Prospect Info: Why the love affair with Kappy?

[Barilko14]

We got a good problem of alot players fighting it out for spots. Whatever happens the Marlies should ice a very good team. Leafs should improve and see a better finish than 8th in east last season.

It's somewhat a good problem to have. If we end up losing Leivo, Rychel or both for the sake of keeping JVR, Bozak, just to lose JVR & Bozak next summer, it would kind of suck.

Especially with Kappy on the roster.

 

[Daisy Jane]

It's somewhat a good problem to have. If we end up losing Leivo, Rychel or both for the sake of keeping JVR, Bozak, just to lose JVR & Bozak next summer, it would kind of suck.

Especially with Kappy on the roster.

not really.
we're so full. and there's a lot of other moves, etc, it wouldn't suck really i think some of them are going irregardless.

 

[moon111]

For a fan, you just get a little taste of how a player's personality really is. However, I would say Kessel was done. Kessel is Kessel, the rest of the world be damned. It's his way or the highway, which doesn't work well in a team environment. If the puck turned over, it wasn't his job to backcheck. If he had a defenseman who wasn't exactly Kaberle, he wasn't about to try and make it any easier on them. He'd just blame them instead. He could of had Kadri as his center. But wait, the world revolved around Kessel sniping...and Kadri might be tempted to shoot the puck instead. Even when the opposing team would take the shot away from Kessel, that was their game. And he was instrumental in turning the players against the fans. The chemistry on the Leafs has done a complete turn-around since they go rid of him. And I think Kessel is starting to wear thin in Pittsburgh as well.

With limited teams to trade with, the deal they got for Kessel is a winner. Kappy might not have the career Kessel does, but I wouldn't be surprised if he already has more friends in the NHL. Kapanen is an exciting player, and exciting players get much more love then players that go out and do their job, win games like Komarov or Martin. The fact Kapanen can be used in a defensive position will solidify his position on a roster that is still failing defensively at times.

 

[zeke]

I'll say this - it's the people that can't talk about Kapanen without mentioning Kessel that are likely suffering from bias in analyzing kappy.

and from my vantage point sounds to me like it's the kappy skeptics that keep bringing up kessel.

 

[Duke Silver]

Kappy is a finisher and has to his credit 2 big goals. One big goal for World Juniors Finland and one playoff nhl overtime goal. I dont see him as greatest or bad he is about to turn 21. His potential is uncertain.

Tying goal against Pittsburgh, too.

 

[KPower]

Speed to burn and has a great shot.

Future 30 goal scorer.

what's not to love?

 

[Dog]

Moves happening and think Vegas be a good trade partner. Put few into bundle and if they cant figure price set for Schmidt.. Sign and trade deal would be nice.

 

[indigobuffalo]

He is essentially the main return from Kessel and how that trade will be judged.

After giving up #2OA and #9OA in back to back drafts it basically
Kappy now who is the return.

Harrington became Rychel who has no impact.

Freddy Andersen is partially involved but Leafs had to toss in a 2nd round pick also and pick up Kessel's bonus & retain $1.2mil X 7 years.

So if Kappy doesn't hit big and become a player, then the Kessel trade will be a disaster coming and going.

Not exactly true. The decision to trade Kessel was based on a Tank plan for the 2015-16 season and therefore succeeded perfectly.

The goal was to unload Kessel without taking NHL players back that might hurt the tank plan.

And Rychel isn't meaningless. Power forwards have the longest development range of any player type except goalies. His potential is still open to tapped.

 

[Barilko14]

not really.
we're so full. and there's a lot of other moves, etc, it wouldn't suck really i think some of them are going irregardless.

We're not so full that 4 forwards walking away wouldn't hurt our depth. We have depth but to let Leivo & Rychel walk in October for nothing, only to let JVR and Bozak walk next July for nothing doesn't make sense.

 

[GordieHoweHatTrick]

Because he'll be an NHLer 100%, it's just a matter of how good.

You can't say that about most guys playing in the AHL

 

[HoweHullOrr]

The trade was a necessary evil to ensure the tank for Matthews and push the organization towards a rebuild.

In terms of abstract trade value (assets in vs assets out) the Leafs did poorly.

That's how I stand on things. Ancient history now though, I suppose

I'll say this - it's the people that can't talk about Kapanen without mentioning Kessel that are likely suffering from bias in analyzing kappy.

and from my vantage point sounds to me like it's the kappy skeptics that keep bringing up kessel.

I agree with Menzinger. It can be all about Kappy now because the Kessel trade is history. It was fate that Kapanen happened to be involved, but that is past tense now.

We don't have to turn the Kessel trade into a win. That's what I'm finding odd.

Yet, at the same time, I doubt if many will just forget that Kapanen was involved in the Kessel trade. We can juggle both of those two points or things together without being critical of Kapanen or a Kapanen skeptic.

 

[Halla]

We're not so full that 4 forwards walking away wouldn't hurt our depth. We have depth but to let Leivo & Rychel walk in October for nothing, only to let JVR and Bozak walk next July for nothing doesn't make sense.

Marleau and Kapanen in. Maybe a kid like Grundstrom next year.
they probably dip into UFA and use some of the 20+ million coming off the books to bring in a vet or 2.

leafs arent gonna lose 4 guys and not bring in anyone, no need to worry

 

[darrylsittler27]

One of the stupidest trades I have ever seen.

