Free Agent/Trades 2015: Offer Sheets, Buyouts, Terminations & Free Agency

[RLF]

I don't think it's as big of a gap between the two going forward as most initially would think.

Everyone overlooks Gio is coming off by far his two best offensive years in the league. Prior to last season, Gio led the Flames to being a lottery team two years in a row. Gio has missed approximately 20 games in each of the last 3 full seasons. Also last season all advanced stats showed they were a bad team and nearly all key pieces had career years.

Gio deals expires as he turns 37.5 years of age, Phaneuf deal expires as he's turning 36.

Gio is darn good player but I don't for a second believe over the next few years he'll be among names like Subban, Karlsson for best offensive D production.

Whether he is among the top offensive defenceman in the league over the next few years is yet to be seen, although I am not sure he can keep up with the best either.
The point being made was just because Gio signed for $6.75 per IIRC doesn't mean Dion's contract is a good one. I believe Gio is a more complete player, yet still didn't get the money Dion got 1 1/2 years ago and the cap is higher now.

I look at it this way, if Gio and Dion are both made available for trade...who will get the most interest and best return? IMO, no doubt it is Gio. So I do not see how Gio's signing proves Dion's contract is a good one.

 

[TheCLAM]

Whether he is among the top offensive defenceman in the league over the next few years is yet to be seen, although I am not sure he can keep up with the best either.
The point being made was just because Gio signed for $6.75 per IIRC doesn't mean Dion's contract is a good one. I believe Gio is a more complete player, yet still didn't get the money Dion got 1 1/2 years ago and the cap is higher now.

I look at it this way, if Gio and Dion are both made available for trade...who will get the most interest and best return? IMO, no doubt it is Gio. So I do not see how Gio's signing proves Dion's contract is a good one.

We need more bad dmen like Orpik to sign for bad dollars in order to push Dion into a marketable spot IMO

 

[deletethis]

Can't believe hasn't happened yet:

1. Cody Franson signing anywhere. Could he end up taking a contract for less than he made last season? It's like the entire league has gotten collectively sane regarding contracts.
2. Bozak and/or Lupul being shipped out. Maybe Babcock has told Shanny and co. that he'd like to try with all of these players first. Does this mean that only one individual was a no-go for Babcock?
3. Talk of Mitch Marner making the team.
4. The Leafs acquiring another NHL defenseman. Not convinced that Marincin is going to be anything other than a frustrating project. There are hints that Robidas is finished and that Polak is damaged goods. I hope that Hunwick is a big find but we may find him just to be a readily expendable depth defender with inflated numbers from a very good NHL team. Maybe the Leafs will just go dumpster diving on the waiver wire for another defender for this transition year or maybe they really believe in one of the Marlies' defensemen.

 

[darrylsittler27]

Must be Percy.

With this defense the Leafs must be hoping Percy and maybe Loov, Harrington can make a push. I don't get the Marincin trade unless they plan to move Gardiner. Seems too much of one thing in Gardiner,Reilly,Marincin. All in all, a pretty bad defense if I do say so myself. I guess that is what Babcock mean't when he said "Pain.".....he was looking at our lineup.

So, Phaneuff Reilly
Gardiner Polak

Hunwick Marincin/Percy/Loov/Harrington

Robidas becomes player /asst coach.

 

[Ovate]

Players don't just jump into assistant coach positions at the NHL level with no prior experience. Robidas is still (barely) an NHL defenseman, and he'll play as one until the end of his contract.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Can't believe hasn't happened yet:

1. Cody Franson signing anywhere. Could he end up taking a contract for less than he made last season? It's like the entire league has gotten collectively sane regarding contracts.
2. Bozak and/or Lupul being shipped out. Maybe Babcock has told Shanny and co. that he'd like to try with all of these players first. Does this mean that only one individual was a no-go for Babcock?
3. Talk of Mitch Marner making the team.
4. The Leafs acquiring another NHL defenseman. Not convinced that Marincin is going to be anything other than a frustrating project. There are hints that Robidas is finished and that Polak is damaged goods. I hope that Hunwick is a big find but we may find him just to be a readily expendable depth defender with inflated numbers from a very good NHL team. Maybe the Leafs will just go dumpster diving on the waiver wire for another defender for this transition year or maybe they really believe in one of the Marlies' defensemen.

