2014 Free Agency drags on ...

[LaPlante94]

Columbus has a lot of C depth.

Johansen
Jenner
Wennberg
Milano

Would love one of the 1st 3.

 

[Menzinger]

This team is in no position to move out multiple young assets. Especially in one deal. Johansen is not the solution to all that what troubles the leafs.

 

[Rielly4]

JVR and Johansen can provide the same amount of offensive output for us... I dont buy that just because hes a C he is more important to the offense, its not like Johansen is a Bergeron type.

 

[LaPlante94]

I`d rather have JVR and Johansen on the same line together. Now that`d be one hell of a possession line that could put the puck in the net.

 

[Jacob8hockey*]

I proposed JVR + Kadri for Johansen + Jenner on the mainboard. Sounded like one fan thought it would be a fair deal.

We pick up our top line center and a solid second line center for the future and give up a 1st line winger and a 1B/2A center.

Both deals deal from a position of strength.

 

[Gaelman]

That may solve our centre problem but it opens up a big hole on wing. Face it, the Leafs are going to have to draft and develop our top centre like all successful teams do. Otherwise you are just robbing Peter to pay Paul. Maybe Nylander is the answer in a couple of years or it may be whoever we draft in 2015 but there is no quick fix.

 

[SprDaVE]

Apparently Tomas Kaberle will be at the Biosteel camp this week and also has a pro tryout in the works.

Good for him.

 

[RLF]

What we're arguing over is the timing of a potential Phaneuf deal.

The time to trade Dion is not now. That opportunity has already passed this off-season which is the point your missing. Teams have already made their off-season moves so you won't get top value for Phaneuf now!

Almost half the league is within a few million of the cap limit so we'd have to take on a salary dump from one of those teams which would suck. Most of the rest of the teams that could afford him without sending major salary either have an internal budget OR wouldn't want to dedicate cap room to him OR he doesn't fit their rebuilding phase. So out of the few teams that could afford him with us potentially getting a good return, some of those teams might be on his NTC list.

The cap is already due to rise next season which will his make contract more digestible to teams. The # 1 time teams overpay in a trade is at the deadline. We also don't hve anywhere else good to spend extra cap dollars this off-season.

Dion is a 3 time all-star and the only top pairing Dman on what has been a terrible team for the majority of his time in Toronto. Do you really think other GMs are going to say Oh No Dion didn't lead his team to the promised land in the 14-15 season on a team with no legitimate # 1 center, so-so depth and no other top pairing quality Dman?

Beauchemin + Kaberle also played on some terrible contract teams and it sure didn't hurt their trade values. Burns + JayBo also played on some bad teams and it sure didn't hurt their ability to get traded.

I didn't say we have to move him today, I said his value is higher now than it will be if he collapses again and that should be taken into consideration. I also said it has to do with the quality of his own play when the pressure is on...it's not about the quality of the team around him. Good "pressure players" step up their game when the games mean more, Dion has not shown that ability to date and that is what I was clearly referring to when suggesting his value will drop if his play folds again.

Other GM's will say No to giving value for a guy with a $7mil price tag for 6 more years who doesn't lead when the pressure is on. Nash, Vanek, Fleury all are starting to have questions marks about whether they can play in the playoffs(even on good teams) and it is hurting their value, and would be hard to argue it hasn't. Gardiner has shown the ability to step his game up when it matters most. He was great in the playoffs and great down the stretch last season.

If Dion looks bad again in a stretch drive or if we make the playoffs and he is bad...people will call for his head and no GM will give us good value for a guy under those circumstances.

 

[Beleafer4]

I wouldn't be surprised if Johansen regresses a bit this year so paying the moon for him this year seems like bad asset management to me. I would rather wait another year until I make an offer or look for another big center who has yet to break out.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

Because injuries happen and sometimes players regress.

It also could have do with timing of getting max value for a player.

The team might have faith in Granberg but we wouldn't have got much value for Franson this off-season when teams could have just signed a UFA instead.

Once injuries start kicking in around the league, Nonis might hope a team gets desperate and overpays for Franson who most teams will be able to fit in under the cap because the Leafs would be able to retain up to half his salary on his 1-year deal.

^^^ What he said, and what I've been saying for some time. A one-dimensional PMD or a backup goalie are not going to return us much given that there unsigned players as alternatives that can be signed for peanuts withOUT giving up another player or a pick/prospect.

 

[Leaf Rocket]

I wonder if a Ryan Johansen for James van Riemsdyk principle trade would be possible.

They are both coming off of similar breakout years. JVR is signed dirt cheap for a very long time, is really getting better by leaps and bounds every year in Toronto. Johansen is a few years younger and more importantly plays center, but is looking for big money right away.

I would love for this trade to happen as I love Johansen style of game however from what I can tell the jackets aren't fools anymore who we can easily make a quick trade with. Jarmo Kekalainen has been is very smart and sharp with his asset management.

I would love it but who else can fill out his role there? As far as I can tell, Johansen and Jenner is a perfect punch for the upcoming team.

Any interest in Kevin Hayes?

I would love him however I don't see us making a good push with our prospects making quite a bit of noise this upcoming off-season, where would he fit? He'd probably look to go for a rebuilding team like florida or buffalo.

I proposed JVR + Kadri for Johansen + Jenner on the mainboard. Sounded like one fan thought it would be a fair deal.

We pick up our top line center and a solid second line center for the future and give up a 1st line winger and a 1B/2A center.

