you take by switching players or even directions. Thats why there is a negotiation that takes place. Its during these negotiations that you need to try and figure out "whats in it for the other guy" while at the same time trying to stick to your own goal...bettering your team now, or in the future, or both.
So we get to my first question...... When do you make a trade? My answer is simple...anytime. Many others would disagree. Some like to wait until the trade deadline comes and franticaly over spend for rental players with the hopes of making the cup run. Others like to move players in the offseason and sit on their team for the season. I prefer to constantly be "looking" and feel anytime is the best time.... Some teams really need to keep an eye on the age of their players more than others do. Here is a question for all of you GM's out there: Do you worry about the ending of a contract? or do you have plans for making changes when the new contract starts? what about retirment rumours in the real world?
This leads us into question number two......Why do you make a trade? Really its about movement. Sometimes you are trying to build your team for this year, sometimes for the future, sometimes both, and occasionally its because you like the Leafs... 
Its all about what you value and what you need on both parts. You need to do a little investigating sometimes but the numbers are all that really matter. You dont need to concern yourself with real world problems like so and so has a sore tummy tonight and can not play. It is more important to know the numbers of the player than the name. It makes it a little harder when it comes to prospects but there are enough stats out there to make an educated guess as to the quality of the players future. (notice I said guess) I am very sure we all look at the same things: size, real world status, age, and individual skills etc. I have learned early that you also need to pay attention to what the precieved value is of a prospect. Far too many GM's look at where the prospect was picked in the NHL draft a few years ago and not what he has done since. Some guys really explode after being drafted and some stagnate. I go to three or four sites to see what is happening with each prospect I target. Doing your homework is key to building for the future. Sometimes my trades seem skewed but I research every guy before hand and make an educated guess (there is that guess again. after all it is all a guess with prospects)
Third question? Who do you trade for? How much value do you get from having that Massive salary and that 84OV center on a team full of broken down old pieces?
Do you dump him or hang on for some first round glory? If you can gain some picks, prospects and a future why do people hang on so long to these lonesome heros??? I havent figured that part out yet. I know one thing...you are trying to win the cup or you will lose like the rest of us. We do get some artificial happiness for making the playoffs so that is important....but.... if there is a chance that you wont...I say blow it up...Be smart...and start the rebuild.
You can at times make an apples for apples trade for even players and both players come out better than they were but not enough GM's do that in my books. Try trading a TOP line player for a TOP line player in the same position...very tough to do. It is easier to trade a strong Dman for a strong forward if a team needs a strong Dman to "push him over the edge" then you flip the forward for the Dman on another team that you wanted all along. I say trade apples for oranges and then the orange for an apple. Guys dont want an apple when they have one already. You just have to have the balls to do it.
Anyways....lots of GM's will have a different view on making trades than this. I trade lots...its fun to build and rebuild or trade to win. I have done them both over the years. Happy Trading guys.