Franson who knows. I don't really care anymore. He's always overvalued himself as far as I'm concerned.

Babcock may be willing to wait on everyone else other than Kessel. I don't understand why, but let's just hope they know what they are doing (sometimes I wonder if they do though).

Marner should not make the team under any circumstances.

Polak is not damaged goods at all. I actually think there is a good market for him, and we should have no troubles getting a good price for him. I also believe in Robidas. He had a solid statistical season if you overlook points, even on our crap team. If he feels good after the shoulder, he should play even better since he's not coming off of breaking his leg twice. Once Polak is gone, Marincin should be able to step up and take his spot. Then when we start to move out Phaneuf, Hunwick, Robidas and maybe even Gardiner, that's when we'll see Loov, Nilsson, Percy, Harrington, Granberg, etc. on the team along side Rielly.

 

[MadSnowman42]

NTC means the Leafs need to protect him.

That is how it was in the last expansion draft and it is a safe bet that will again be the case in an upcoming expansion draft. However, the current CBA does not govern a potential expansion draft, so we will not know for certain until NHL and NHLPA agree on the framework.

 

[piikerr]

Players don't just jump into assistant coach positions at the NHL level with no prior experience. Robidas is still (barely) an NHL defenseman, and he'll play as one until the end of his contract.

2 Years is pushing it

 

[HoweHullOrr]

Can't believe hasn't happened yet:

1. Cody Franson signing anywhere. Could he end up taking a contract for less than he made last season? It's like the entire league has gotten collectively sane regarding contracts.
2. Bozak and/or Lupul being shipped out. Maybe Babcock has told Shanny and co. that he'd like to try with all of these players first. Does this mean that only one individual was a no-go for Babcock?
3. Talk of Mitch Marner making the team.
4. The Leafs acquiring another NHL defenseman. Not convinced that Marincin is going to be anything other than a frustrating project. There are hints that Robidas is finished and that Polak is damaged goods. I hope that Hunwick is a big find but we may find him just to be a readily expendable depth defender with inflated numbers from a very good NHL team. Maybe the Leafs will just go dumpster diving on the waiver wire for another defender for this transition year or maybe they really believe in one of the Marlies' defensemen.

Franson who knows. I don't really care anymore. He's always overvalued himself as far as I'm concerned.

Babcock may be willing to wait on everyone else other than Kessel. I don't understand why, but let's just hope they know what they are doing (sometimes I wonder if they do though).

Marner should not make the team under any circumstances.

Polak is not damaged goods at all. I actually think there is a good market for him, and we should have no troubles getting a good price for him. I also believe in Robidas. He had a solid statistical season if you overlook points, even on our crap team. If he feels good after the shoulder, he should play even better since he's not coming off of breaking his leg twice. Once Polak is gone, Marincin should be able to step up and take his spot. Then when we start to move out Phaneuf, Hunwick, Robidas and maybe even Gardiner, that's when we'll see Loov, Nilsson, Percy, Harrington, Granberg, etc. on the team along side Rielly.

There was lots of hyperbole that these players would get moved for a big return. However, there could be a simple reason why they haven't been moved - there is very little interest and the return is very low.

For Phaneuf, the only deal that surfaced in the press was with Detroit which obviously wasn't knocking the socks off of Leaf's brass. Maybe that was market value for Phaneuf?

The Kessel return was rather underwhelming. And there's been very little speculation even about Bozak or Lupul.

I'd also have to agree with those that were stating that our blueline is definitely below average. I'd guess returns for some of these guys if they were to be traded might not be as spectacular as some are hoping for. Just my best guess.

