Speculation: Can we talk about the Tomas Plekanec trade...

[ottomaddox]

...now that we are a healthy distance from that playoff series?

I didn't mind the trade at the time. We didn't have Tavares at the time, so there was no harm in bolstering the center ice position. The season before Lou had success trading for Boyle to play 3rd/4th line C.

My attitude about Plekanec instantly changed when I watched him play for TOR. He did nothing but go through the motions. His body language was so telling: "I hate being here".

All of a sudden his game comes alive when Kadri is suspended, and he starts playing a more prominent roll in the top 6.

I know Kadri played his last playoff game with his heart on his sleeve, but I feel deep down that he was pissed off at his teammates. Likely pissed off at his sucky understudy (Plekanec).

Plekanec is probably the most dishonorable NHLer to wear the Leafs' blue and white. I've never been angrier at a player than him. Lou did his job, but how could ever predict that Plekanec would be such a huge baby.

Click to read more...

 

[ACC1224]

Was a bad trade, hindsight won't change that.
I'm sure most leaf fans don't care about this anymore.

** Being proactive, this trade isn't proof that Dubas is doing a great job.

 

[nsleaf]

...now that we are a healthy distance from that playoff series?

I didn't mind the trade at the time. We didn't have Tavares at the time, so there was no harm in bolstering the center ice position. The season before Lou had success trading for Boyle to play 3rd/4th line C.

My attitude about Plekanec instantly changed when I watched him play for TOR. He did nothing but go through the motions. His body language was so telling: "I hate being here".

All of a sudden his game comes alive when Kadri is suspended, and he starts playing a more prominent roll in the top 6.

I know Kadri played his last playoff game with his heart on his sleeve, but I feel deep down that he was pissed off at his teammates. Likely pissed off at his sucky understudy (Plekanec).

Plekanec is probably the most dishonorable NHLer to wear the Leafs' blue and white. I've never been angrier at a player than him. Lou did his job, but how could ever predict that Plekanec would be such a huge baby.

And his brain in his jock.

 

[Merrrlin]

I wasn't an avid fan then, but I do remember watching some of those playoff games. Lou was a bad GM, just throwing it out there.

 

[Commander Clueless]

I wasn't an avid fan then, but I do remember watching some of those playoff games. Lou was a bad GM, just throwing it out there.

Lou, like any GM, has his strengths and weaknesses. He made some great moves in Toronto, and some less than great.

Same with the Islanders. He helped immediately revive a franchise that lost its star player, which is no small feat...but also signed some less than ideal contracts.

 

[BrannigansLaw]

Was a bad trade, hindsight won't change that.
I'm sure most leaf fans don't care about this anymore.

** Being proactive, this trade isn't proof that Dubas is doing a great job.

Not even hindsight. It was a terrible trade the minute it was made. While we don't think about it much anymore, we can't be pissing away high picks like that given the massive contracts we have. It's a recipe for disaster.

 

[BrannigansLaw]

...now that we are a healthy distance from that playoff series?

I didn't mind the trade at the time. We didn't have Tavares at the time, so there was no harm in bolstering the center ice position. The season before Lou had success trading for Boyle to play 3rd/4th line C.

My attitude about Plekanec instantly changed when I watched him play for TOR. He did nothing but go through the motions. His body language was so telling: "I hate being here".

All of a sudden his game comes alive when Kadri is suspended, and he starts playing a more prominent roll in the top 6.

I know Kadri played his last playoff game with his heart on his sleeve, but I feel deep down that he was pissed off at his teammates. Likely pissed off at his sucky understudy (Plekanec).

Plekanec is probably the most dishonorable NHLer to wear the Leafs' blue and white. I've never been angrier at a player than him. Lou did his job, but how could ever predict that Plekanec would be such a huge baby.

I felt the same way. You could tell from his body language that we were just a pit stop for him (not like we were going to keep him around) and that he couldn't wait to get eliminated and start his offseason.

 

[Cor]

I didn’t like the trade initially, and he was awful in the regular season but Plekanec did prove some worth During the playoffs.

but it was one round that we didn’t win.

so yeah, it was a bust of a trade. Boyle one was better, but even then.

 

[robertmac43]

Trade was overall unfortunate, that being said Plekanec played really well in game 3 and I think he also scored in game 4. If we win game 7 we are likely looking at this differently.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Lou, like any GM, has his strengths and weaknesses. He made some great moves in Toronto, and some less than great.

