Confirmed with Link: Lekhonen Signed 3 years

[LePoche69]

that's about what we should expect. maybe if the planets are aligned and we meditate and align our Chakras to the universe (this part is obviously a joke) .....maybe he can develop into a 2nd line player with the right complimentary players. But a 3rd line of AL - Eller - Carr looks really good on paper.

Based on what you describe here, I don't see what more he brings than Andrighetto or Carr. So like I said, I don't see the urge of bringing him to North America.

If you tell me that him playing on the third line will make one of Carr or Andrighetto play in the top 6, then Habs are in for another long season.

 

[Price is Wright]

Not every player succeeds at 200lbs. Gaudreau would be worse if he added 40lbs.

 

[yianik]

Based on what you describe here, I don't see what more he brings than Andrighetto or Carr. So like I said, I don't see the urge of bringing him to North America.

If you tell me that him playing on the third line will make one of Carr or Andrighetto play in the top 6, then Habs are in for another long season.

I think the team should sign one UFA winger and leave the other spot open for our best offensive youngster/ prospect. We have Carr, Ghetto, Lehkonen,and Hudon. Two others hopefully fill out the 3rd line. If we have to, at the TDL we trade for a scoring UFA to be winger. This way we don't lock out youngsters from the top 6 wing spots for the next 3 years.

 

[Le Tricolore]

I think the team should sign one UFA winger and leave the other spot open for our best offensive youngster/ prospect. We have Carr, Ghetto, Lehkonen,and Hudon. Two others hopefully fill out the 3rd line. If we have to, at the TDL we trade for a scoring UFA to be winger. This way we don't lock out youngsters from the top 6 wing spots for the next 3 years.

If the team can sign two top six players, you do it. If they can't, then may the best man win. You don't gift wrap a spot to a rookie if you don't have to.

 

[Fazkovsky]

Our top 6

Pac-galchy-Gallagher
Lehkonen-plek-okposo

 

[vokiel]

Sekac 2.0? like Briere 2.0 with Parenteau and the trying of Semin 3.0? and....

No he's one of our prospect, worst case scenario he's just Hudon 2.0, which is to say there isn't a lot of bad that can happen from signing him.

 

[Batmike]

If anything he's Eller 2.0 which I'd be fine with

 

[Fazkovsky]

How is his defensive Play? I like a line of lehk-plek-okposo as its a line where each player can put up 50 pts

The three of them are second liners. I know it will take 2 years for lehko to reach that level but I'm sure he is capable of 25-25 in this league

 

[lamp9post]

If anything he's Eller 2.0 which I'd be fine with

Huh? That's a bogus comparison. They are completely different players.

 

[vokiel]

If anything he's Eller 2.0 which I'd be fine with

We're talking about Lehkonen. He's ~5'11" 178lbs Left winger. He isn't a big center and unlike Eller, can actually shoot the puck. Also unlike Eller he'll probably get pushed and shoved in all directions.

How is his defensive Play? I like a line of lehk-plek-okposo as its a line where each player can put up 50 pts

The three of them are second liners. I know it will take 2 years for lehko to reach that level but I'm sure he is capable of 25-25 in this league

For the sake of just making discussion, you can assume it is nonexistent and that MT will make him a better person.

Him being able to put 25-25 will depend entirely on his play-making abilities translating versus a quicker pace. If he can't hack it with 1-3 seconds less to take his decisions, it'll be hard.

 

[yianik]

If the team can sign two top six players, you do it. If they can't, then may the best man win. You don't gift wrap a spot to a rookie if you don't have to.

Given all the young guys I listed, and Scherbak likely on the way in the next couple of seasons, I think you need a spot. At least 4 guys will be vying for it so it isn't gift wrapped. If nobody is up to it then we sign a UFA at the TDL to fill it.

If it wasn't for the Cap maybe you don't care, but if a rookie displaces a UFA you just signed for 5 years and $30M, then that is a lot of coin for a 3rd line winger.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

If anything he's Eller 2.0 which I'd be fine with

Explain yourself

 

[WeThreeKings]

Given all the young guys I listed, and Scherbak likely on the way in the next couple of seasons, I think you need a spot. At least 4 guys will be vying for it so it isn't gift wrapped. If nobody is up to it then we sign a UFA at the TDL to fill it.

If it wasn't for the Cap maybe you don't care, but if a rookie displaces a UFA you just signed for 5 years and $30M, then that is a lot of coin for a 3rd line winger.

Not really because you play the rookie in the lesser role until you find a taker for one of your vet players. Trade him off for picks and prospects, and keep a constant cycle going.

Pollock used to do that.

 

[Mad Brills*]

Is he our top 6 signing?

 

[yianik]

Not really because you play the rookie in the lesser role until you find a taker for one of your vet players. Trade him off for picks and prospects, and keep a constant cycle going.