 

[Rielly4]

With the cap as tight as it is this offseason...There is not much movement...Bozak and Lupul simply cannot be moved...There is no team willing to take on there contracts..Same goes for Dion, although i would think there is more interest there as minute munching D are in very high demand.

 

[Ricky Bobby]

Can't believe hasn't happened yet:

4. The Leafs acquiring another NHL defenseman. Not convinced that Marincin is going to be anything other than a frustrating project. There are hints that Robidas is finished and that Polak is damaged goods. I hope that Hunwick is a big find but we may find him just to be a readily expendable depth defender with inflated numbers from a very good NHL team. Maybe the Leafs will just go dumpster diving on the waiver wire for another defender for this transition year or maybe they really believe in one of the Marlies' defensemen.

How is Polak damaged goods? He's a low end # 4 or a good # 5 that was asked to play more like a # 3 with a lot of defensive zone starts, most PK minutes on a terrible defensive team. He was simply mis-slotted.

Marincin is definitely a project but one who's 23 and has shown upside on the past. We definitely have the room in this D group to take on such a project.

Hunwick is 30, was the # 6 Dman for the Rangers then became the # 7 after the deadline only playing in about half the Rangers playoff games. The prior year he couldn't crack a bad Avs blueline and was unclamined on waivers so he spent most of the season in the AHL. At 30 years of age he simply is what he which is a borderline NHLer. If anything I wouldn't be shocked to see him put on waivers at some point.

 

[Ricky Bobby]

With the cap as tight as it is this offseason...There is not much movement...Bozak and Lupul simply cannot be moved...There is no team willing to take on there contracts..Same goes for Dion, although i would think there is more interest there as minute munching D are in very high demand.

It's going to take time to completely revamp this roster and not every piece needs be treated like a cancer. This team is going to suck with or without them. Fans will just move onto hating someone else anyways because we still won't be very good. It's really not a problem they are still with the team. We don't have anywhere to spend their capspace.

To many people overlook how much has already been accomplished going back to the deadline. Franson, Santorelli, Winnik all brought back a great return instead of being extended. Clarkson is gone. Kessel is gone.

Lupul in real dollars see his deal spike to 6.75 this season But then goes 5.25 and 3.75. In real dollars his value should go up by this deadline. Lupul also had a dreadful year scoring at a 31 point pace. If any team can afford to take a chance on him rebounding it's the Leafs. If he has a good season he could be like Franson who lots of people wanted to be off the team last off-season but good thing we kept him and got a great return.

Bozak I simply believe there simply wasn't a market for this off-season. At the very least he acts as insulation from rushing youngsters.

Phaneuf would have required us to take back a bad salary which people conveniently overlook. This D group is soft, only going to get softer after we move out Polak by the deadline and I'd rather not have a situation like we had a few years ago where a rookie in Luke Schenn had to be the physical Dman who stood up for this teammates. If there is any piece we should be okay overspending a bit on its what is still a top pairing Dman who plays with an edge. I'd rather not see our D group be like the Oilers or Sabres have been in recent years.

 

[Rielly4]

It's going to take time to completely revamp this roster and not every piece needs be treated like a cancer. This team is going to suck with or without them. Fans will just move onto hating someone else anyways because we still won't be very good. It's really not a problem they are still with the team. We don't have anywhere to spend their capspace.

To many people overlook how much has already been accomplished going back to the deadline. Franson, Santorelli, Winnik all brought back a great return instead of being extended. Clarkson is gone. Kessel is gone.

Lupul in real dollars see his deal spike to 6.75 this season But then goes 5.25 and 3.75. In real dollars his value should go up by this deadline. Lupul also had a dreadful year scoring at a 31 point pace. If any team can afford to take a chance on him rebounding it's the Leafs. If he has a good season he could be like Franson who lots of people wanted to be off the team last off-season but good thing we kept him and got a great return.

Bozak I simply believe there simply wasn't a market for this off-season. At the very least he acts as insulation from rushing youngsters.

