Confirmed with Link: Mark Arcobello to 1-year contract deal

[Duffman955]

Once a power forward comes in our zone he will go thru all 5 players like butter

We are clearly trying to break the record for worlds smallest softest team in hockey. At the same time we will have no skill either.

 

[thewave]

I am getting creeped out by the little dude fetish going on in this organization.

 

[wmark]

Kadri, Holland, Spaling, Carrick, Acrobello.

Crowded without Bozak.

Have to assume he's gone.

One can hope.

 

[crump]

Guy has a big league shot, reminds me of Steve Sullivan.

 

[81Leafs50]

With Spaling and Arcobello coming in today we have bozak, Kadri, Holland, spaling, carrick, arcobello as NHL centreman, you gotta think Bozie is good as gone.

Why are you including Carrick? the kid will never play in the NHL IMO

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

With Spaling and Arcobello coming in today we have bozak, Kadri, Holland, spaling, carrick, arcobello as NHL centreman, you gotta think Bozie is good as gone.

There's no reason for Bozak to stay now that Kessel's gone. On the other hand, Holland, Spaling, Arcobello and Carrick is the kind of center depth that wins draft lotteries.

 

[mikebel111*]

Why are you including Carrick? the kid will never play in the NHL IMO

He already did and looked good
Nice little depth player on bottom 6

 

[SprDaVE]

Why are you including Carrick? the kid will never play in the NHL IMO

He all ready did play in the NHL...

I'm confused.

 

[p.l.f.]

All these little guys sandwiched by monsters like Panik JVR and Winnik
Strange look

 

[Lethalsniper007]

This guy can score he will net 20 goals next season with more ice time.

 

[hockeyes]

Management probably figures teams will let up once they are leading by 4+ goals and we won't need to play any physical games

 

[crump]

Will be interesting to see how guys like this pan out. Its the first wave of players targeted by the management group using advanced stats and their own scouting. Has the analytic department helped choose these players? Did Hunter scout these guys during the year knowing they could be potential targets during free agency? At first they seem like random guys signed, but I think there was a lot of thought put on these players. If they turn out to be successful it will be the first real evaluation on how this management can evaluate talent.

 

[McDNicks17]

I think you guys will like Arco.

He's small, but really strong on his skates and can be a bit feisty.

I think my favorite memory of him was from a game vs. Philly where he completely laid out Simmonds and B. Schenn on the same shift.

 

[GBLeaf]

It looks to me as though we're putting a roster together that will get us a top 5 pick next draft, but will also show complete effort and do things in the right manner.

People need to remember and accept the next few years aren't going to successful on-ice. So important factors are giving the talent time to develop, and making smart additions who don't chuck the towel in, so when the young guys do graduate, they enter an environment that doesn't accept half-assed efforts.

It's hard to ask for more patience after so long being awful anyway. But I truly believe that things are going in the right direction now.

 

[MJ65]

Another smart signing for peanuts, probably a candidate for a trade at the trade deadline. Good job by the management as we need to keep on stock piling the draft picks and the picks

Arcobello is a good play maker and can rack up impressive point totals at lower levels. Works very hard whenever he's on the ice, and is constantly trying to improve his game. As I said earlier he is going to trade at the deadline, and there is absolutely nothing to lose

 

[crump]

It looks to me as though we're putting a roster together that will get us a top 5 pick next draft, but will also show complete effort and do things in the right manner.

People need to remember and accept the next few years aren't going to successful on-ice. So important factors are giving the talent time to develop, and making smart additions who don't chuck the towel in, so when the young guys do graduate, they enter an environment that doesn't accept half-assed efforts.

It's hard to ask for more patience after so long being awful anyway. But I truly believe that things are going in the right direction now.

Well said. Ultimately you have half your roster on one/two year contracts, who can be moved at the deadline if needed and then those spots become available for the prospects who are ready.

As soon as 2017 you should have some of Marner, Nylander, Kapanen, Brown, Percy, Loov, Leipsic, Gauthier joining the team. Guys like Acrobello can hold the fort for a year or two.

