Speculation: Leafs Center's Moving Fwd Post the 13-14 Season

[The Winter Soldier]

With Dave Bolland coming up as an upcoming UFA with some uncertainty of him re-signing in Toronto. The question is how should the Leafs address their Center situation. Here are some options to vote on.

Edit-Was going to make this a poll.

But just wanted to have an open discussion on it.

Click to read more...

 

[Swervin81]

Re-sign Kulemin and have him as the 3C (since he's been doing well there) or re-sign Kulemin and put him as the 2RW and have Holland as the 3C.

That is, if Bolland doesn't back down from his ridiculous $5M/yr demand.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Making a Hockey Trade would seem to be the best way to go if we can't re-sign Bolland, the UFA's don't look promising past Statsny, and he will command atleast 6.5 and probably go back to Colorado anyway.

 

[I Believe]

Ideally i'd like Bolland back at a reasonable price.

If not, i'm not opposed to putting Holland out there.

 

[BonMorrison]

Disregard picks, acquire Stastny.

Seriously though, he's having a fantastic bounceback season and would fit in great with this team. That said, I think he'll re-sign with Colorado.

If we can't retain Bolland, I have no issue with either Holland or Kulemin being a #3C.

 

[AustonMitchWilly]

Kess-Bozak-JVR
Lupul-Holland-?????
Kulemin-Kadri-Clarkson


That will be great next year.

 

[TheGroceryStick]

Bozak
Kadri
Holland
McClement

isn't horrible, if you have elite wingers. JvR and Kessel need some support.
I'm confident we will see a turn around from Lupul and Clarkson...still waiting. still waiting. Holland line could be a gem line, young and fiery. Leivo and.....

 

[Sundinisagod]

Kess-Bozak-JVR
Lupul-Holland-?????
Kulemin-Kadri-Clarkson


That will be great next year.

Are you related to Holland or something?

 

[Sundinisagod]

Picking up Holland was a great insurance policy on losing Bolland as an ufa.

Next season:

Bozak
Kadri
Bolland/Holland
McClement

 

[The CyNick]

Keep the centres we have.

 

[Grant]

Bozak will stay on the 1st line.

If we sign Bolland I would like to keep him on the 3rd and Kadri on the 2nd. We can shelter Kadri so he isn't overwhelmed by defensive assignments or at the dot.

If we don't sign Bolland, I'm open to trading Kadri.

 

[AustonMitchWilly]

Are you related to Holland or something?

No. Holland plays a much better north-south game and kadri plays a more gritty east-west game. I was banking on them being near equivalence next year. I also think that Kadri will start to turn into a Bolland relatively soon.

 

[BiggestLeafsFanEVER*]

Bozo
Kadri
Holland
McClement
Profit!

 

[DjD4GGR]

Trade Reimer Gunnarsson Holland Ashton 1st for Kesler Bieksa at the draft

JVR-Bozak-Kessel
Lupul-Kesler-Kadri
Kulemin-Bolland-Clarkson
D'amigo-Mcclement-Komarov

Phaneuf-Bieksa
Gleason-Rielly
Gardiner-Franson

Bernier

 

[SprDaVE]

With Bozak, Kadri and Holland all good to go for next season, seems fairly set. Seems a bit average in terms of current ability but I like the potential of it, I really like it actually. Kadri has been solid as a 2nd line center and should keep getting better. Holland I think will really start pushing up the ladder once he gets consistent minutes. Bozak has proven his worth but probably a regression in terms of PPG should be considered.

I'd love to be able to re-sign Bolland but it'll be tough. He can slot on the wing when healthy, but if needed he can play center. Sort of like what he did in Chicago.

McClement I think is particularly overrated. He's good but certainly not worth more then what he's currently being paid. Maybe a slight raise of 100k or so I guess, but you could find a defensive center/PKer in the bargain bin.

