Mike Santorelli - Underrated

[PM]

You're welcome. Still pissed we let this guy go. He was one of the very few bright spots from last season and our tumble down the standings gained some speed once he went down for the season. Glad to see him do well though.

 

[Swervin81]

Santorelli has been awesome for us. Exceeded expectations in every role so far: 3C, 3RW, and now 2RW. I really hope we retain him. He busts his ass off on every shift, is probably the 2nd hardest worker on the team next (next to Komarov), and has done a really good job in the PK and maintaining possession. Might not be as good a finisher as Raymond was last year, but he sure generates a hell of a lot more. I really hope we don't make the same mistake the Canucks did. Raymond, despite his 20 goals, wasn't the ideal for his role since goals and speed were literally all he brought (I do mean literally, considering he left his balancing ability and brain in Vancouver ) so I didn't take huge exception to letting him go, but Santorelli is a guy we gotta lock up and keep IMO.

 

[Primary Assist]

The Leafs lost Dave Bolland and Nikolai Kulemin last off-season by not over-paying them.

Bolland makes 5.5 million, Kulemin makes over 4 million, both on long term deals.

Mike Santorelli has been outproducing both for 1.5 million and is criminally underrated. He's arguably been the Leafs most complete forward, and I'd even go as far as to say he's been our best overall forward this season so far (only Leo Komarov comes close).

Just wanted to share how underrated he is.

Best forward on the Leafs this season is Phil but Santo's been on fire this whole season. Reminds me of Darcy Tucker on the forecheck, only without the high sticks and elbows.

 

[Kipper933]

Mike Santorelli in a nutshell. has a good season with a team to earn a large contract, then goes back to being a mediocre 13th forward after cashing in

The most he's been paid in a season to date is $1.6m (2-year), so it hasn't happened yet...

Anyway, I think his mindset towards the game and preparation has really turned around as he's improved, and his 2-way play nowadays is pretty impressive. He's a guy that a lot of minor league scorers stuck in the AHL could learn from.

 

[bursilym]

Half of the NHLT forum is about the Leafs.

We are the centre of the universe afterall. U think people are gona be interested in calgary flames stuff??

 

[Vesa Awesaka]

Guys is my favorite leaf.

 

[Superpest]

Correction: Leafs fans had no idea how awesome he was.

Preds, Panthers and Canucks fans all knew.

 

[pb1300]

Does he still have that Jersey Shore haircut going on?

 

[arsmaster*]

Mike Santorelli in a nutshell. has a good season with a team to earn a large contract, then goes back to being a mediocre 13th forward after cashing in

Players evolve. His last 75 games he's produced at elite 1st line level at EV strength in 2/3 line minutes.

You might still be basing this on the player from 4 years ago but that's not him anymore IMO.

 

[Pip]

Complete joke that Benning let him go

 

[ShootIt]

Glad to read that he is turning into a really good top 9 center.

I thought that PDB didn't like him. He struggled defensively when he played in Sunrise, and he needed a fresh start after the Booth-Santorelli-who knows line stopped working.

 

[Orca Smash]

Complete joke that Benning let him go

We really dont know if that was benning, elliotte friedman said last year when gillis was still around they wanted to see more from him as he cooled off in janurary and were in no rush to resign him, then he had season ending shoulder surgery.

I know we have rumors/speculation in our forum suggesting it was benning and linden that let him go but from what botchford had claimed before the benning hire even, the canucks wanted a 1 year deal again and more of a sample size before committing longer term. Linden was actually publicly supportive of santo when he was hired and spoke highly of him. To me it simply sounded like they were scared based on 48 games to lock him up on a multi-year deal and wanted to see more before committing, and he ended up going off to Toronto then.

 

[Android 16]

He's a good shootout option, that's pretty much it. Too soft to be considered valuable to a team that is serious about contending for a Stanley cup.

 

[IceManCat]

Dave Bolland hasn't even played this year of course hes outplaying him.

 

[Delicious Dangles*]

He's a good shootout option, that's pretty much it. Too soft to be considered valuable to a team that is serious about contending for a Stanley cup.

Lol, what?

He has been far from soft. He has been amazing along the boards and has used his body very well. Whatever line he is on becomes our best cycle line. He twists and turns and opens up space for his linemates, as seemingly nobody can knock him off the puck.

 

[Kelly]

Half of the NHLT forum is about the Leafs.