Phaneuf would have required us to take back a bad salary which people conveniently overlook. This D group is soft, only going to get softer after we move out Polak by the deadline and I'd rather not have a situation like we had a few years ago where a rookie in Luke Schenn had to be the physical Dman who stood up for this teammates. If there is any piece we should be okay overspending a bit on its what is still a top pairing Dman who plays with an edge. I'd rather not see our D group be like the Oilers or Sabres have been in recent years.

Agreed on keeping Dion...The only thing that worrys me is his 7 mil salary hit that goes until 2021-2022...It makes it difficult to sign big name UFAs if we need to at some point because were going to need to resign a lot of our young players like Marner/Rielly/Nylander by then.

 

[Ricky Bobby]

Agreed on keeping Dion...The only thing that worrys me is his 7 mil salary hit that goes until 2021-2022...It makes it difficult to sign big name UFAs if we need to at some point because were going to need to resign a lot of our young players like Marner/Rielly/Nylander by then.

It's a legitimate concern but we're a few years from Marner, Nylander and a lot of others needing new deals at which point Dion will have less term on his deal.

When Dion has a 2 or 3 or 4 year term remaining it will be more desirable for most teams as it's easier to plan for a shorter period of time vs. dedicating to him for 6 years. Worse case I see is that in a few years he'll get the Brian McCabe treatment where we don't really get much value back but get rid of the contract without any issues.

Dion also has a somewhat backdiving contract in the last 3 years that goes 6.5, 6.5 then 5.5 with real dollars mattering to quite a few teams.

 

[darrylsittler27]

Phaneuff at $6.5 M

It's a legitimate concern but we're a few years from Marner, Nylander and a lot of others needing new deals at which point Dion will have less term on his deal.

When Dion has a 2 or 3 or 4 year term remaining it will be more desirable for most teams as it's easier to plan for a shorter period of time vs. dedicating to him for 6 years. Worse case I see is that in a few years he'll get the Brian McCabe treatment where we don't really get much value back but get rid of the contract without any issues.

Dion also has a somewhat backdiving contract in the last 3 years that goes 6.5, 6.5 then 5.5 with real dollars mattering to quite a few teams.

If the Leafs eat some salary I can see his value go up at TD. Certainly at $6M per year he becomes very palatable . I'm guessing his value as a UFA would be $5.75 to $6M.

 

[Ovate]

If the Leafs eat some salary I can see his value go up at TD. Certainly at $6M per year he becomes very palatable . I'm guessing his value as a UFA would be $5.75 to $6M.

If we terminated his contract, he'd get $7M+ as a UFA. Teams just don't think he's worth $7M AND the assets that we're asking in return.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

If we terminated his contract, he'd get $7M+ as a UFA. Teams just don't think he's worth $7M AND the assets that we're asking in return.

Probably this. Though the Phaneuf market will never die. There aren't many top pairing defensemen available at any point in time. Though I'm sure they won't jump the gun right away.

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[HoweHullOrr]

It's going to take time to completely revamp this roster and not every piece needs be treated like a cancer. This team is going to suck with or without them. Fans will just move onto hating someone else anyways because we still won't be very good. It's really not a problem they are still with the team. We don't have anywhere to spend their capspace.

To many people overlook how much has already been accomplished going back to the deadline. Franson, Santorelli, Winnik all brought back a great return instead of being extended. Clarkson is gone. Kessel is gone.

Lupul in real dollars see his deal spike to 6.75 this season But then goes 5.25 and 3.75. In real dollars his value should go up by this deadline. Lupul also had a dreadful year scoring at a 31 point pace. If any team can afford to take a chance on him rebounding it's the Leafs. If he has a good season he could be like Franson who lots of people wanted to be off the team last off-season but good thing we kept him and got a great return.

Bozak I simply believe there simply wasn't a market for this off-season. At the very least he acts as insulation from rushing youngsters.