The depth on the Marlies isn't great though. McKegg likely starts there again, with some callups throughout the year. Then you have Carrick, who has recently exploded for the Marlies in terms of value. Biggs has played center for a bit, but still a couple years away. Ryan? Meh. Nonis will probably have to add one or two AHLers, depth centers to the mix. R. Rupert may or may not get signed, Gauthier is another year away from the AHL I believe, ditto for Verheaghe.

We'll probably need a 4th line center if McClement outprices his stay. One of Kulemin or Bolland realistically are kept and both are capable centers in their own right.

 

[Kadri43*]

Notwithstanding a HUGE overpayment, Kadri shall not be traded.

 

[613Leafer]

Every single one of our Centres has question marks.

Kadri - young, only his 2nd full NHL season with significant time on a scoring line. Hard to say how much he can improve defensively over the next 2-3 years and what the offensive ceiling is. Right now he's the same age Bozak was in his rookie season, and Bozak has obviously come through a lot of highs/lows since then.

Bozak - playing at a WAY higher PPG pace then his history suggests. Shooting % is through the roof (~9-10% higher then Kessel/JvR/Raymond/etc for example). I think he's showing he's better then the player we would have projected going into this season (~45-50 pt player), but I also highly doubt he can sustain this projected ~75 pt pace over an 82 game season on a consistent basis. Might be showing he can be a ~60 pt player though?

Bolland - Really bad injury history.

 

[Joey Hoser]

Bozak
Kadri
Bolland(if he will take 3-3.5ish to stay). If not, Holland. If not, Kulemin.
McClement

Short of pulling a true #1 out of his ass, Nonis doesn't have much that really needs to be done there.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Every single one of our Centres has question marks.

Kadri - young, only his 2nd full NHL season with significant time on a scoring line. Hard to say how much he can improve defensively over the next 2-3 years and what the offensive ceiling is.

Bozak - playing at a WAY higher PPG pace then his history suggests. Shooting % is through the roof (~9-10% higher then Kessel/JvR/Raymond/etc for example). I think he's showing he's better then the player we would have projected going into this season (~45-50 pt player), but I also highly doubt he can sustain this projected ~75 pt pace over an 82 game season on a consistent basis. Might be showing he can be a ~60 pt player though?

Bolland - Really bad injury history.

The safest player to me is Bozak, it's been 24 games now, and he has 26 points since returning from LTIR.

That's a pretty long and consistent stretch, he should at least be at min a 60 Points Center playing with Kessel and JVR.

 

[Delicious Dangles*]

If Bolland is willing to sign for less than Bozak's cap hit, then him.

IF not, if Kulemin is willing to sign for less than Bozak's cap hit and willing to play center, then him.

If not, then Holland.

 

[mikebel111*]

While there havent been comments about trading kadri yet from anyone here, with that being said, i expect to see some comments saying holland should be #2C, and drop kadri. When really holland is an inferior option than kadri at this time

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Other UFA's not named Statsny or Bolland that may be available:

Legwand
Moore
Roy
Boyle
Grabovski
Mcclement

 

[headwire]

I think we let Bolland walk, and go with Bozak/Kadri/Holland/McClement next year.

What about '15-'16/'16-'17? What's the likelihood that we see a future lineup of:

JVR-Bozak-Kessel
Lupul-Kadri-Clarkson
Leivo-Holland-Kulemin
Biggs-Gauthier-Devane/Broll

Bottom 6 is pretty young I guess, and I'm making a pretty large assumption that 4/6 current prospects will make the NHL. My largest assumption is probably that Clarkson is a top-6 forward!

Edit: 5/6 if we consider Holland is still a prospect!

 

[The Winter Soldier]

If we can not sign Bolland.

I would try to sign Domenic Moore to a one or 2 year deal.

Always liked his game, he could be a good #3C for this team. If Holland is ready, #4C.

 

[ACC1224]

I wouldn't be surprised if Bolland re-signs here for one year at slightly more than he's making now.

Shows good faith by both sides.