 

[inthe6ix]

Would have preferred to have Santorelli back instead of bringing in Arco, but meh, whatever. If this signals Bozak's departure and Kadri's long-awaited ascension to the top line permanently, so be it.

 

[Neil Hamburger]

I'm amazed how small players we have stacked so many. Have to get bigger. Arcobello is a real fine player but all of our small suckers can't compete against Probert and Nilan. We have done solid signings but we have to beef up. There are so many strong players playing against our small men.

It's a good thing there are no more Probert's or Nilan's in the league then. Actually it's a bad thing for us, because I'd prefer other teams have a couple wastes of space going on the ice five minutes a night. They've all gone the way of Colton Orr and Fraser Mclaren...

Why?

Because they couldn't compete against the "small suckers" in terms of actually playing hockey.

 

[Quares27]

I am getting creeped out by the little dude fetish going on in this organization.

I saw yesterday that the Leafs really wanted Andy Miele too. 5'8 170 AHL scorer. Getting a bit ridiculous now. I'm surprised they didnt lock Kozun up for 5 years

 

[Quares27]

It's a good thing there are no more Probert's or Nilan's in the league then. Actually it's a bad thing for us, because I'd prefer other teams have a couple wastes of space going on the ice five minutes a night. They've all gone the way of Colton Orr and Fraser Mclaren...

Why?

Because they couldn't compete against the "small suckers" in terms of actually playing hockey.

People actually believe this? LOL what did our skilled 4th line do all of last season? did they at any point outplay opposing 4th lines that had a tough guy on them? they were a complete liability all season. Panik is the only one who did anything when he was on the 4th line and he's also the only one who at least tried to be physical.

When people think of the best 4th lines in the last few years who do they normally say? Boston with Campbell/Paille/Thornton, Chicago with Bollig/Kruger/Smith, Blues with Reaves/Lapierre/Morrow, LA with Clifford/King/whatever center they use. Today most people would say it's NYI with Martin/Clutterbuck/Cizikas. How many small, soft, skilled players do you think play on those 4th lines? At no point has a purely "skilled" 4th line ever been particularly good. The best 4th lines normally have 1 fighter, a PK or faceoff specialist center, and another grinder on the opposite wing, not 3 random soft one-dimensional AHL-level scorers that aren't good enough to make a top 9.

 

[Crysis]

People actually believe this? LOL what did our skilled 4th line do all of last season? did they at any point outplay opposing 4th lines that had a tough guy on them? they were a complete liability all season. Panik is the only one who did anything when he was on the 4th line and he's also the only one who at least tried to be physical.

When people think of the best 4th lines in the last few years who do they normally say? Boston with Campbell/Paille/Thornton, Chicago with Bollig/Kruger/Smith, Blues with Reaves/Lapierre/Morrow, LA with Clifford/King/whatever center they use. Today most people would say it's NYI with Martin/Clutterbuck/Cizikas. How many small, soft, skilled players do you think play on those 4th lines? At no point has a purely "skilled" 4th line ever been particularly good. The best 4th lines normally have 1 fighter, a PK or faceoff specialist center, and another grinder on the opposite wing, not 3 random soft one-dimensional AHL-level scorers that aren't good enough to make a top 9.

I could have sworn I heard that Babcock likes to have 2 skilled forwards and 1 plug on all 4 lines?

Did I dream this or?

 

[Drew75]

What I see is a group of guys brought in who would be support on other teams, but given ice time on our depleted roster, all have the potential / enough skill to inflate their value enough to be sought after by contenders come deadline day. I think they were all strategic moves to bring in more 2nd and 3rd round picks for Hunter to play with.

 

[Crysis]

What I see is a group of guys brought in who would be support on other teams, but given ice time on our depleted roster, all have the potential / enough skill to inflate their value enough to be sought after by contenders come deadline day. I think they were all strategic moves to bring in more 2nd and 3rd round picks for Hunter to play with.

I agree, and even moving those 2nd/3rd rounders in a package for a higher pick isn't out of the question. Exciting times.