Both deals deal from a position of strength.

As much as I like the skill of Kadri if it was possible to trade him for Johansen I would do it but i don't think it would be a feasible moment for us.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

That may solve our centre problem but it opens up a big hole on wing. Face it, the Leafs are going to have to draft and develop our top centre like all successful teams do. Otherwise you are just robbing Peter to pay Paul. Maybe Nylander is the answer in a couple of years or it may be whoever we draft in 2015 but there is no quick fix.

Correct. Top notch young centers are very rarely made available. Time to get a grip on reality.

 

[Leaf Rocket]

Columbus has a lot of C depth.

Johansen
Jenner
Wennberg
Milano

Would love one of the 1st 3.

I would as well but I think we have a shot at wennberg who i think is more of a 1b if not a 2A centre than Johansen who I see a solid top line centre.

 

[Rielly4]

If there is any young C i would try and target its Ryan Strome.. He has yet to breakout and Isles have Cizikas Grabo and Nielsen...

If you think Strome is a bust, check out his AHL numbers, superior to what Kadri was able to do at that level.

 

[Teeder9]

If there is any young C i would try and target its Ryan Strome.. He has yet to breakout and Isles have Cizikas Grabo and Nielsen...

If you think Strome is a bust, check out his AHL numbers, superior to what Kadri was able to do at that level.

What would we offer?

 

[LaPlante94]

If there is any young C i would try and target its Ryan Strome.. He has yet to breakout and Isles have Cizikas Grabo and Nielsen...

If you think Strome is a bust, check out his AHL numbers, superior to what Kadri was able to do at that level.

I think I'd rather give up less and take a shot at Anders Lee. I've wanted the Leafs to try and trade for him for years now because I used to watch quite a bit of Notre Dame games when he was there.

 

[Rielly4]

What would we offer?

Dion...

 

[Rielly4]

I think I'd rather give up less and take a shot at Anders Lee. I've wanted the Leafs to try and trade for him for years now because I used to watch quite a bit of Notre Dame games when he was there.

Lee is no where near Stromes calibre....

Not even a comparison im looking for young C's around the league who could give us more depth and skill down the middle.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

If there is any young C i would try and target its Ryan Strome.. He has yet to breakout and Isles have Cizikas Grabo and Nielsen...

If you think Strome is a bust, check out his AHL numbers, superior to what Kadri was able to do at that level.

Lee is no where near Stromes calibre....

Not even a comparison im looking for young C's around the league who could give us more depth and skill down the middle.

In the spirit of the Leafs hf board then, how about Colton Orr, Franson and 3rd rounder for Strome? What's not to like?

 

[RLF]

Lee is no where near Stromes calibre....

Not even a comparison im looking for young C's around the league who could give us more depth and skill down the middle.

Strome has talent for sure, but I would rather see us look for 2C potential with some size, as we have Kadri and Nylander already that are similar to a Strome. Either untapped like Grigorenko/V.Rask or more proven like Bjustad/J.Staal. It's nice to have guys that can dangle and awe people with skill set, but it would be also nice to have a top 6 centre that can handle forwards down low in both ends of the ice.

 

[Leaf Rocket]

Problem with strome is...they can easily convert his shiftiness at the wall and push him for winger.

 

[LaPlante94]

Lee is no where near Stromes calibre....

Not even a comparison im looking for young C's around the league who could give us more depth and skill down the middle.

We have Kadri. Him and Strome almost play the same way and have the same skillset basically. Lee is a more complete player who has one hell of a shot and can skate very good for his size.

Since he's lower on the depth chart because of the C depth they have now, I just think Lee would be a lot cheaper and will be a top 6 player when given the chance.

 

[RLF]

We have Kadri. Him and Strome almost play the same way and have the same skillset basically. Lee is a more complete player who has one hell of a shot and can skate very good for his size.

Since he's lower on the depth chart because of the C depth they have now, I just think Lee would be a lot cheaper and will be a top 6 player when given the chance.

I agree with what you are saying as I am a fan of Lee as well and he shouldn't cost as much as Stome, but are you talking to centre the Leafs? I thought NYI has him as a winger.

 

[BertCorbeau]

I agree with what you are saying as I am a fan of Lee as well and he shouldn't cost as much as Stome, but are you talking to centre the Leafs? I thought NYI has him as a winger.

I think the long term projection for Strome is centre, but he'll get regular time in the NHL to start as a winger (particularly because the Isles have Tavares, Grabo and a few other centres)

 

[SprDaVE]

The Leafs don't have a center depth issue as much as they have a quality issue.

Kadri and Holland have intriguing potential but I don't think neither have much room to reach top end potential. They are definitely skilled players but I'm not sure if they have that consistent 60+ point potential and/or the 2-way smarts to be considered top line.

Then you have Bozak who's also a 2nd line center at best, but likely more of a third line center. Then you have a bunch of names that are so questionable in terms of upside and quality like Kontiola, Santorelli, Smith and McKegg.

A lot of names that are good to OK NHLers but in terms of quality, it's pretty sub-par compared to many teams.

So while Strome definitely has surprised me with his production in the AHL as a rookie, it would be a bit of a risk to assume he can be better then Kadri or Holland in the near or even long-term future. And I strongly doubt the Islanders want to trade him anytime soon, or even Lee for that matter. Both will be cheap for a few years and should be able to give them good depth for now.