Phaneuf would have required us to take back a bad salary which people conveniently overlook. This D group is soft, only going to get softer after we move out Polak by the deadline and I'd rather not have a situation like we had a few years ago where a rookie in Luke Schenn had to be the physical Dman who stood up for this teammates. If there is any piece we should be okay overspending a bit on its what is still a top pairing Dman who plays with an edge. I'd rather not see our D group be like the Oilers or Sabres have been in recent years.

Maybe some people are overlooking it, but quite a few others are not. As an example, I stated that Detroit's offer was likely market value, and that deal involved Weiss.

 

[canadon]

The Rumor is Franson could be heading to Buffalo after all...

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/cody-franson--sabres-nearing-2-year-deal-050838673.html

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/report-buffalo-sabres-offer-cody-franson-two-year-contract/

 

[Cor]

lol, Franson's agent is a complete joke.

Leafs reportedly offered him a 4 year deal in the 4M range in January, and they turn that deal down, thinking that Franson is worth 6M I guess. Then, reports say BOS was interested and gave him an offer, and he turned that down.

Now he's going to be in Buffalo, for two years, likely in the 3M range.

How Franson hasn't fired the guy, or over the past three-four years say "hey, maybe we need to temper our expectations a little bit moving forward".

This is probably one of the worst multi-contract handling I've seen, possible ever by an agent and a player.

 

[TheCLAM]

lol, Franson's agent is a complete joke.

Leafs reportedly offered him a 4 year deal in the 4M range in January, and they turn that deal down, thinking that Franson is worth 6M I guess. Then, reports say BOS was interested and gave him an offer, and he turned that down.

Now he's going to be in Buffalo, for two years, likely in the 3M range.

How Franson hasn't fired the guy, or over the past three-four years say "hey, maybe we need to temper our expectations a little bit moving forward".

This is probably one of the worst multi-contract handling I've seen, possible ever by an agent and a player.

Reportedly we were out on the Babcock race too. I wouldn't buy into the Toronto media they're losing organizational Benedict Arnolds every year. This managment put enclosed their secrets in a nuke proof vault guarded by the ghost of Tie Domi

 

[Bullseye]

Lupul for Byfuglien?

 

[Stand Witness]

Reportedly we were out on the Babcock race too. I wouldn't buy into the Toronto media they're losing organizational Benedict Arnolds every year. This managment put enclosed their secrets in a nuke proof vault guarded by the ghost of Tie Domi

Can't blame the media for thinking we are out of the Babcock sweepstakes when even Babcock and the Leafs thought we were. Of course the Leafs will say they always thought they were in it and of course Babcock will say that he always considered us but Babcock even admitted that the Leafs didn't really become an option until the night before he signed. By next morning every insider was saying the Leafs aren't out of it now.

Honestly the Babcock argument is such a bad one. There are a lot better options, like Lou or to an extent the UFA signings, but even the best insiders still manage to hear things about this stuff.

 

[Ricky Bobby]

lol, Franson's agent is a complete joke.

Leafs reportedly offered him a 4 year deal in the 4M range in January, and they turn that deal down, thinking that Franson is worth 6M I guess. Then, reports say BOS was interested and gave him an offer, and he turned that down.

Now he's going to be in Buffalo, for two years, likely in the 3M range.

How Franson hasn't fired the guy, or over the past three-four years say "hey, maybe we need to temper our expectations a little bit moving forward".

This is probably one of the worst multi-contract handling I've seen, possible ever by an agent and a player.

An agent has to listen to his player. It could be Franson and not the agent. We don't know.

Was it ever confirmed with a legitimate source Franson was in fact offered that deal? There were rumors there was an internal debate among management with some wanting to keep Franson, some wanting to deal him prior to the deadline. With the way the Leafs collapsed and the great great return we got from Nashville I'd bet more management got on board the idea of needing to accumulate picks/prospects wagon vs. bringing back Franson but only more expensive.

Since Shanny has come on board the media seems to have been kept in the dark. Nobody thought Babcock or Lamariello were coming to Toronto.