Confirmed with Link: Jason Spezza, Aaron Dell on waivers (UPD: Dell claimed by NJ, Spezza Clears)

[uncleben]

Do not like, do not like.

If Dubas truly felt backed into a cap corner with Nicky's injury, waive Bogo.
He should be taxi anyway.

No way Dell clears, and the Spezza waive doesn't solve anything to begin with.

 

[LeafChief]

Is NJ higher on the priority list than Edmonton? I imagine they pick up Dell and put whoever they just grabbed on waivers back on waivers.

I don't think anyone grabs Spezza. He likely just 'retires' and waits for that team to put him back on waivers if they do. He's not moving his family.

With that said - this team might be better off with Boyd in the lineup. He's had some serious jump in the scrimmages.

 

[ToneDog]

Dell for sure getting claimed by EDM.


I hate we are risking Spezza. He's a solid bottom 6 player still. Could easily get claimed as well.

If he does and plays well in Edmonton, Dubas will have another McBackup controversy on his hands.

 

[OVO16]

Do not like, do not like.

If Dubas truly felt backed into a cap corner with Nicky's injury, waive Bogo.
He should be taxi anyway.

No way Dell clears, and the Spezza waive doesn't solve anything to begin with.

Other than actually taking out a player who really just isnt that good any more?

 

[TootooTrain]

Spezza just isnt that good. I love the guy too but he's a pure Skill player, who's talents dont even show because of him playing on the 4th line.

Idk what they're planning on doing wit Spezza...but he's not a player a Stanley Cup Contending hopeful should have on the 4th line. Period

Good on the draw, skilled enough to play on the 2nd pp unit, and smart enough on the ice to not be a liability when the other team gets last change.
He's a useful player.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

If this means the Leafs are going with Travis Boyd and Joey Anderson in their bottom 6....that makes a lot more sense

Boyd doesn't provide anything that exceeds Spezza, and is a much worse center than him too.

Brooks would be a better center option, but even then I would just keep Spezza.

Most likely just flexibility purposes. Spezza shouldn't be playing every day in a format like this, just like Thornton should not. The only thing is that I am not sure waiving Spezza was necessary, but I guess they are confident he doesn't get claimed, just like Dell won't get claimed.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

Don't understand waiving Spezza. He was fine in his role as a 4th line forward who just needs to sit out a few games here and there if they want to mix the lineup up.

Dell...whatever. He's a meh goalie at best anyways. But timing is strange when the broadcast was saying yesterday the Leafs were planning on utilizing him a bit as the third stringer so Andersen doesn't have to get dressed on back-to-backs.

 

[Gallagbi]

How are they even saving cap space by demoting two guys making nothing money?

I'm *think* it's more about the flexibility and being able to reduce some of the roster Rize while Robertson is injured.

 

[TheGroceryStick]

It was Spezza or Bogosian IMO

Lehtonen is coming into the lineup I'd say

 

[OVO16]

Good on the draw, skilled enough to play on the 2nd pp unit, and smart enough on the ice to not be a liability when the other team gets last change.
He's a useful player.

We have enough skilled players to play in the 2nd PP unit. There are other 4th line C's who's just as good defensively (if not better) and good at faceoffs, who can bring you much more on the 4th line. You say he's not smart enough to be a liability...he's def slow enough to be one. We kight literally have a player like that in Boyd

He's also extremely soft. Doesn't finish his checks. Not someone you want for a 4th line Stanley Cup Hopeful.

 

[Cor]

How are they even saving cap space by demoting two guys making nothing money?

Dell being waived allows us to bring up a player onto the roster to replace Robertson, while still keeping Robertson on IR, instead of LTIR (so we still accumulate cap space).


The Spezza one is a bit more confusing. My guess? Dubas thinks/knows no other team will claim him, since it's well known he only wants to play in Toronto, and this will allow us to sit Spezza some games on the taxi squad, and give guys like Boyd and Brooks some games.

 

[LTIR]

Oilers are looking at signing an amature goalie for the road trip to East . no way they pass up on Dell.