Same with the Islanders. He helped immediately revive a franchise that lost its star player, which is no small feat...but also signed some less than ideal contracts.

He did not revive anything... He just ruined a thing that was already good. All of the players were already there outside of him giving Lehner another shot on a bargain contract. He lost Tavares, which is not his fault, but he gave inflated contracts to mediocre players and made iffy trades, which is the same thing he did in Toronto.

Really, outside of anything to do with goalies, I am not sure he has made many great moves in the past decade. Did a decent job getting assets out of selling guys once in a while, but hardly anything above average.

 

[ottomaddox]

Trade was overall unfortunate, that being said Plekanec played really well in game 3 and I think he also scored in game 4. If we win game 7 we are likely looking at this differently.

Not really. My attitude didn't change about Plekanec when he started contributing. I don't know how anyone could start liking the guy when he came alive so late for his team.

 

[BertCorbeau]

He did not revive anything... He just ruined a thing that was already good. All of the players were already there outside of him giving Lehner another shot on a bargain contract. He lost Tavares, which is not his fault, but he gave inflated contracts to mediocre players and made iffy trades, which is the same thing he did in Toronto.

Really, outside of anything to do with goalies, I am not sure he has made many great moves in the past decade. Did a decent job getting assets out of selling guys once in a while, but hardly anything above average.

Bringing in Trotz was his biggest impact move who is the biggest reason behind the Isles turnaround.

IIRC up until this past trade deadline the last trade Lou made was for Matt Martin

Anyway back on topic, I wasn't a fan of moving a 2nd rounder for a rental at the time and I dislike it even more now. That's Nonis-esque

 

[Commander Clueless]

He did not revive anything... He just ruined a thing that was already good. All of the players were already there outside of him giving Lehner another shot on a bargain contract. He lost Tavares, which is not his fault, but he gave inflated contracts to mediocre players and made iffy trades, which is the same thing he did in Toronto.

Really, outside of anything to do with goalies, I am not sure he has made many great moves in the past decade. Did a decent job getting assets out of selling guys once in a while, but hardly anything above average.

Give the credit to him, Trotz, or someone in between, but he still got results as GM.

But yes, he certainly isn't perfect. He wasn't perfect here either, but I don't think it's fair to straight up call him "bad".

 

[Mess]

During the Leafs’ 2015-16 fire sale that helped Toronto plummet into last place in the league in order to draft Auston Matthews #1 overall eventaully, the Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello traded Roman Polak to the San Jose Sharks for a decent haul.

The actual trade was San Jose acquiring Polak and forward Nick Spaling in exchange for two second-round picks and the remainder of Raffi Torres’ contract. Not bad, considering Spaling was somewhat of a cap dump for the Penguins in the Phil Kessel deal. This trade was made on Feb. 22, 2016, well ahead of the 2016 trade deadline, and gave many fans the impression the Leafs could trade any expiring contract they had for the sun and the moon.

Maple Leafs traded • Roman Polak • Nick Spaling to Sharks for • Raffi Torres • 2017 second round pick • 2018 second round pick on 2016-02-22.

On 22 October 2017, Roman Polak resigned another one-year, $1.1 million contract returning to the Toronto Maple Leafs for his fourth season.

With those extra 2nd round picks the Leafs craftily manufactured, they were able to bolster their 2017 and 2018 playoff teams at the trade deadline with 4th line centre depth in Brian Boyle and Tomas Plekanec in consecutive playoff seasons, while still maintaining their own 2nd round picks during their rebuild to restock the prospect pool.

 

[robertmac43]

Not really. My attitude didn't change about Plekanec when he started contributing. I don't know how anyone could start liking the guy when he came alive so late for his team.

I think you might be looking into this one too much. The guy was meant to be a fourth line center and when he was asked to step up after Kadri got suspended, he did decent.

 

[Ciao]

This trade has no relevance to anything or anyone connected to the Toronto Maple Leafs, and I would rather just forget about it as a closed and insignificant chapter in a too-old story.

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

If it makes you feel any better the Habs look like they won't sign that pick that we traded anyways.

Oloffson has had a couple "meh" years in the SHL and at this point doesn't look like much.

 

[BrannigansLaw]

Trade was overall unfortunate, that being said Plekanec played really well in game 3 and I think he also scored in game 4. If we win game 7 we are likely looking at this differently.

And if we won the Stanley Cup last year, Babcock would still be coach. Of course the trade would look better if we start pretending alternate realities.