Pollock used to do that.

It's a bit tricky. You sign a guy as a UFA, which means there was no other team in the league that was willing to pay him as much as you. Then you are looking at trading him a year or two later. Now if the guy is producing still at a good level, then maybe yes, and sure, maybe another teams circumstances have changed that they will want such a player at that money. But it is likelier that the 30 year old guy you signed is going to put up declining production.

So possible, but it could be.......hard, to unload such a player.

 

[RJJ]

Just watching the US/Finland WC game. Considering Lekhonen had such a dominate playoffs why isn't he playing for Finland's national team. Still not good enough? Serious question from someone who has never seen the kid play. Was he just playing above his capabilities during the playoff run? Why would he not be on this team?

 

[LaP]

If the team can sign two top six players, you do it. If they can't, then may the best man win. You don't gift wrap a spot to a rookie if you don't have to.

Don't think the team can sign 2 quality top 6 ufa players. A real quality top 6 ufa player is 5 millions minimum and likely 6 millions. That's between 10 and 12 millions total. We are already at the cap and we have Price and AG looking for a raise in 2 years.

Yes we could try with some fringe top6 players like the Bruins did last year with Hayes and Beleskey but i would prefer MB to focus on getting a real dominant top 6 players and leave the other spot open for a kid. With the cap pretty much all teams have a weakest link in the top 6. Chicago won with guys like almost retired Handzus and Bickell in their top 6.

 

[hersky77]

Just watching the US/Finland WC game. Considering Lekhonen had such a dominate playoffs why isn't he playing for Finland's national team. Still not good enough? Serious question from someone who has never seen the kid play. Was he just playing above his capabilities during the playoff run? Why would he not be on this team?

He couldn't get a visa, or was having visa problems. It's the reason why he is not in Russia.

 

[vokiel]

Don't think the team can sign 2 quality top 6 ufa players. A real quality top 6 ufa player is 5 millions minimum and likely 6 millions. That's between 10 and 12 millions total. We are already at the cap and we have Price and AG looking for a raise in 2 years.

Yes we could try with some fringe top6 players like the Bruins did last year with Hayes and Beleskey but i would prefer MB to focus on getting a real dominant top 6 players and leave the other spot open for a kid. With the cap pretty much all teams have a weakest link in the top 6. Chicago won with guys like almost retired Handzus and Bickell in their top 6.

They're not looking to add 2 first liners! 4-4.5 x 2 for 2 second liners is perfectly fine and you can downgrade one to a middle 6 at ~3.5.

 

[RJJ]

He couldn't get a visa, or was having visa problems. It's the reason why he is not in Russia.

Thanks.

 

[lamp9post]

They're not looking to add 2 first liners! 4-4.5 x 2 for 2 second liners is perfectly fine and you can downgrade one to a middle 6 at ~3.5.

On the UFA market, $4-4.5M doesn't get you much. We don't need more overpaid 'middle 6' players that make $3.5M or lower-end 2nd liners like PAP or Parenteau that make $4M.

 

[LaP]

On the UFA market, $4-4.5M doesn't get you much. We don't need more overpaid 'middle 6' players that make $3.5M or lower-end 2nd liners like PAP or Parenteau that make $4M.

4 millions gets you Matt Beleskey a glorified 3rd line player whose career production is on par with Eller.

Matt Beleskey 409GP 72G 149P
Lars Eller 442GP 73G 156P

beleskey signed for 5 years at 3.8 millions last year.

Still think we should aim for an homerun and fill the remaining spot with a 1 millions kid.

 

[lamp9post]

4 millions gets you Matt Beleskey a glorified 3rd line player whose career production is on par with Eller.

Matt Beleskey 409GP 72G 149P
Lars Eller 442GP 73G 156P

beleskey signed for 5 years at 3.8 millions last year.

Still think we should aim for an homerun and fill the remaining spot with a 1 millions kid.

Agreed. Looking at this year's crop, $4M might get us Vrbata (coming off a terrible season) or someone like Brouwer. I really don't see those guys making much a difference for us and we have enough players signed to this kind of 'mid-level' deal. That said, if we can ditch Eller and DD, I'd be up for signing Brouwer, but even with him I think we need more talent in the top 6.

 

[Batmike]

Huh? That's a bogus comparison. They are completely different players.

I meant production wise. My bad for not stating that.

 

[LaP]

Agreed. Looking at this year's crop, $4M might get us Vrbata (coming off a terrible season) or someone like Brouwer. I really don't see those guys making much a difference for us and we have enough players signed to this kind of 'mid-level' deal. That said, if we can ditch Eller and DD, I'd be up for signing Brouwer, but even with him I think we need more talent in the top 6.

Of course if you can replace DD by Brouwer for approximately the same amount of money (+/- 0.5M) do it

I was merely commenting on the 2 players we need to add and not the guys we should replace