 

[PromisedLand]

Spezza on waivers is the DUMBEST move; like wtf is the reason? how does one even justify this? Absolute BS

 

[LeafParade]

It was Spezza or Bogosian IMO

Lehtonen is coming into the lineup I'd say

Sending Dell down opens up a spot for Lehtonen under the cap.
They still have to replace Spezza with someone.

 

[Ashdown2]

guys calm down ...

first of all everyone realize that if a team picks up the player they will HAVE to place them on the 23 man roster.
- for dell .... sure its a gambled, you cant really keep 3 goalies on the 23 man roster all season, thats insanity. Dubas is guessing that now is a good time to try their luck and pass him down. If he gets claimed well there is nothing else the leafs could have down about it.

- for spezza ... again its a gamble but i dont think he gets claimed. the leafs kind of figured out that they dont need more slow and soft skill on the bottom 6 . after 3 games this season its pretty clear
what they need on the 4th line is sandpaper and jam. I'm srry to say that spezza doesnt actually fit the need on this team. he's been better than i thought he would be last year but at this point hes is a reserve forward in case of injuries. he isn't better than anyone in the top 9.

 

[Stephen]

Oilers are looking at signing an amature goalie for the road trip to East . no way they pass up on Dell.

Seems like they could have traded Dell straight across to Edmonton or waited till their crisis was averted...

 

[HSF]

Doubt anyone is taking on spezza

 

[TootooTrain]

We have enough skilled players to play in the 2nd PP unit. There are other 4th line C's who's just as good defensively (if not better) and good at faceoffs, who can bring you much more on the 4th line. You say he's not smart enough to be a liability...he's def slow enough to be one. We kight literally have a player like that in Boyd

He's also extremely soft. Doesn't finish his checks. Not someone you want for a 4th line Stanley Cup Hopeful.

In a perfect world both Boyd and Spezza alternate. Hopefully you can at very least see some positives with Spezza.

 

[Warden of the North]

I don't think Spezza is getting claimed. There will be a respect factor and acknowledgement he only wants to play in Toronto.

Dell I am shocked about. There had to be a roster alternative that didn't involve him being waived. He's not getting brought waivers.

I can't wait for the storylines next week when gets a win vs us as an Oiler

 

[IPS]

Exactly. Dubas clearly pointed out he needs to change the style of play for our bottom 6 (gritter, heavier) and that he needs to emulate that of Tampa.

Honestly, I have yet to see any change of play in the bottom 6 except for a couple of Wayne Simmonds body checks here and there.

How can he even say he wants to "emulate Tampa"? Tampa added Coleman, Goodrow, and Maroon to their bottom 6, and those guys are out crushing teams every night. What did Dubas do that equals that?

 

[Cor]

Capfriendly says the Oilers only have $379,167 of their LTIR pool remaining.

So I don't think they can even claim Aaron Dell, can they?

As for the Devils, they claimed Eric Comrie from the Winnipeg, who is going through the quarantine period. Doubt they claim Dell.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Spezza should clear, although it would really suck if he gets claimed. Risking Dell so they can keep Bogosian is pretty brutal decision making. I would have hoped Dubas learned a bit from when he lost McElhinney and Pickard

 

[TMLAM34]

If Robertson goes on LTIR then I can see them calling up Anderson to the taxi squad. However I wouldn’t be surprised to see Boyd slot in that 4th line center role over Spezza, Boyd looked pretty good in training camp.

 

[OVO16]

How can he even say he wants to "emulate Tampa"? Tampa added Coleman, Goodrow, and Maroon to their bottom 6, and those guys are out crushing teams every night. What did Dubas do that equals that?

Well he added Wayne Simmonds which is a start. I think he also thinks he added a player of that caliber in Joey Anderson, who hasn't gotten in the lineup yet (maybe he will with Roberston out?). Zach Hyman is in the bottom 6 now. I also think he thinks Jimmy Vesey has some nasty to him too.

But idk. But you're right, Dubas has a ways to go to change the bottom 6

 

[The Blueprint]

I like Spezza, I really do but if he does get claimed (doubt he will)...it's not something that's gonna hit us that hard. We need more energy/sparkplugs in our bottom 6, I think that's something both Boyd and Brooks could help bring.. just my 2c