Confirmed with Link: Leafs sign C/LW Miro Aaltonen to an ELC

[Mess]

Not every European FA signing is going to turn out to be a gem.

The worst impact is a contract on the 50 limit. And most likely he'd return to the KHL if he is demoted to the Marlies.

Let us enter Petri Kontiola into evidence that expectations should be tempered, until proven outherwise.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Aaltonen scored less points under current coach of Finland Marjamäki a season ago in FEL, than this season in KHL. His system just does not suit him too well, when the team is forced to play defensive game. I would not judge him based on this WHC, as his play in KHL was just way better than his WHC play indicated.

Babcock is going to make him play defense though if not he'll find himself on the Marlies.

 

[TMLFOREVER**]

Former 6th round pick of the Ducks in 2013.

44 points in 59 KHL games this season.

5'10" ~175 lbs.

Drives me nuts when people say he is undersized or to small. 6 feet is good but 5'10 is small? Bend your index finger. From the tip to the bend is 2 inches. So that's the difference of good size and too small?

 

[Trapper]

Let us enter Petri Kontiola into evidence that expectations should be tempered, until proven outherwise.

Thank goodness we are rebuilding and acquiring these high end pieces, otherwise some would have Aaltonen pencilled in as the 2nd line C with Bozak traded out of town. (If this was 4 years ago).
Now we can adopt a wait and see approach. No expectations.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Babcock is going to make him play defense though if not he'll find himself on the Marlies.

Does Babcock has tools to fix Miro Aaltonen's plus-minus reading which was -8 in world championships and clearly worst of all Finnish players.
Of course i do hope all the best for Miro and i hope he gets chance to play some games in maple-leafs but i have my doubts.

 

[Menzinger]

While he's definitely no lock to make the team be wary of putting too much value in a relatively small sample size of games

 

[leafsfuture]

While he's definitely no lock to make the team be wary of putting too much value in a relatively small sample size of games

This

Remember how excited everyone was for Kontiola cause he had a good Olympics and world championship

 

[ErnieLeafs]

Just do see a way in for this guy. He doesn't bring an element to the lineup that we're sorely lacking, and really wasn't impressive at all, against competition similar to what he'll face in the NHL.

He'll start with the Marlies, and probably head back to the KHL.

 

[Vexed]

Does Babcock has tools to fix Miro Aaltonen's plus-minus reading which was -8 in world championships and clearly worst of all Finnish players.
Of course i do hope all the best for Miro and i hope he gets chance to play some games in maple-leafs but i have my doubts.

We'll see how it goes but one thing is for certain: a tournament isn't really a great measure of a player at all. Never put to much weight into the good or the bad

 

[BigBlu]

Does Babcock has tools to fix Miro Aaltonen's plus-minus reading which was -8 in world championships and clearly worst of all Finnish players.

Are you kidding? Aaltonen is the leading candidate for the next 7 x 4.5 million dollar deal!

 

[Mr Hockey]

If we signed this kid to an ELC, I'm sure he has game! Finish team was a bit of a train wreck, I think.

 

[The Best Leafs Ever]

why? we haven't collected all the 5'10" and smaller forwards yet?

I wouldn't put too much emphasis on free wallets, when it comes to drafting 5'10, they better be Marner or Giroux.

 

[Walshy7]

I wouldn't put too much emphasis on free wallets, when it comes to drafting 5'10, they better be Marner or Giroux.

I cant see a spot for all the players who need one. Rychel, Leipsic and Leivo need waivers and Kapanen more than earned a spot so that's 4 wingers right there ad in aaltonen 5 players fighting with Soshnikov for 1 spot pretty much. There has to be some trades this off season it just doesn't make sense, even when you factor in Vegas taking 1 of leipsic/leivo/Rychel

 

[Erndog]

The contract will be mutually terminated and Miro will be on his way back to Europe by end of October.

 

[Walshy7]

The contract will be mutually terminated and Miro will be on his way back to Europe by end of October.

can you mutually terminate an ELC? I don't see why you cant but never heard of it before

 

[67Cup]

There is no way to spin the world championship tournament as anything but a negative for Aaltonen. But I doubt it was so bad that we should dismiss his chances and preemptively banish him to the KHL as a consequence. He got limited ice time playing for a coach who clearly didn't trust him at this point in time. Few players perform their best under those circumstances. Who knows at this point how he will do in the Leafs system?

Of course we shouldn't write him into the lineup now. But we should not write him off yet either.

 

[1specter]

We'll see how it goes but one thing is for certain: a tournament isn't really a great measure of a player at all. Never put to much weight into the good or the bad

Good point. I remember when Brayden Schenn had that record-setting WJC and everyone thought this guy was a future hall-of-famer. Turns out we got the better player in Kadri

 

[Joey Hoser]

Thank goodness we are rebuilding and acquiring these high end pieces, otherwise some would have Aaltonen pencilled in as the 2nd line C with Bozak traded out of town. (If this was 4 years ago).
Now we can adopt a wait and see approach. No expectations.

We used to follow, hope, and pray that a guy like Dale Mitchell will make it.

Now I hardly give a **** about this guy, or even about a prospect like Bracco.

 

[Walshy7]

We used to follow, hope, and pray that a guy like Dale Mitchell will make it.

Now I hardly give a **** about this guy, or even about a prospect like Bracco.

agreed its nice to have bracco there and we can say "oh if he makes that will be great if not oh well back to the draft next year". Where as 4 years ago we would of been hoping and twisting every stat to show "bracco is going to be an elite scorer in the NHL just you wait and see"

 

[sxvnert]

With a year of AHL + strength training, you never know.

 

[Walshy7]

With a year of AHL + strength training, you never know.

all depends on his deal, he may have a clause to go back to the KHL if he doesn't make the leafs.

 

[hullsy47]

all depends on his deal, he may have a clause to go back to the KHL if he doesn't make the leafs.

I'm sure he has a 20 game out clause ....ahl 20 games then he can go back to Russia ,hes coming over to play for the leafs not marlies ..

 

[The CyNick]

Drives me nuts when people say he is undersized or to small. 6 feet is good but 5'10 is small? Bend your index finger. From the tip to the bend is 2 inches. So that's the difference of good size and too small?

I don't think anyone says 6 feet is "good" nowadays, it's just a little better than 5'10, about two inches better. Ideally you want guys above 6'2 who can skate, but those players are more rare. It's also about frame size. Not all six foot guys are built the same.

 

[deletethis]

can you mutually terminate an ELC? I don't see why you cant but never heard of it before

Yes. And it has happened several times. Tom Nilsson mutually terminated his contract with the Islanders. Peter Mueller did it with the Blues. Joakim Lindstrom did it with Colorado in 2011. Alex Semin did it with Montreal in 2015.

 

[Canada4Gold]

Yes. And it has happened several times. Tom Nilsson mutually terminated his contract with the Islanders. Peter Mueller did it with the Blues. Joakim Lindstrom did it with Colorado in 2011. Alex Semin did it with Montreal in 2015.

Those weren't ELC's