Confirmed with Link: Leafs sign forward Daniel Winnik [1yr, $1.3 mil]

[Morguee]

There are better odds that he didn't have much of an impact. I just thought the timing was odd. Why did the not call him until a couple days ago. Was he not one of the better valued targets out there? I think Santa and Winnik will be very nice additions.

I do agree the timing is interesting especially after Nonins stated they were pretty much done. Then they fire 2 Asst GM's hire 1 and sign two players to an already crowded forward position...something is odd about it I agree. Whether it is taking advantage of players on the cheap looking for a home or something more brewing we will have to wait and see.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Based on his play thus far in the NHL, Ashton most certainly should not be automatically pencilled into this lineup. He'll have to fight for time just like last year.

Unless you are named Kessel, everyone on this team should fight for ice time.

 

[Duke Silver]

Unless you are named Kessel, everyone on this team should fight for ice time.

How woefully simplistic of you.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

How woefully simplistic of you.

You think so? You have people penning in jobs on the roster on this board all summer. I'd rather use the pencil approach, this team has accomplished nothing, and this franchise has accomplished almost nothing in 10 years. No one should be too comfortable with a jobs guaranteed approach.

 

[Pyrophorus]

What does this mean for Carter Ashton? Not sure what the purpose of signing all these bottom 6 players are for?

Everyone but Holland does not have the full confidence of management, to contribute to the Leafs positively.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Everyone but Holland does not have the full confidence of management, to contribute to the Leafs positively.

I want to try Holland with Kadri at training camp.

 

[Duke Silver]

You think so? You have people penning in jobs on the roster on this board all summer. I'd rather use the pencil approach, this team has accomplished nothing, and this franchise has accomplished almost nothing in 10 years. No one should be too comfortable with a jobs guaranteed approach.

So you're going to lump Ashton in with JVR, Bozak, Kadri & Lupul and say that none of these players should feel comfortable with a job on an NHL team because of what this franchise has not accomplished?

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

Seems a lot of folks have Holland written in to the top six.

I'm sorry, but what has Holland ever done, ever, to make anyone think he's a top-six NHL forward?

All I've seen so far is a youngish player who at 23 (soon to be 24) is still struggling to make the NHL full-time. How he suddenly became a top-six regular I must confess is a bit of a mystery to me.

Gotta remember Holland was drafted 15th overall by the Ducks in 09 and they thought they were drafting the perfect big center to play right in behind Mr. Getzlaf. Holland has the tools, ability, and has scored at every level he has played to be a 2nd line Center on this team if given a REAL chance to do so.

 

[LEAFSIN4]

I was originally hoping to see Holland, Ashton, Damigo, Carrick, Devane and Broll all given good looks in varying roles.

Booth and Winnik can both be sent down and have most of their cap hits buried in the minors if they get beat out of a job by anyone you mentioned.

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

The Toronto Maple Leafs need bottom-six help and Daniel Winnik can do that: http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/t...ottom-six-help-and-daniel-winnik-can-do-that/

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

Comment from a Ducks season ticket holder on Winnik:

Winnik is a stud. Ducks were stupid to let him walk. You will love this guy. Gives 110% every shift and is a stud on p.k.. I'm a Duck's season tix holder, and fans here understood the Hiller and even the Koivu decisions, but not the Winnik decision. He is inexpensive and worth every penny. He is one of those depth guys all winning teams talk about having. I'll guarantee you you will extend his contract before next season.....

 

[Bluelines]

Seems a lot of folks have Holland written in to the top six.

I'm sorry, but what has Holland ever done, ever, to make anyone think he's a top-six NHL forward?

All I've seen so far is a youngish player who at 23 (soon to be 24) is still struggling to make the NHL full-time. How he suddenly became a top-six regular I must confess is a bit of a mystery to me.

On a Randy C team, he will not be in the top 6, its that simple.

That is not to say that he doesn't have some skills that transfer nicely into a top 6 role. In the few opportunities he had in a top 6 role, I thought he showed a real head for the game, he played very well without the puck, had great on ice vision for his wingers and has pretty decent hands. I felt he showed he can read the play well enought to get an opportunity for 2nd line C.

For me a center needs to have the ability to read the play to know when he should push the play and when he should play a defensive posture. In this sense he is further ahead in his development than Kadi but on the other side of the coin Kadri is much better at creating offensive opportunities.

Holland is also better on the face off than Kadri.

So Holland does have some qualities that might say he can be used as a #2 center some day.

Kadri brings offence with defensive liabilities.

Holland brings defence with unproven offensive abilitities.

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

I was originally hoping to see Holland, Ashton, Damigo, Carrick, Devane and Broll all given good looks in varying roles.

The Leafs have to be prepared that some of them just aren't NHL caliber players. If they're going to break an NHL roster on any team, they have to prove that they are just as good, or better, than current bottom six NHLers. Having guys like Santorelli, Booth, Komarov, Winnik and Kontiola are the perfect challenge for Holland, Ashton, Frattin, Bodie etc. Good signing by the Leafs - Winnik is a good guy. You might catch him playing pickup at Dundas and Bathurst this winter.

