Confirmed with Link: Leafs sign Simon Benoit to 3 year extension -- 1.35M AAV

[mcleex]

Yup probably. Zaddy wants to be here and Tre wants him. I'm mostly curious who Tre will go after for that first pairing with Riles. I'm hoping Pesce but expecting Tanev.

How do you know Zadorov wants to be here?

 

[Buds17]

It'd be almost foolish to oppose a three-year pact at that AAV. Some really good business from Treliving between this and the McMann contract.

 

[Menzinger]

How do you know Zadorov wants to be here?

His agent posted one social media that Leafs fans will love him (this was when the Flames were looking to trade him earlier in the year).

Seems as if mutual interest is strong

 

[LeafsStorm]

Love him as a player and this is a great contract

Is it bad when I opened my phone and saw this I yelled with excitement?

 

[HellasLEAF]

Can't wait for people to say they wanted him at 1.1 or 1.25 at max

This is Leafs Nation in a nutshell.

The Leafs seen something in him and have developed him into a strong player for us a great move all around.

 

[TMLAM34]

Really happy with this re-signing. Re-signing him and McMann to the contract Treliving did was very smart business. Glad both those guys will be wearing the blue and white for the foreseeable future!

 

[Ports]

Zadorov is coming, don't need Edmundson.

With $7M more going to Matthews and Nylander next season, not sure they can afford Zadorov until after JT’s contract comes off the books the year after. Edmondson could be a cheaper short term solution.

 

[thusk]

Zadorov is coming, don't need Edmundson.

will cost too much for what he really bring, i prefer to bet on a Edmundson who will cost less in a futur contract and bring exactly the same thing

 

[Ports]

Well, the rise of 4mil plus Kling’s money is pretty much the raises from AM, Willie, MCMann and Benoit.

Kling’s money doesn’t factor in to the cap room year over year because they buried it on LTIR.

 

[Niagara Bill]

This is Leafs Nation in a nutshell.

The Leafs seen something in him and have developed him into a strong player for us a great move all around.

What. Our flippin coach benches him, doesn't dress him, then puts him on first pairing.???
Actually I have no idea if he can play. But as long as it has not got a no trade clause he is worth the risk.

 

[All Mod Cons]

Another excellent move by the GM. It feels weird seeing correct decisions being made.

 

[Rare Jewel]

Good for him; he's really grabbed a spot for himself.

 

[Ports]

I love solidifying part of that third pairing, without an obvious overpay. I also like the type of player Treliving targeted. A third pairing of Benoit and McCabe at a combined cap hit of $3.35 million is a tidy piece of business.

Morgan Rielly: $7.5 million
Brett Pesce: $6.0 million
Nikita Zadorov: $5.0 million
Timothy Liljegren: $3.75 million
Jake McCabe: $2.0 million
Simon Benoit: $1.35 million

In the world where the salary cap on this team is re-balanced some, something like the above would be

The jury is still out on Liljegren. Let’s see how he handles the playoffs this year. He’s arbitration eligible next season with a Qualifying Offer of $1.5M. I would rather see them sign him to another short term deal at around $2M than commit to him for longer at a higher AAV.

 

[Egghead1999]

Edmundson is currently at $3.5mm.
Zadorov is currently at $3.75mm.

If you can replace Brodie with a $3.5mm player it would help.

Maybe Brodie's game is replaced, with some growing pains, with Niemela? 2024 Brodie has warts, which are unlikely to go away, Niemela would have warts that hopefully go away with experience.

But Benoit's growth perhaps will bridge the gap between 2024-Brodie and 2024-Niemela.

Tre wanted Zadorov before TDL but did not want him enough to eat his whole cap. I highly doubt Tre will give him at least north of 5M AAV.
anyway, rather have Edmundson + Benoit.

 

[diceman934]

Great signing at a great cap hit. He would get more as a free agent this summer after his play here this year.

 

[IrishInOntario]

The jury is still out on Liljegren. Let’s see how he handles the playoffs this year. He’s arbitration eligible next season with a Qualifying Offer of $1.5M. I would rather see them sign him to another short term deal at around $2M than commit to him for longer at a higher AAV.

Not sure they're going to get him signed for less than $100,000 per point. It's rare that you can do that with any defenseman coming into his prime. I think he'll probably cost at least $2.5-2.75 million on a 1 year deal. I think he comes in at $3.5-3.75 million on a 3 year deal.

 

[OVO16]

Yeah zadorov is getting a payday and its not gonna be from us.

I see us trying to re-sign Edmundson for cheaper if we can. If not, we go for a similar cheaper option like Vincent Deharnais

 

[crump]

This guy is going to be huge for us in the playoffs. Well worth it.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Hey Leaf Fans.

Hi5

 

[Leafsfan74]

Love him as a player and this is a great contract

Is it bad when I opened my phone and saw this I yelled with excitement?

Yes, it is bad.

Your loyalty is duly noted though. I used to be the same in my prime.

Kudos to Brad and Benoit for deciding he wanted to stay here.

As I've said countless times, any player who wins a Cup in Toronto will get a huge payday on top of their name being part of folklore for a hundred years.

Players like this can increase their value substantially both here or elsewhere in the future if the Leafs succeed. I've seen it time and again in my life because Toronto is the epicentre of hockey. Everyone watches the Leafs.

 

[Leafsfan74]

The jury is still out on Liljegren. Let’s see how he handles the playoffs this year. He’s arbitration eligible next season with a Qualifying Offer of $1.5M. I would rather see them sign him to another short term deal at around $2M than commit to him for longer at a higher AAV.

I don't want to see him in the playoffs when you have a defense bullpen this deep.

There was a time I was quite high on his stock and he still could become a sound player. Playoffs is for only the better teams and most of them employ a hard forecheck. He doesn't handle a hard forecheck well to the point I notice that other teams target him for entry.

This has to be a gameplan devised by other teams coaches. Perhaps on the bottom pairing, I don't know. This team has some strong D Men though and this could be a make or break year for Keefe.

 

[Ports]

Not sure they're going to get him signed for less than $100,000 per point. It's rare that you can do that with any defenseman coming into his prime. I think he'll probably cost at least $2.5-2.75 million on a 1 year deal. I think he comes in at $3.5-3.75 million on a 3 year deal.

I have to admit I have no idea what his ARB number on a one year deal would be but I wouldn’t go more than two years on a contract offer so they’d be buying one UFA year. They’re going to be very tight for cap space next season and I don’t see a $2.3M raise on a three year commitment being sound business.

 

[OVO16]

This guy is going to be huge for us in the playoffs. Well worth it.

Lol are we sure Sheldon is gonna make him a healthy scratch. He still has a hard-on for Brodie

 

[kb]

Zadorov is coming, don't need Edmundson.

So you like overpaid expensive crap that is big and hits because muh big??

He's f***n terrible for what he'll be overpaid sadly.

 

[1specter]

Great contract, nice work by Tre. McMann contract was also excellent.

I don't want to see him in the playoffs when you have a defense bullpen this deep.

There was a time I was quite high on his stock and he still could become a sound player. Playoffs is for only the better teams and most of them employ a hard forecheck. He doesn't handle a hard forecheck well to the point I notice that other teams target him for entry.

This has to be a gameplan devised by other teams coaches. Perhaps on the bottom pairing, I don't know. This team has some strong D Men though and this could be a make or break year for Keefe.

Besides Rielly our defense really lacks offense and puck movement. Timmins has those qualities but he's even less proven and trustworthy compared to Liljegren who has been mostly reliable this season.