Bruins invited Ville Leino to training camp/Matt Fraser signed (1yr, two way)

[Fire Sweeney]

When fans try and say a player is worthless based on a couple season I think that is short sighted and unreasonable. I don't think there were many Flyers fans call him useless in the 2010-2011 season.

There weren't many Devils fans calling Jay Pandolfo useless in 1998.

 

[LouJersey]

This is the most fun you can have with your pants on..

Not me, I cut out my pockets...

 

[Orrthebest]

There weren't many Devils fans calling Jay Pandolfo useless in 1998.

Leino is not 37 years old either so I don't get the comparison.

 

[TMac21]

He had 2 good seasons with Philly, the last one ending in '11, and then he went into the abyss that is Buffalo. B's are looking to see if he can return to the form of his Flyers days. Nothing more, nothing less.

I cannot, for the absolute life of me, figure out why people are so bent out of shape about this. It's unbelievable. The amount of energy some people are spending wailing about it is astounding.

It's nothing to get particularly excited or upset about as of right now. It just is. Let it play out.

Took the words out of my mouth, well said. No risk situation.

 

[NeelyDan]

"An invite that will live in infamy."

-Obama on the Ville Leino crisis

this legitimately has me in tears

 

[bb_fan]

about the only amusing thing to me are all the Caron threads and posts over the last year about how useless he is how he shouldn't be here and how he's done nothing to earn a roster spot etc etc etc.

has Leino been better the last two years?

 

[Artemis]

Teams bring in guys off the scrap heap all the time for camp to see if they have anything left.

It happens in all sports.

That the Bruins haven't had to resort to including any of them on their roster in recent memory speaks to organizational depth.
However, as they continue to lock up their core and whiff on some draft picks, this is par for the course.

You need warm bodies in camp to create competition in order to make your fringe players earn their position on the roster.

Happens in all sports, every year.

I pretty much know what car I want when I buy a new one, but that doesn't mean I don't test drive half a dozen.

 

[EverettMike]

Happens in all sports, every year.

I pretty much know what car I want when I buy a new one, but that doesn't mean I don't test drive half a dozen.

But would you test drive a car you knew you absolutely would never buy because you know it sucks?

I doubt you, or anybody, would. You wouldn't waste your time.

You would only test drive cars you had some level of interest in. And that is what scares me about this invite. And I don't think 4 weeks of camp should have any bearing on what he has done the last three years, and really, what he has been during his career.

 

[member 96824]

I test drive 87 Pinto's...never know when you'll get that one that the transition doesn't fall out of

 

[Over the volcano]

Buffalo took their pinto for a drive in a lake and were shocked when they realized it wasn't a boat.

 

[member 96824]

Buffalo took their pinto for a drive in a lake and were shocked when they realized it wasn't a boat.

It's okay though...who wouldn't put a Pinto into a car show?

Honestly though, Ville is a Pinto. Once was a decent ride, but that time as long past. No reason he should even be considered when buying a car in 2014 if we are sticking with that ridiculous meme. I don't think anyone test drives cars that haven't been relevant in years anymore...but maybe that's just me?

 

[Over the volcano]

It's okay though...who wouldn't put a Pinto into a car show?

Honestly though, Ville is a Pinto. Once was a decent ride, but that time as long past. No reason he should even be considered when buying a car in 2014 if we are sticking with that ridiculous meme. I don't think anyone test drives cars that haven't been relevant in years anymore...but maybe that's just me?

I don't know, I think he's worth a look. Might hit it off with Soderberg and they can play a possession style game: grind out a little offense and grind down a few defensemen. Leino's not nearly as bad as he looked or was made out to be in buffalo. Not expecting big shakes though- feels a lot like a pouliot type move if he sticks.

 

[Central Scrutinizer]

I don't know, I think he's worth a look. Might hit it off with Soderberg and they can play a possession style game: grind out a little offense and grind down a few defensemen. Leino's not nearly as bad as he looked or was made out to be in buffalo. Not expecting big shakes though- feels a lot like a pouliot type move if he sticks.

