TSN: Cody Ceci + Hapur + Luchuk and pick for Nikita Zeitsev + Brown + Carcone

[inthewings]

That's because you're not thinking of who he was acquired for. Ceci was in the same boat. Unless you think that Ceci will suddenly be good while Zaitsev not so much.

People talked about addition by substraction for a long time regarding Ceci. I didn't kow Zaitsev was his twin brother and there was another D-man (not on the Sens of course) that was in his league of bad.

You always learn with this board

You keep making posts like this while seemingly ignoring the fact that there's a massive, enormous difference between a guy who is arbitration eligible and a guy who is signed for 5 more years with a cap hit of 4.5M. The important question here isn't "Is Zaitsev better than Ceci?", it's "Is committing to that Zaitsev contract a smart choice?". The answer to the first question might well be that Zaitsev is better, but I think that the answer to the second is a resounding "no".

 

[moon111]

Zaitsev really didn't fit into Toronto's game plan. Leaf defenders need to be able to thread the needle from behind their own net, through
two sets of legs, to a speeding forward. Zaitsev would get the puck then have zero support. You don't expect him to make outlet passes
like you can with Jake Gardiner. If Ottawa can rely on him to take the man, but play the puck out as a team, he'll do a lot better.

 

[Icelevel]

I think people are too upset over this.
We just need Zaitsev to play more of a shut down role. Explain to him that his job is to get Chabot or Brannstrom the puck, which ever you are paired with. When they are on the rush you cover them defensively. We just need him to be the Methot to Karlsson.

That’s funny because all the leaf posters are saying he had trouble in Toronto because they kept asking him to play a shut down role but if we get him in an offensive role then he should be ok.

 

[AchtzehnBaby]

Anyone post this link yet? Some good points in there

Analyzing Cody Ceci's game: What will he do for the Maple Leafs? - Sportsnet.ca

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

That’s funny because all the leaf posters are saying he had trouble in Toronto because they kept asking him to play a shut down role but if we get him in an offensive role then he should be ok.

An offensive D who can't move the puck or shot. That's really great.

 

[lifelonghockeyfan]

It's great trade for the Leafs just for long term cap flexibility. I liked Zaitsev but he seems to lost confidence playing under Babcock's system. He played better without Gardiner when he had more puck handling responsibilities. And he was a big PK minute eater. Good luck to Zaitsev.
Ceci...one year to get better and set himself up for a big pay day.

 

[Hale The Villain]

Throwing in the 3rd to pay Zaitsev's signing bonus reminds me of when we gave Toronto Lindberg (who was a decent prospect at the time) and a 2nd in the Phaneuf trade to do us a favour by taking on a couple bad short-term deals.

It should have been obvious to anyone with a brain that in both cases we should have been the team getting compensated for taking on a bad long-term deal, not the Leafs for taking on short-term contracts that weren't nearly as bad, or paying a signing bonus.

As if a youngish 3rd liner is a good enough "sweetener" for taking on Zaitsev's horrible deal. Dorion has no idea how to properly negotiate. Other teams know he's in completely over his head and are looking to bend him over at any opportunity, even when Dorion should have all the leverage.

Wonder how long it will take until we're offering teams a far better asset to dump Zaitsev's deal. I'll give it a couple years at most.

 

[Frank8]

Fantasy Take: Leafs, Senators swap Zaitsev, Ceci | DobberHockey – Fantasy NHL Projections and Analysis

 

[Larionov]

It's worth noting that many posters here kept saying that we were stupid for not just walking away from Ceci instead of trading him for Zaitsev. Well, the Leafs had a chance to flip him or walk away and what did they do? They signed him to a one year deal.

What it shows is that NHL GMs and coaches value experience a lot more than we do, and unlike the people here whose jobs aren't on the line, they aren't willing to play some rookie in that spot. The Leafs had every motivation to do that given their cap situation, and didn't...

 

[FolignoQuantumLeap]

Anyone post this link yet? Some good points in there

Analyzing Cody Ceci's game: What will he do for the Maple Leafs? - Sportsnet.ca

Zaitsev is a WORSE passer than Ceci and ranks near the bottom of the league. What a find here. A "top 4" guy who was miscast as a defensive D, but has no offensive skills to speak of. Amazing. Thank you, DJ Smith.

 

[Deku]

It's worth noting that many posters here kept saying that we were stupid for not just walking away from Ceci instead of trading him for Zaitsev. Well, the Leafs had a chance to flip him or walk away and what did they do? They signed him to a one year deal.

What it shows is that NHL GMs and coaches value experience a lot more than we do, and unlike the people here whose jobs aren't on the line, they aren't willing to play some rookie in that spot. The Leafs had every motivation to do that given their cap situation, and didn't...

