Lou appreciation thread

[mikeyz]

Amassing picks is probably the easiest part of the rebuild, more or less. It's what you do with them that will dictate how it goes going forward.

This!

 

[MJ65]

You have to put a value on the cap relief bud. Besides Zaitsev might just help that scenario out in a pleasant surprise for everyone. That was a good trade for the leafs.

How is this trade connected to Zaitsev's signing? does not make any sense

 

[Hero]

I am not happy with Dion's trade - we just got a 2nd round pick and a prospect. Ottawa won this trade

We should at least have acquired a 1st round pick

If his contract was 1-2 years shorter or if he was 1-2 years younger, he would of.


Those last 2 years of Phaneufs deal will hurt

 

[Faltorvo]

The value they got for Kessel sounds about right.

oh i think ACC is absolutely 100% dead wrong

see what kessel is doing this year, in a deeper line up with two super stud Cs at his disposal?

picture trying to market him now

during back to back bad years, "YIKES"

we just got rid of fat fill in time.

the illusion was starting to wear off

 

[Faltorvo]

I am not happy with Dion's trade - we just got a 2nd round pick and a prospect. Ottawa won this trade

We should at least have acquired a 1st round pick

we got way more then what the 7 million dollar fraud is worth

we managed to walk away scott free from that horrific contract

 

[LeafsNation75]

I am not happy with Dion's trade - we just got a 2nd round pick and a prospect. Ottawa won this trade

We should at least have acquired a 1st round pick

Honestly I'm just as happy that Toronto did not have to retain any of his salary for another 5 years, so because of that I'm ok with not getting a 1st round pick for him.

 

[Aceboogie]

EDM fan, but here to praise Lou and give my thoughts on potential rebuilding strategies

1st off- Signing UFAS in July and boosting their value in the year and selling them off for picks is a great strategy. Basically free picks. Leafs now have no bad contracts on the books and a wealth of picks.

2nd- Development of Nylander is top notch. Leave him in minors to dominate

Here are my thoughts on rebuilding moves so the Leafs will avoid falling down the rebuild blackhole like some teams before them

1) One of biggest issues with rebuilding teams is that they have little vet help to shelter young players. Young players go through rough patches and need to be sheltered. Development can be stunted if they are exposed to much

One strategy I think would be good would be to pick up overpaid vets on 1 or 2 year deals and pick up an asset to off load them. Say Smid + 4th for 7th. Hes signed for one more year only, and his cap hit really doesnt matter. So they get a vet to help the young D and also get a pick. He could be moved next deadline too for a lower pick. So 2 free assets

2) Trading down in the draft after the 2nd round. This is a strategy Shanny did last year and it seems to work. MacT (in a rare good move) did this in 2013 too. You trade a 3rd round pick for a 4th,5th and maybe 7th. Drafting after the 2nd is largely a luck game, and more picks you get, the better chance theyll pan out. Instead of having 6 picks after top 90, you can have 12-14. You then just wait for 3-4 years to see where they are at before signing best ones

Anywho, rebuild is headed is right direction, those are only minor things I could see Lou doing that would make things better

 

[Joey Hoser]

Not complaining but it's hard not to think Lou Lam couldn't have done better.

With the way Kessel is playing, I think we were lucky to get what we did.

 

[Stephen]

All the UFA for picks moves the Leafs have engaged in the past two deadlines more than makes up for the missed opportunities with Kulemin, Raymond and company.

 

[ACC1224]

With the way Kessel is playing, I think we were lucky to get what we did.

Didn't Lou Lam come in the summer? I'm not suggesting they should have waited until now for Lou to trade him, just a few more weeks.

 

[PhiladelphiaKessel]

He's been proactive for sure.

Phaneuf/Polak/Matthias/Spaling gone before the deadline. I like it.

And all got good value.
But ripping this thing down will be the easiest, building it back up tho..

 

[Wafflewhipper]

How is this trade connected to Zaitsev's signing? does not make any sense

Dude you don't make any sense. You want to keep phaneuf and his years of terrible cap hit in a rebuild and don't know who Zaitsev is???

 

[Mikeyg]

I still think lou is going to find a way to move bozak

 

[burpsalot]

Didn't Lou Lam come in the summer? I'm not suggesting they should have waited until now for Lou to trade him, just a few more weeks.