I agree.

i am not comparing Leino to Gaborik but i remember how people reacted to the mere mention of the Bruins picking up the "washed up" Gaborik at the deadline last year.

Sometimes a change of scenery is all a player needs. sometimes it's a defined role.

 

[member 96824]

I don't know, I think he's worth a look. Might hit it off with Soderberg and they can play a possession style game: grind out a little offense and grind down a few defensemen. Leino's not nearly as bad as he looked or was made out to be in buffalo. Not expecting big shakes though- feels a lot like a pouliot type move if he sticks.

While true, I never have been sold in Leino as a player...and I have an irrational unexplainable love for Flyers players, especially forwards. I just don't think it's there as a player, didn't in Detroit, didn't in Philly, thought the second Buffalo signed him it was one of the worst contracts in the league.

I don't know. I mean I'm certainly no scout, I've been wrong many times and been told I don't know **** many more...but without dare I even say regression from our forward prospects, I see no purpose to the move. In my opinion, there is no chance Ville touches the roster unless Spooner comes in fat, Khoklachev bolts to Russia, and Fraser saws a leg off. Gagne, I share the opinion of many, while I'd rather see a kid in that role...there's potential upside there. Dare I even say 20 goal upside....Leino, I just don't see the positive. I agree it's riskless, I just believe it's also rewardless.

 

[Oates2Neely]

Maybe Chia is hoping Leino regains form & offers him vet minimum to replace a traded Chris Kelly?

 

[Danton Heineken]

Maybe Chia is hoping Leino regains form & offers him vet minimum to replace a traded Chris Kelly?

I could replace Chris Kelly. Give me the league minimum, I'll hurt my back after a week and be a good locker room guy.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

about the only amusing thing to me are all the Caron threads and posts over the last year about how useless he is how he shouldn't be here and how he's done nothing to earn a roster spot etc etc etc.

has Leino been better the last two years?

Yeah.

Caron lost his spot to Florek and Fraser in the playoffs last year. He sucked that badly and was put in the pressbox for guys with zero NHL experience and it was a good move both gave us something for a couple games before it being clear they were a little out of their depth.


Leino didn't live up to a stupid contract.

Look if I was a fan of the team that signed him to that deal I would hate him but I'm not. I hate Marty Lapointe because I am a Bruins fan and he robbed us for 5 mil per but if I was a fan of another team I wouldn't hate Lapointe for running the B's. And just because Lapointe was horrible in relation to his 5 mil a year contract and I couldn't wait for him to leave doesn't mean I wouldn't have wanted him on the team at the veterans minimum if that was possible.

 

[BigGoalBrad]

But would you test drive a car you knew you absolutely would never buy because you know it sucks?

I doubt you, or anybody, would. You wouldn't waste your time.

You would only test drive cars you had some level of interest in. And that is what scares me about this invite. And I don't think 4 weeks of camp should have any bearing on what he has done the last three years, and really, what he has been during his career.

Dude your posts seriously make me think that you believe Leino would be carrying a 4 mil a year cap hit and not the veterans minimum if he sticks the way you are this outraged over the camp invite.


You have to compare Leino to Pandolfo its a guy who has clearly seen better days and is close to having to find work in Switzerland but we are up against the cap and its not an awful signing if Leino is better than what we saw in 2013 from Bourque and Pandawful he isn't carrying a huge cap hit and he isn't that old.


The guy a couple posts above made a good point about signing Leino and shipping out Kelly. I take 2011 Kelly over Leino but if Kelly is injured and at 60-70% I would much rather Leino for the vet minimum than a banged up Kelly. I honestly would love a 2011-2012 Chris Kelly I think we need that type of player to make up for losing Iggy but if his game isn't there we can't afford him.

2012 20 goal Chris Kelly would look great on this team but if its 2013 Kelly at Ville Leino Buffalo money than no thanks.