Or we could've just signed him to a 1 year deal

 

[L'Aveuglette]

It's worth noting that many posters here kept saying that we were stupid for not just walking away from Ceci instead of trading him for Zaitsev. Well, the Leafs had a chance to flip him or walk away and what did they do? They signed him to a one year deal.

What it shows is that NHL GMs and coaches value experience a lot more than we do, and unlike the people here whose jobs aren't on the line, they aren't willing to play some rookie in that spot. The Leafs had every motivation to do that given their cap situation, and didn't...

We've watched more than enough of Cody Ceci to know he's a bad defenseman. What the Leafs do or don 't do with him doesn't change a thing.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Zaitsev is better than Ceci so at least he'll mentor his partner a bit better. The biggest issue is we didnt get a pick back in return. That's what the whole thing should have been about.

Dorion tosses away picks like 1 cent candy

 

[GrantLemons]

Zaitsev is a WORSE passer than Ceci and ranks near the bottom of the league. What a find here. A "top 4" guy who was miscast as a defensive D, but has no offensive skills to speak of. Amazing. Thank you, DJ Smith.

Don't worry, he's a character guy.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

Been listening to Toronto radio off and on today and it's clear no one liked Zaitsev over there.

 

[Tap on the Ankle]

Really enjoyed the part where the Sens gave a 3rd round pick in order to hold the deal for a few days to have Toronto pay Zaitsev’s bonus. Yeah it’s only a 3rd but the fact that this team is selling picks at a time when the roster and prospect pool is looking rather weak is a perfect microcosm of what is wrong with management.

Nothing ever seems to get better, it’s just the same old miser nonsense from Melnyk time and time again. Even making it to game 7 double OT of the conference finals as a salary floor team does not inspire this man to invest. Instead they traded Turris for Duchene to save money and then shipped Duchene off because they couldn’t pay him. What a joke.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

That’s funny because all the leaf posters are saying he had trouble in Toronto because they kept asking him to play a shut down role but if we get him in an offensive role then he should be ok.

Sound familiar.....almost like a certain blueliner we traded away today.

Kinda funny. Definitely not a whole lot of difference between the two of them.

 

[phillipmike]

Been listening to Toronto radio off and on today and it's clear no one liked Zaitsev over there.

Zaitsev will be fine. You guys will like him, maybe not the contract.

He can give you 20 minutes and offense if you let him. He will bounce back and be a top 4.

Leafs had a problem with the contract and not really the player. All things equal I’m taking Zaitsev over Ceci 8 days a week.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

Zaitsev will be fine. You guys will like him, maybe not the contract.

He can give you 20 minutes and offense if you let him. He will bounce back and be a top 4.

Leafs had a problem with the contract and not really the player. All things equal I’m taking Zaitsev over Ceci 8 days a week.

This isn't really a reactionary statement to the trade to downplay your side in the acquisition: Ceci absolutely sucks. But playing 3rd pairing might be ok. anYTHING higher is a fail.

 

[phillipmike]

This isn't really a reactionary statement to the trade to downplay your side in the acquisition: Ceci absolutely sucks. But playing 3rd pairing might be ok. anYTHING higher is a fail.

Unlike some leaf fans, I know Ceci sucks and it’s going to be a long season if he is anything more than playing third pairing minutes. But it was all about long term cap flexibility.

I pray it’s a 1 year deal or less. I don’t want management to be tricked into an extension.

I’m still hoping we can flip him to someone stupider. Benning? Ceci for Tanev?

 

[Tnuoc Alucard]

One of these guys is an idiot.
(Im the furthest thing from a maple leaf fan but I recognize and appreciate competence)

One of "these" guys bungled a RFA signing last year, and went on to paint himself into a Cap Ceiling corner........ requiring him to get rid of players (some he wanted to keep) to free up cap space in order to re-sign another RFA.

 

[Qward]

That’s funny because all the leaf posters are saying he had trouble in Toronto because they kept asking him to play a shut down role but if we get him in an offensive role then he should be ok.

ruh roh

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Been listening to Toronto radio off and on today and it's clear no one liked Zaitsev over there.

to be expected on Toronto Maple Leaf radio

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

Unlike some leaf fans, I know Ceci sucks and it’s going to be a long season if he is anything more than playing third pairing minutes. But it was all about long term cap flexibility.

I pray it’s a 1 year deal or less. I don’t want management to be tricked into an extension.

I’m still hoping we can flip him to someone stupider. Benning? Ceci for Tanev?

Flip him back to Ottawa. Dorion is foolish enough to trade something for him

 

[L'Aveuglette]

Zaitsev will be fine. You guys will like him, maybe not the contract.

He can give you 20 minutes and offense if you let him. He will bounce back and be a top 4.

Leafs had a problem with the contract and not really the player. All things equal I’m taking Zaitsev over Ceci 8 days a week.

If Zaitsev was the player you describe, he'd still be on your team.

But you're right that he's most likely better than Ceci.