Considering we gave Pitts 2 cups and an elite player then ate salary, it will go down as one of the stupidest trades I have ever seen. They got bent over a barrel and spanked. Could you imagine what might have happened if we had Kessel last year against Washington, we would have won!

 

[zeke]

delete

 

[zeke]

I agree with Menzinger. It can be all about Kappy now because the Kessel trade is history. It was fate that Kapanen happened to be involved, but that is past tense now.

We don't have to turn the Kessel trade into a win. That's what I'm finding odd.

Yet, at the same time, I doubt if many will just forget that Kapanen was involved in the Kessel trade. We can juggle both of those two points or things together without being critical of Kapanen or a Kapanen skeptic.

well, as much as i hated the kessel giveaway, i don't see what that has to do with kapanen.

kappys draft pedigree, skillset, and track record all point to a certain calibre of prospect.

and the only argument for him being less than that seems to be "something something kessel trade".

or something.

 

[zeke]

Considering we gave Pitts 2 cups and an elite player then ate salary, it will go down as one of the stupidest trades I have ever seen. They got bent over a barrel and spanked. Could you imagine what might have happened if we had Kessel last year against Washington, we would have won!

all 100% true.

but has nothing to do with kapanen.

 

[zeke]

We're not so full that 4 forwards walking away wouldn't hurt our depth. We have depth but to let Leivo & Rychel walk in October for nothing, only to let JVR and Bozak walk next July for nothing doesn't make sense.

rychel is nothing.

and they won't lose leivo.

 

[Leafidelity]

Considering we gave Pitts 2 cups and an elite player then ate salary, it will go down as one of the stupidest trades I have ever seen. They got bent over a barrel and spanked. Could you imagine what might have happened if we had Kessel last year against Washington, we would have won!

There's no Matthews if Kessel is here. 30th place got 1st overall, and Edmonton was only a single point ahead of the Leafs in 2015-2016.

 

[Hurin]

Why wouldn't we like Kappy?

I think we have been spoiled by the play of the big 3 and Kapanen gets overshadowed, but he has excelled at a young age at every level (I believe someone posted a list of comparable players at his age and level of competition and he compares favourably to most).

IMO he is at worst going to be a skilled two way winger that can play anywhere in the lineup while chipping in some offense, while his ceiling is similar to that of Ehlers IMO, with perhaps a bit less offense but a more rounded overall game.

I think any disappointment with Kappy is either tied to the Kessel trade or the fact that the big three are skewing people's expectations.

 

[saltming]

rychel is nothing.

and they won't lose leivo.

I wouldn't say Rychel is nothing. I liked his game last year with the Marlies and if he improved his conditioning this summer I think he could make the team. Big if but not completely out of the question.

 

[GordieHoweHatTrick]

Considering we gave Pitts 2 cups and an elite player then ate salary, it will go down as one of the stupidest trades I have ever seen. They got bent over a barrel and spanked. Could you imagine what might have happened if we had Kessel last year against Washington, we would have won!

And this goes down as one the stupidest posts in history.

Congrats on this tremendous accomplishment!

all 100% true.

but has nothing to do with kapanen.

... 100% true but has nothing to do with Kapanen ... the guy included in the trade you agreed was an abomination.

Warning: Following this logic will make your head spin

 

[LeafingTheWay]

Does anyone know if Kappy has ever played LW, and looked the same/good at LW? It'd be great if we had a skilled LW on the left-side who could also play the role of the good defensive hard-worker (aka Hyman/Komarov + skill).

 

[zeke]

And this goes down as one the stupidest posts in history.

Congrats on this tremendous accomplishment!



... 100% true but has nothing to do with Kapanen ... the guy included in the trade you agreed was an abomination.

Warning: Following this logic will make your head spin

how does it have any effect on what kapanen is...logically?

 

[Barilko14]

Marleau and Kapanen in. Maybe a kid like Grundstrom next year.
they probably dip into UFA and use some of the 20+ million coming off the books to bring in a vet or 2.

leafs arent gonna lose 4 guys and not bring in anyone, no need to worry

I'd rather homegrown options on ELCs than have to fill gaps with UFAs that we'll likely have to overpay (see Marleau and Martin contracts).

Original point was it's good to have competition, but having 17/18 nhl options at forward is overkill, and likely cost us some assets.

Especially considering someone like Kappy is ready for a top 9 role imo.

 

[lifelonghockeyfan]

Kessel for Kapanen

I still can't believe that some fans don't realize why the Kessel trade was made. It was 8m cap dump or with retention 6.8m.

And Kessel was absolutely brutally bad as NHL player for long stretches is his Leaf career, especially in the the later stages of his career. Don't just look at his offensive stats....he always played the PP.

Doesn't matter that Phil found the perfect spot in Pittsburgh to live up to his pay and skill level. It wasn't happening in Toronto and never would.

It something like the Phauef trade. Leafs wanting to rid themselves of 7m Phaneuf for 4 years.
Leafs return, Lindberg and second rounder. The value in the trade after the cap dumping is the Leafs have 7m to spend for three years (or is four?) So trade wasn't really for the players in the trade, it was who the Leafs could sign with that 7m.

Same as the Kessel trade. It's Kapanen, and pick and the money 6.8m that spend on other player(s)