 

[rent free]

it was a worthless trade.

 

[Buds17]

Another trade with a divisional rival to hopefully bolster the team/centre depth in preparation for a potential playoff series against a familiar foe. Didn't pan out as well as hoped. Have to see if the prospect (Olofsson) can make an eventual impact with the Canadiens for any further significance.

 

[LeafChief]

The trade was dumb at the time and is still dumb now. With that said, you're reasoning (Kadri being upset about how Plekanec was playing - leading to him being suspended) is just strange and you should get checked out.

 

[Mess]

Really, outside of anything to do with goalies, I am not sure Lou has made many great moves in the past decade. Did a decent job getting assets out of selling guys once in a while, but hardly anything above average.

How quick they forget !!!

One of Lou Lam's best moves of all time:

Shedding Phaneuf’s contract
Lamoriello somehow on Feb. 9, 2016, convinced the Senators to accept the final five-plus seasons of Dion Phaneuf’s albatross-like seven-year, $49-milllion deal, giving the Maple Leafs much needed salary cap flexibility. Phaneuf, Matt Frattin, Casey Bailey, Ryan Rupert and Cody Donaghey went to Ottawa for Jared Cowen, Colin Greening, Milan Michalek, Tobias Lindberg and a second-round pick.

*** If not for Lou Lam, Phaneuf would still be on the books for $7 mil AAV through the 2020-21 season which is post JT and 3 Amigo's new contracts today. ***

One of many trade deadline deals that ensured the Leafs finish 30th overall while recapturing 5 years @ $7 mil cap hit ... A move that successfully resulted in the drafting Auston Matthews #1OA, the Leafs current franchise player.

Leafs’ netminder
Lamoriello certainly understands the importance of strong goaltending. He set up the Maple Leafs for success by acquiring netminder Frederik Andersen from the Ducks for a first-round pick in 2016 acquired from the Kessel trade, and a second-rounder in 2017 secured via Phaneuf Salary dump contract.

As a result of these transactions the Leafs went from last overall with 69 points to 95 points the very next year (+26 point point improvement) to a playoff spot taking on the Washington Capitals. Followed that up with a 105 All-time franchise best year the following season. Worst to franchise first in 2 years.

As mentioned above (earlier post) traded • Roman Polak • Nick Spaling to Sharks for • Raffi Torres • 2017 second round pick • 2018 second round pick on 2016-02-22. With these manufactured 2nd rounders he attempted to prop up Leafs playoff chances by the additions of veteran centres Boyle in 2017 & Plekanec in 2018.

Tomas Pleckanec was brought in at the TD to prop up a 105 point Leafs playoff team attempting to provide depth, leadership and PK ability, a very common move done by many teams in Cup contention annually.. He acquired the 2nd round pick by dealing Polak to SJ as a pending UFA the previous trade deadline, and then turned around and resigned Polak the following year as a UFA having him back on the Leafs for this playoff run with new teammate Plekanec in tow..

Basically acquiring Plekanec with found money!!. This is the transaction that Leaf Nation fans want to bemoan about years later of a playoff rental player?. Talk about some that can't see the forest for the trees, too involved in the minor details of an insignificant transaction now to look at the situation as a whole.

Also Traded • Daniel Winnik • 2016 fifth round pick to Capitals for • Brooks Laich • Connor Carrick • 2016 second round pick (#57-Carl Grundstrom) on 2016-02-28 ensuring the Leafs still made a 2nd round pick of their own. Grundstrom one of the players later dealt by Dubas to acquire Jake Muzzin.

This was a pure masterpiece body of GM work that didn't even include the cap friendly deals of Rielly and Kadri he signed Leafs to, in addition to passing on #1C Matthews and #1G Andersen as well as some prospects like Liljegren, Korshkov, Brooks and goalie prospects like Woll/Scott in the system for the next GM as well as a franchise best 105 point starting roster for his predecessor.

 

[All Mod Cons]

I see why he did the trade. It's not his fault it didn't work out. I like the fact he tried something. I blame Babcock. It's easy in hindsight.


I think that's how it's done.

 

[Dekes For Days]

Bringing in Trotz was his biggest impact move who is the biggest reason behind the Isles turnaround.

Unsustainable goaltending is the biggest reason for the Isles "turnaround", which is why they started plummeting when that stopped.

 

[francis246]

he played for the habs, what did you expect. That suddenly his feelings for Toronto would just change? He did not want to be there. But he played well in the playoffs when it mattered