Only 8 teams on Phil's list. Pittsburgh was the only team that had an interest in Kessel. There was a time constraint. If the deal wasn't going to be completed that day, they would have changed their strategy & acquired their "new" player in the Free Agent market. Shanahan advised other teams a deal was about to be made & if anyone wanted to make a bid, it was now or never. No one else was interested.

 

[Leaf19]

He's definitely exceeded expecations so far. I think NJ ownership really handcuffed him the last 5 or so years and now he's showing he's still got it.

Only thing left is for him to find a way out of having to give up the two 3rd rounders I wouldn't be surprised if he finds a way to Robidas the compensation. Maybe he stalls until the last moment and convinces Bettman to give those teams supplementary picks? Either way, it'll be an unfortunate set of circumstances... no one's fault.

 

[keon]

Trading Polak and Spalling and getting 2 second-round picks, without taking salary back - nice
Getting Robidas off the books this year - nice
Trading Phaneuf without taking salary back - nicer

Again please explain how Robidas is off the books. I believe he is still on and is not LTIR.

 

[TankNationTillDeath]

If anyone deserves an appreciation thread so far it's Lieweke :p, actually kidding, but Shanahan is the real cause.

He's been the busiest man in sports since being named back in april 2014..

Fired Carlyle, Nonis, training staff, assisstant coaches, marlies coaches, pulin, loiselle etc etc

Hired Hunter, Dubas, Babcock, Lou, Pridham, and all the replacements...

The guy will go down as the most influential Leaf of all time if this works out.

 

[TMLeafer]

I want Dubas to spend so much time around Lou that he picks up his accent.

 

[ITM]

If Kessel had gotten hot a lot of GM's would have looked at Kessel at $5.75M(Leafs are eating $1.25M) U.S. They simply gambled he would suck, if you can't play with Crosby and Malkin, you know you are garbage. Point being if he scored 40 they could have used him and traded him for more than what we got, and their pick is protected something we were never allowed by a US/NHL lawyer type.

The Phil Kessel trade to Pittsburgh wasn't merely about the material assets gained, but most certainly about management sending the message that Kessel's brand of "professionalism" was a thing of the past. That the trade happened in the same conference and on July 1st shouldn't be seen as incidental. He wasn't moved or traded so much as removed, expelled, banished.

There should be no doubt that every possibility wasn't considered, including having Mike Babcock maximize Kessel's worth.

There was more importance placed on the deadline date of July 1st and Kessel's absence more than any additional asset that might be gained, July 2nd and beyond.

 

[ITM]

I want Dubas to spend so much time around Lou that he picks up his accent.

Gold, lol.

 

[ACC1224]

Only 8 teams on Phil's list. Pittsburgh was the only team that had an interest in Kessel. There was a time constraint. If the deal wasn't going to be completed that day, they would have changed their strategy & acquired their "new" player in the Free Agent market. Shanahan advised other teams a deal was about to be made & if anyone wanted to make a bid, it was now or never. No one else was interested.

The Phil Kessel trade to Pittsburgh wasn't merely about the material assets gained, but most certainly about management sending the message that Kessel's brand of "professionalism" was a thing of the past. That the trade happened in the same conference and on July 1st shouldn't be seen as incidental. He wasn't moved or traded so much as removed, expelled, banished.

There should be no doubt that every possibility wasn't considered, including having Mike Babcock maximize Kessel's worth.

There was more importance placed on the deadline date of July 1st and Kessel's absence more than any additional asset that might be gained, July 2nd and beyond.

Possibly but not absolutely.

 

[Jmo89]

If Kessel had gotten hot a lot of GM's would have looked at Kessel at $5.75M(Leafs are eating $1.25M) U.S. They simply gambled he would suck, if you can't play with Crosby and Malkin, you know you are garbage. Point being if he scored 40 they could have used him and traded him for more than what we got, and their pick is protected something we were never allowed by a US/NHL lawyer type.

Isn't Kessel's salary 8M before retention? I think your off by a mil.

 

[taurine330]

Isn't Kessel's salary 8M before retention? I think your off by a mil.

You're correct.

 

[TheCLAM]

Trading Polak and Spalling and getting 2 second-round picks, without taking salary back - nice
Getting Robidas off the books this year - nice
Trading Phaneuf without taking salary back - nicer

Robidas is off the books next year, he signed a 3 year deal

 

[Durrr]

With the way Kessel is playing, I think we were lucky to get what we did.

Have you actually watched Kessel play? He's been great in 2016, and is around his normal PPG for the calendar year.