Time for some early returns on the big trade today. Updated my DB and simulated through this season.
- Overall I think the deal accomplished what both teams set out to do. The Sens, with a bolstered defense (they also deal for Tyutin), managed to squeak into the playoffs as the 8th seed in the East with 98 points. The Leafs rode continued tanking to a 15th place finish in the East with 73 points and the 4th worst record in the league which gives them a good shot in the lottery of earning a precious Top 3 pick in the 2016 draft.
For the Sens
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Dion Phaneuf was used as a second pair defenseman. He logged the third most minutes on their blueline at 20:17 per game (behind EK and Methot). With less responsibility, he turned in a respectable 5 goals and 33 points in 82 games but more importantly, provided a physical presence with 120 PIM and managed a quality +15.
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Matt Frattin actually found a full-time role in Ottawa as well as a 4th line left wing. He was pretty terrible though; 4 goals and 10 points in 77 games, -11 and a 6.68 player rating. Not sure why they kept feeding him ice time.
- Down in Bingo,
Casey Bailey regained some of that sniper confidence that made him a hot-property as an NCAA free agent last off-season. He knocked in 29 goals to tie Matt Puempel for the Baby Sens' goal lead. He also cracked the season-end Sens Top 12 prospect list at #11, though at 25 years-old, his time on this list will be short-lived.
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Cody Donaghey is signed to an NHL contract but spent the season on loan to Moncton in the Q where he was nothing special.
Ryan Rupert was released and signed with Grenoble in the French league of all places.
For the Leafs (complete with their updated old-is-new-again logo!)
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Milan Michalek provided a decent secondary scoring option as a third-line winger with 17 goals and 37 points in 82 injury-free games. He was a +1 and had a solid 7.27 rating over the course of the year. His attributes are declining so he may have a hard time still being effective for 2016-17, as he is still under contract.
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Jared Cowen suited up for 75 games on the Leafs' bottom defensive pairing, tallying 3 goals and 15 points. His -8 and 6.72 rating are indiciative of his limited abilities. He averaged 17:33 minutes per game. He was healthy scratched late in the season a few times for Martin Marincin.
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Tobias Linbderg was excellent for the loaded Marlies. He tallied 20 goals and 53 points but that was only 6th amongst Marlies forward, seven of whom had more than 52 points (Leivo, Kapanen, Soshnikov, Arcobello, Brown. Lindberg and Leipsic...Nylander played the season in the NHL). He only managed to place 11th on the year end Leafs' Top 12 prospect list but it's a pretty deep list so it's obvious he has potential.
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Colin Greening was so useless that he was cut and signed with Dusseldorf in the DEL.
