Confirmed with Link: Leafs signed Ron Hainsey to a 2 year deal $6 mil ($3 mil AAV)

[showtime8]

The last two pages are just full of some of the worst logic I've seen since Interactif frequented these parts.

Somehow the only reason a career top 4 D-man will play top 4 minutes for us is because how sad our defense is. If only our defensive depth was better, which every one of his previous teams have been, he would certainly not play top 4, like he's always done before.

Thankfully Zeke can provide a bit of sanity and logic.

At some point over the next month, I would anticipate a trade being made for a defenseman to play in the top 4.

And that would move Hainsey into the 3rd pairing where he would be slotted perfectly.

 

[Rielly4]

He has played top 4 on a lot of BAD teams over the years. He was good on Carolina but they moved him because of how many good young D they had coming up. Obviously he ended up playing top pair for Pits.

At the end of the day he is exactly what we need, great PK guy and 5 on 5 minute muncher who could probably shut down top players with Rielly.

The term is perfect at 2 years.

My only worry is how old he is, hopefully he doesnt slow way down. Only 2 years though he should be fine.

 

[ShaneFalco]

 

[ShaneFalco]

if we signed hunwick, people would say "same D again, we should of went for Hainsey" its always the same, the grass is always greener

So true

 

[Mess]

At some point over the next month, I would anticipate a trade being made for a defenseman to play in the top 4.

And that would move Hainsey into the 3rd pairing where he would be slotted perfectly.

Same page for me. Nothing against Hainsey personally.

Hoping Lou has a plan up his sleeve to bring in a top4 dman preferably someone 26 or younger, and then that moves Hainsey into the former Hunwick/Polak roles as depth veteran guy playing 3rd pairing and killing some penalties.

Now that the 1st waive of UFA are over more teams are likely to turn to exploring trades.

 

[Stigma]

I love this guy already. Haha!

 

[TheDoldrums]

That's not him.

 

[Menzinger]

I see he follows the Mike Babcock school of talking in the third person

 

[ShaneFalco]

I see he follows the Mike Babcock school of talking in the third person

lol it's like someone said on twitter - when he starts talking in the third person, that **** is real

 

[7even]

I like it. Good 2nd/3rd pair option, kills penalties, and two years is perfect.

 

[zeke]

He has played top 4 on a lot of BAD teams over the years. He was good on Carolina but they moved him because of how many good young D they had coming up. Obviously he ended up playing top pair for Pits.

"he only played top 4 on a BAD team with lots of GOOD dmen"

?

 

[zeke]

Same page for me. Nothing against Hainsey personally.

Hoping Lou has a plan up his sleeve to bring in a top4 dman preferably someone 26 or younger, and then that moves Hainsey into the former Hunwick/Polak roles as depth veteran guy playing 3rd pairing and killing some penalties.

Now that the 1st waive of UFA are over more teams are likely to turn to exploring trades.

all through this thread about the leafs signing a cup winning top 4 defensive dman.....

....and not even one mention of Mess the Cliché Man's favorite cliché of all:

DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS


i'm dissappointed.

 

[New Leaf]

Quoting myself from another thread:



Compare that with Dellow's star percentage, which measures how much of their ice time a player spends against opposing teams stars. Hunwick has through his career mostly been around 10% there, which is incredibly sheltered. Whenever he leaves sheltered status, he's been absolutely dominated. Hainsey, on the other hand, has been facing tough (but not top) competition through his entire career with consistently over 30%. As a comparison, over 40% is a true shutdown role which is reserved for a handful.

This... actually makes a ton of sense. Thanks for actually explaining!

 

[Morgs]

If he plays top-4, I'm expecting major regression this season.

I can't decide if this signing (if he plays top-4) or the Marleau signing is worse.

 

[Rielly4]

If he plays top-4, I'm expecting major regression this season.

I can't decide if this signing (if he plays top-4) or the Marleau signing is worse.

Both of them are risky but if Marleau and Hainsey play the same way they did this year they will be very good for us.

Hainsey is the better deal because it expires at the same time Gardiner/Marner/Matthews expires. Marleaus expires the year after which is a little bothersome.

Marleau will be strong on the cycle and put up 30 goals while being a solid two way winger, providing a ton of leadership.

 

[Morgs]

Both of them are risky but if Marleau and Hainsey play the same way they did this year they will be very good for us.

Hainsey is the better deal because it expires at the same time Gardiner/Marner/Matthews expires. Marleaus expires the year after which is a little bothersome.

Marleau will be strong on the cycle and put up 30 goals while being a solid two way winger, providing a ton of leadership.

Marleau at one year less is great (at that term), but $6M in that 3rd year is basically asking for us to get rid of a core player.

Hainsey is a tiny bit better than Hunwick defensively with Polak-like puck skills. If he plays in the top-4, we're in trouble.

#****thisoffseason

 

[Nithoniniel]

This... actually makes a ton of sense. Thanks for actually explaining!

Thank you for listening! After a few years around here, that's sure something I've come to appreciate.

 

[saltming]

Thank you for listening! After a few years around here, that's sure something I've come to appreciate.

 

[BodaciousBeefBazooka]

This will be his 7th opportunity on another hockey club. Pretty much signifies what type of player he will be for us for the next 2 years...

 

[Doug Gilmour]

He is better than Hunwick. Plus Polak isn't signed either so that's 2 openings we have on defense.

Our track record with defencemen aged 35+ has been questionable at best in recent history and that does worry me but I trust Shanahan and company is their decision making process for the best of this team. So with that said, welcome aboard Ron.

 

[harmonica]

There is a reason he is called hand grenade Hainsey.

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[slozo]

He's no Hamonic, but, he is a solid vet top four d-man who our genius coach believes can be a very serviceable top 4 D. (Otherwise he wouldn't be here, I assume). Good enough for me!

And for an old player, he's got an awesome record of health, so hopefully that holds true and he can be an upgrade (on Hunwick) in talent as well as experience.

 

[Sypher04]

This will be his 7th opportunity on another hockey club. Pretty much signifies what type of player he will be for us for the next 2 years...

Lots of players play for several teams. It's not, in itself, an indictment of the player.

Regarding Hainsey and his contract. He's definitely better than Matt Hunwick. He's more than capable of moving up the lineup as needed when injuries occur and giving you quality minutes. He just won the Stanley Cup playing in a top pairing role for a good amount of the time, and is making less than 170k raise over his last contract. This is a good signing.

Neither this or the Marleau contract will poses problems for us with any core players going forward. Lou was pretty clear about the affordability of these moves, and that the blueprint doesn't require change at all.

 

[ChuckWoods]

Im not too concerned about Hainseys puck movement, he isnt any worse than Polak in that regard.

He will also be paired with Gardiner or Rielly, so he likely will defer to them whenever he can.

He is being brought in to help be a calming influence back there and help fill a void on the PK that Polak departing represents.