The horror.

 

[Android 16]

Lol, what?

He has been far from soft. He has been amazing along the boards and has used his body very well. Whatever line he is on becomes our best cycle line. He twists and turns and opens up space for his linemates, as seemingly nobody can knock him off the puck.

I still stand by what I said even though he is in the midst of a decent season. He put up a 20-goal, 40+ point season with the Panthers a few years ago, but had trouble reproducing that the next year. He only managed 9 goals and 11 points in 60 games with optimal ice-time. He didn't fit anywhere on the roster anymore and eventually we went in a different direction.

 

[613Leafer]

Best forward on the Leafs this season is Phil but Santo's been on fire this whole season. Reminds me of Darcy Tucker on the forecheck, only without the high sticks and elbows.

Why is Phil our best forward? He puts up a lot of points, but holy crap do him and his linemates suck defensively. Somehow, despite their very high offensive numbers, Kessel and JVR have managed to be minus players on a team that has a POSITIVE goal differential (+14).

Santorelli/Komarov on the otherhand? Who score less, get less favourable offensive minutes, and tougher defensive assignments, are somehow both plus players.

+/- is a flawed stat, but when you start to give it some context, and you can look at other stats like shots against/60 minutes as well, Kessel, JVR, and Bozak simply arent that effective 5 on 5. Santorelli/Komarov score less, but they're ultimately more effective players 5 on 5 IMO, creating positive goal differentials despite tough minutes.

 

[HarrisonFord]

He's a good shootout option, that's pretty much it. Too soft to be considered valuable to a team that is serious about contending for a Stanley cup.

lol really? He's completely changed his game from the guy who played on the Panthers. You should read up on him/actually watch him this year, he's completely reinvented his game

 

[Nona Di Giuseppe]

Players that play his style are just not in vogue right now. Its big "power forward" or " 2 way" players like Dave Bolland and Ryan Orubles that are in vogue. The same thing happened with Mayson Raymond last year.

The speedy skill players have to work a lot harder to earn their money then the "2 way" Gods like Ryan O'Rubles

Eh ? What now ?

 

[Delicious Dangles*]

I still stand by what I said even though he is in the midst of a decent season. He put up a 20-goal, 40+ point season with the Panthers a few years ago, but had trouble reproducing that the next year. He only managed 9 goals and 11 points in 60 games with optimal ice-time. He didn't fit anywhere on the roster anymore and eventually we went in a different direction.

To be fair, that was just his 2nd full year in the league, on a pretty bad team, with a below average shooting percentage, and among just forwards on your team, was ranked 12th in TOI/game and 11th in PP TOI/game. That's far from "optimal ice time". It also looked like he dealt with injury problems that year?

The year before, he was 5th in both TOI and PP TOI/game. Big difference.

Frankly, even if anything you claimed was right, players can grow over 3 years. He is NOT soft at all this year.

 

[Android 16]

To be fair, that was just his 2nd full year in the league, on a pretty bad team, with a below average shooting percentage, and among just forwards on your team, was ranked 12th in TOI/game and 11th in PP TOI/game. That's far from "optimal ice time". It also looked like he dealt with injury problems that year?

The year before, he was 5th in both TOI and PP TOI/game. Big difference.

Frankly, even if anything you claimed was right, players can grow over 3 years. He is NOT soft at all this year.

I guess it's hard to make an argue with 28 whole games. Better lock him up.

 

[Pyromaniac]

I guess it's hard to make an argue with 28 whole games. Better lock him up.

It hasn't just been the 28 games though. He was good last year as well. I thought his last year was a flash in the pan, but it looks like Leafs fans are also seeing what the Canucks fans saw last year.

I see him getting along the lines of 4M as a UFA and from what I have seen of him he seems well worth it. I think you might be too fixated on the player that he was than what he is now. I admit I do not remember much of him in a Panthers jersey but he is a good player now.

 

[CanuckGame39]

Mike Santorelli in a nutshell. has a good season with a team to earn a large contract, then goes back to being a mediocre 13th forward after cashing in

Wtf is this? Cause it sure isnt truth. Looks like Panther fans in this thread havent watched MS since he left Florida.


Santo is a heart and soul guy, leaves it all on the ice every shift, every night. Was very disappointed when the canucks let him go. Wish the guy nothing but the best with the Leafs.

 

[Frelimo]

Good guy, good guy.

He's got good stick