 

[Danton Heineken]

You have to compare Leino to Pandolfo its a guy who has clearly seen better days and is close to having to find work in Switzerland but we are up against the cap and its not an awful signing if Leino is better than what we saw in 2013 from Bourque and Pandawful he isn't carrying a huge cap hit and he isn't that old.

Bourque was younger than Leino and played for the league minimum.

 

[EverettMike]

Dude your posts seriously make me think that you believe Leino would be carrying a 4 mil a year cap hit and not the veterans minimum if he sticks the way you are this outraged over the camp invite.


You have to compare Leino to Pandolfo its a guy who has clearly seen better days and is close to having to find work in Switzerland but we are up against the cap and its not an awful signing if Leino is better than what we saw in 2013 from Bourque and Pandawful he isn't carrying a huge cap hit and he isn't that old.


The guy a couple posts above made a good point about signing Leino and shipping out Kelly. I take 2011 Kelly over Leino but if Kelly is injured and at 60-70% I would much rather Leino for the vet minimum than a banged up Kelly. I honestly would love a 2011-2012 Chris Kelly I think we need that type of player to make up for losing Iggy but if his game isn't there we can't afford him.

2012 20 goal Chris Kelly would look great on this team but if its 2013 Kelly at Ville Leino Buffalo money than no thanks.

Dude, Pandolfo sucked and was a black hole on this team and I don't care he was a nice guy. I wouldn't care if it turned out Joe Sacco thought he was a nice guy. So, um, thanks for making my point.

Ville Leino sucks. Suuuuuucks.

Why is everyone ignoring that his second best season is 25 points. His second best season isn't even 50% of his best. That 53 point season is the epitome of an anomaly. I mean good god people (not just one person) are talking about him getting chemistry with Soderberg, which means people are talking about him being on the third line.

That. Is. A. Travesty. Even in hypothetical form.

His upside is not 53 points. That season looks like Brady Anderson's 50 homer season.

And these false equivalencies are driving me insane. "Him or Caron? Him or Kelly? Him or ebola?"

How about him or one of our top 4 forward prospects? How about him or someone we trade for that hasn't been a disaster for three straight seasons, both production and health wise?

 

[EverettMike]

its not an awful signing if Leino is better than what we saw in 2013 from Bourque and Pandawful he isn't carrying a huge cap hit and he isn't that old.

Forgot to mention this. This is hot garbage. This doesn't refute any of my points or concerns, it just shows why I find the "this could work" argument mind-numbing. dude.

 

[GloveSave1]

Maybe Chia is hoping Leino regains form & offers him vet minimum to replace a traded Chris Kelly?

...or maybe he replaces a traded Marchand as the team's pest at a savings of 3+ million?

Flame on.

 

[EverettMike]

Holy **** I thought it was a typo earlier when someone said, "He was top 40 in the Selke a few years ago." I figured they meant Top 4.

But nope. Top 40, 36 to be exact.

I have completely changed my mind about him and think we should offer him 3 years.

 

[Oates2Neely]

...or maybe he replaces a traded Marchand as the team's pest at a savings of 3+ million?

Flame on.

Marchand catches tons of flak but he still managed to score 25g with zero PP TOI & less than generous TOI compared to opposing teams top-6 forwards. Yes he's flat out sucked the past 2 playoffs but there is no chance Leino comes close to sniffing 25g

 

[GloveSave1]

Marchand catches tons of flak but he still managed to score 25g with zero PP TOI & less than generous TOI compared to opposing teams top-6 forwards. Yes he's flat out sucked the past 2 playoffs but there is no chance Leino comes close to sniffing 25g

Agreed. He could only replace the pest part. Line 4. The production would have to come from elsewhere. It is worth saying that the Bruins could do without the parade of s*** calls Marchand is called for...he is easily one of the most hated players when it comes to the zebras...same with Lucic...keep one...

But, ehh, I love the guy. Life wouldn't be the same without him. I'm just guessing at Ville's purpose...and taking our cap h-e-double-hockey-sticks into consideration...

Somebody uncomfortable is probably going.