 

[Mess]

Daniel Winnik C/W [age 29]

2011-12 Colorado Avs ...... NHL .. 63 games 5 goals 13 assists 18 points 42 pims
2011-12 San Jose Sharks .. NHL .. 21 games 3 goals 2 assists 5 points 10 pims
2012-13 Anaheim Ducks ....NHL .. 48 games 6 goals 13 assists 19 points 16 pims
2013-14 Anaheim Ducks ....NHL .. 76 games 6 goals 24 assists 30 points 23 pims

Last 3 years totals ................ 208 games .. 20 goals .. 52 assists .. 72 points ..91 pims

From 2012 - 2014 the Leafs are now Winnik's 4th NHL team, why does he move around so often?.

Where is he expected to play 3rd line winger and PK#1?

 

[LeafSteel]

I really like how Winnik goes to the net. That is going to get him his fair share of goals, particularly with shots from the point coming from Phaneuf and Franson.

Of all of the bottom 6 signing's, Winnik's is the one that I think is going to pay the most dividends.

I am also really looking forward to seeing what Holland can do, and would like to see him get a prolonged look at 2C, with Lupul and Clarkson. Holland and Clarkson played pretty well when they were together last year, and Lupul is due for a bounce-back year. Kadri as 3C will give him a chance to really light it up, playing against weaker opposition that he can literally feast on with his talents.

If the ice time is relatively well spread out, there really shouldn't be any differentiation between 2nd and 3rd line, rather each line looking to put up points. If Holland at 2C can give Kadri more skating room as 3C, and they are both playing about the same amount of time, I think good things can happen for both.

BB

 

[Tyler Biggs*]

This training camp is going to be an all-out war for roster spots.

Nothing wrong with some competition. If you don't perform, you're in the press box. Nice signing.

 

[Mess]

Nothing wrong with some competition. If you don't perform, you're in the press box. Nice signing.

In the past the Leafs roster was all but set in stone before camp even started.

Sense of entitlement (Blue and White) disease breeds complacency which has been Leafs culture problem . Competition for jobs on the other hand does the opposite and that is Leafs new culture change.

Winnik (likely influenced by Dubas) might have the biggest impact of all the Leafs signings this summer. He is now likely Leafs best PK proven forward that will replace Kulemin\McClement in that role and also a solid 2-way player cable of playing a checking/shutdown role.
Being big and strong will help puck support at both ends of the ice as well.

 

[Covenant]

I'm not as sold on Holland as most and I guess Anahiem feels the same about him. Im not sure he's a full time NHL'er or a fill in player. As far as a 2nd line NHL'er that's a stretch in Holland's case. If Holland is your 2nd liner, then a playoff team you're not.

 

[Byron Bitz]

Can this guy center our shutdown line? how is he at defending a lead?

 

[dimi78]

You think so? You have people penning in jobs on the roster on this board all summer. I'd rather use the pencil approach, this team has accomplished nothing, and this franchise has accomplished almost nothing in 10 years. No one should be too comfortable with a jobs guaranteed approach.

Unfortunately there's this little thing in the NHL called one way guaranteed contracts.... In a cap world where sending a player down only saves you 900K now as appose to you were once able to burry a contract you now know who has a job just by there contract.

give it try I'm sure you could lock more than half of what will be the Toronto Maple Leafs this coming fall just by looking at their contracts.

The guys who aren't locks for the most part are the 1 year depth guys they just signed.

 

[salsa man]

From 2012 - 2014 the Leafs are now Winnik's 4th NHL team, why does he move around so often?.

He always asks for way too much money. His asking price was too high for Colorado, San Jose, and presumably Anaheim. He asks for way too much, and then nobody wants him, so he has to resort to taking 1 or 2 year deals for cheap. It's almost like him and his agent haven't learned yet.

Where is he expected to play 3rd line winger and PK#1?

That's what he did in Anaheim. He's a damn good defensive winger.

 

[Community]

Can this guy center our shutdown line? how is he at defending a lead?

Very unlikely Winnik plays C for the Leafs. The Leafs already have an abundance of NHL-calibre C's. Bozak, Kadri, Santorelli, Kontiola, and Holland. Not elite talent, but there's some depth there and it doesn't make sense to put Winnik as C just so we can put a natural C onto the wing.

Winnik also has a FO% that is lower than Kadri's so there's also that against him playing C too.

JVR - Bozak - Kessel
Lupul - Kadri - Clarkson? Possibly Frattin/Kontiola/Holland/Booth
Komarov - Santorelli - Winnik (Shut-down line, matches up against top lines)
Ashton - Kontiola/Holland - Holland/Kontiola/Frattin/Clarkson/Booth

Not the best shut-down line, but it gives us a good FO man that plays well in 3 zones , a shut-down winger, and a feisty player that is a pain in the ass to play against the whole night (even bigger pain for a full series).

Wildcard for me is Kontiola because I'm not sure if he's going to be a 13th forward or a top 6 player... Most likely he's in between those, we'll see...

 

[Community]

He always asks for way too much money. His asking price was too high for Colorado, San Jose, and presumably Anaheim. He asks for way too much, and then nobody wants him, so he has to resort to taking 1 or 2 year deals for cheap. It's almost like him and his agent haven't learned yet.


That's what he did in Anaheim. He's a damn good defensive winger.

Maybe the good 'ol Canadian boy has found the team he's willing to take a discount to stay with now (pending on him being a beast this year for us...)

 

[Mowerman]

Can this guy center our shutdown line? how is he at defending a lead?

No, and great. He's an excellent defensive player on a very good contract for what he will bring to the teams bottom 6. Loved him in Colorado and my buddy loved him in Anaheim.