Confirmed with Link: Leafs to sign Pär Lindholm

[Halla]

My guess is he is the competition for Aaltonen and Gauthier on that 4th line, nothing more. Not a terrible move considering the 4C market is either overpriced or underwhelming this year.

At the very least he becomes the 13th forward vet as insurance for Aaltonen.

I think they at least give him a shot to be the 3C. maybe with johnsson and kapanen/brown.
78pts in 87 SHL games over the past 2 seasons. he can produce offense, gotta at least be given a shot.

 

[Halla]

Thank you. At least, he won't just be given the job.

Kontiola was already 30 when he came over...but yeah house money i guess. 0 risk

 

[highslot]

You're gonna have a hard time doing better than a guy like Bozak as your third center. Very few teams can put out 3 excellent centers. The cap doesn't really allow it.

nylander.

matthews,
nylander
kadri

ask any non leaf fan if they would rather have bozak as your third center or nylander, and i think you will understand we are struck in a weird myopia that the rest of the league doesn't see.

 

[Fogelhund]

It has to happen. That and at least one solid dman should be the goal this off season. If not we might/will take a step back. Only reason I say might is because we don't know how good the kids will be next year.

Seriously, how many NHL teams have a #3C better than Bozak? It's not many at all. 40-50 points, great on Faceoffs, decent PP player.

If you start naming guys like Stastny Tavares, Thornton, fair enough, but that isn't a 3C, it's a 1 or 2C... Outside of these guys, (and "maybe" moving Nylander) there are no improvments available, and at best, we hope to get Bozak back and improve the #4C with Lindholm or Aaltonen... or maybe even GOAT.

The reality is, we hope that we don't drop too far in that spot, while we significantly upgrade our D, and hope that our young kids take another step forward in improvement, and Matthews is healthy for the year.

 

[Boutette]

Seriously, how many NHL teams have a #3C better than Bozak? It's not many at all. 40-50 points, great on Faceoffs, decent PP player.

If you start naming guys like Stastny Tavares, Thornton, fair enough, but that isn't a 3C, it's a 1 or 2C... Outside of these guys, (and "maybe" moving Nylander) there are no improvments available, and at best, we hope to get Bozak back and improve the #4C with Lindholm or Aaltonen... or maybe even GOAT.

The reality is, we hope that we don't drop too far in that spot, while we significantly upgrade our D, and hope that our young kids take another step forward in improvement, and Matthews is healthy for the year.

We already have a 3rd line center who is better than Bozak, his name is William Nylander. There is nothing Bozak offer that is quantifiably better than what Nylander offers at center.

 

[Boutette]

its not what i said calm your titts
a team needs 4 centres and we have two
i wouldnt call Matthews a high CAP vet and GUD PRO actually i wouldnt call Kadri a high CAP vet/GUD PRO either

Both Matthews and Kadri are already on the team (not to mention drafted by the Leafs). You know I wasn't talking about them. Nylander is already a better center than Bozak, there's really nothing at this point that anyone can point to that makes Bozak a superior choice going forwards, Nylander will only get better, Bozak will only get worse. Aaltonnen is more than ready to fill in as a 4th line center, as he's been a point again 2-way center on the Marlies for the past 3 months (playing on the PP and PK) and can actually keep up with the likes of Kapanen, Johnsson, Grundstrom and Envall who he has excelled playing with whenever paired. That's 4 centers. Do we have an extra pair of overpaid UFA vets or 'gritty' GUD Pros to play 3rd and 4th line instead of Nylander and Aaltonen. No. But people here have plenty of suggestions and wants that fit that bill.

 

[Trapper]

Both Matthews and Kadri are already on the team (not to mention drafted by the Leafs). You know I wasn't talking about them. Nylander is already a better center than Bozak, there's really nothing at this point that anyone can point to that makes Bozak a superior choice going forwards, Nylander will only get better, Bozak will only get worse. Aaltonnen is more than ready to fill in as a 4th line center, as he's been a point again 2-way center on the Marlies for the past 3 months (playing on the PP and PK) and can actually keep up with the likes of Kapanen, Johnsson, Grundstrom and Envall who he has excelled playing with whenever paired. That's 4 centers. Do we have an extra pair of overpaid UFA vets or 'gritty' GUD Pros to play 3rd and 4th line instead of Nylander and Aaltonen. No. But people here have plenty of suggestions and wants that fit that bill.

A lot depends on if Babcock view Nylander as a center. We can't pencil him in yet until we see what develops. It doesn't matter what we think anymore than what people think of Hyman playing with Matthews.

 

[saltming]

A lot depends on if Babcock view Nylander as a center. We can't pencil him in yet until we see what develops. It doesn't matter what we think anymore than what people think of Hyman playing with Matthews.

Babcock was directly asked if he saw willie playing centre next year. His answer was we have to see what happens in the offseason.
That said if willie wants it bad enough he can claim the position in camp next season

 

[Fogelhund]

We already have a 3rd line center who is better than Bozak, his name is William Nylander. There is nothing Bozak offer that is quantifiably better than what Nylander offers at center.

That's questionable. Sure, Nylander is a better player overall, and better winger than Bozak is a C... but we have such a small sample size for Nylander at C, that it's hard to conclude that at this point. He could become better, he has that potential.

Nothing quantifiably better?

Faceoff percentage - Bozak 53.6, Nylander 51.4%,
Power Play Points - Bozak 13 Nylander 12
Hits - Bozak 43 , Nylander 21,
Blocked shots, Bozak 28, Nylander 18,
Giveaways - Nylander 54, Bozak 42
Shootout - Bozak 5/6 , Nylander 1/5
Shootout Game Deciding Goals - Bozak 4, Nylander 1
Corsi, Bozak 53.3%, Nylander 51.4%
Fenwick Bozak 51.4%, Nylander 49%

I'm not trying to make any case that Bozak is better... but you did say NOTHING quantifiably better than Nylander.

 

[Bluelines]

Babcock was directly asked if he saw willie playing centre next year. His answer was we have to see what happens in the offseason.
That said if willie wants it bad enough he can claim the position in camp next season

I take that as Babcock thinks the Leafs will trade for/sign a top 3 center.

 

[ToneDog]

Seriously, how many NHL teams have a #3C better than Bozak? It's not many at all. 40-50 points, great on Faceoffs, decent PP player.

If you start naming guys like Stastny Tavares, Thornton, fair enough, but that isn't a 3C, it's a 1 or 2C... Outside of these guys, (and "maybe" moving Nylander) there are no improvments available, and at best, we hope to get Bozak back and improve the #4C with Lindholm or Aaltonen... or maybe even GOAT.

The reality is, we hope that we don't drop too far in that spot, while we significantly upgrade our D, and hope that our young kids take another step forward in improvement, and Matthews is healthy for the year.

Serious Cup contenders Seriously TyBo might be a decent option but if you look at his production, you can see he is on the other side of the curve. As such if we can't get a better option, I would rather invest in a younger, faster, grittier, cheaper option.

 

[saltming]

I take that as Babcock thinks the Leafs will trade for/sign a top 3 center.

Agreed especially with this news about Pär

 

[Fogelhund]

Serious Cup contenders Seriously TyBo might be a decent option but if you look at his production, you can see he is on the other side of the curve. As such if we can't get a better option, I would rather invest in a younger, faster, grittier, cheaper option.

Ok... list the younger, faster, grittier, cheaper UFA's, at C.

Also, please list the Serious Cup contenders, with better #3C, and who those better #3C are. Thanks.

 

[ToneDog]

Ok... list the younger, faster, grittier, cheaper UFA's, at C.

Also, please list the Serious Cup contenders, with better #3C, and who those better #3C are. Thanks.

I am no roster expert for other teams but here some that I would prefer over TyBo:

Bruins : Riley Nash
TB: Johnson/Point
Ducks: Henrique
SJ: Tierney (debatable)
Winn: Little
Nash: Sissons (debatable)
Pitt: Broussard
Wash: Eller (debatable)
NJ: Zajac/Zacha (debatable)

As far as UFAs go: Riley Nash, Derek Ryan (cheaper), Schaller, B Tanev

 

[Fogelhund]

Ok... you prefer, even if they aren't better.

Tampa I'll give you. Little is statistically their #2C. Riley Nash doesn't have good possession stats, and is poor in the dot. Little yes...

But, not much beyond that....

Tanev is a winger.
Schaller... no
Riley Nash... maybe...
Derek Ryan... isn't as good... but might fill in, ok....

 

[Mess]

Another Petri Kontiola
or
Miro Aaltonen?

 

[MyBudJT]

Will we role with 4 LH C?

Matthews
Tavares*
Kadri
Lindholm/Aaltonen/Gauthier

 

[glue]

Will we role with 4 LH C?

Matthews
Tavares*
Kadri
Lindholm/Aaltonen/Gauthier

 

[ottomaddox]

I was replying to a post someone made about Babs wants Leafs to be some Euro team.

I am fine with Hyman and Polak BC they provide something the Leafs don't have. Really glad Babs didn't play Leo in game 7, when I saw Leo warming up with the Leafs, I got so scared.

Agree with you about Carrick, he is most likely getting trade.

It made no difference on the outcome.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Leafs really have poor depth at C

 

[Gabriel426]

It made no difference on the outcome.

True, but if he played Leo and lost, it will be worse

 

[Man Bear Pig]

nylander.

matthews,
nylander
kadri

ask any non leaf fan if they would rather have bozak as your third center or nylander, and i think you will understand we are struck in a weird myopia that the rest of the league doesn't see.

We don't know if Nylander can do it or not though. I think he can as I think he looks better at center, especially given the fact that he needs the puck to be at his most effective. But, we haven't seen him play center at the nhl level for long stretches. So it's not an automatic in my mind.

 

[ShaneFalco]

We don't know if Nylander can do it or not though. I think he can as I think he looks better at center, especially given the fact that he needs the puck to be at his most effective. But, we haven't seen him play center at the nhl level for long stretches. So it's not an automatic in my mind.

And maybe that's on Babcock for not giving him more of a look there

 

[Man Bear Pig]

And maybe that's on Babcock for not giving him more of a look there

Given how well balanced the lines were and how great Matthews and Nylander play together, I don't blame Babs at all. What I'm wondering is if you bump Hyman off that line, then what do we have? Stacking lines is something Babcock has always hesitated to do. I get the whole balancing out the lines but there are certain times when maybe you're down or struggling offensively and it wouldn't hurt to stack the top 2 lines and overplay them. Like we saw with Boston and the Bergeron line.

 

[ShaneFalco]

Given how well balanced the lines were and how great Matthews and Nylander play together, I don't blame Babs at all. What I'm wondering is if you bump Hyman off that line, then what do we have? Stacking lines is something Babcock has always hesitated to do. I get the whole balancing out the lines but there are certain times when maybe you're down or struggling offensively and it wouldn't hurt to stack the top 2 lines and overplay them. Like we saw with Boston and the Bergeron line.

Yeah I just thought they should have experimented a little bit more so they perhaps have some answers for next year. Hyman off the firts line, Nylander at C, playing Leivo for a stretch etc