The Future Of Connor Brown In Toronto

Walshy7

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Sep 18, 2016
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I agree but I doubt Babcock feels that way. He probably is a huge pain in the ass when he doesn’t get his way.

Too bad. He is a coach, dubas and shanny politely tell him to f*** off and make the best team out of the players they give him.

Allowing him in on roster decisions is a recipe for disaster. He values grinders far too much. No doubt if it’s true we want Detroit’s 4c (his name has totally slipped my mind) it’s 100% babs.

Highest paid coach in the league can deal with the roster he is given, fact is brown makes too mich for the cap crunch we are about to be in.

Unless we can move marleau, but marleaus play has prettt much put an end to a reunion in San Jose I think.

Edit: glendening, I knew it would come back to me
 
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Ziggdiezan

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Apr 10, 2015
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That's pretty easy though. Hyman is very strong at pushing play where his lines consistently do better with him, while Brown does the opposite.
Thing is, when Brown is moved onto a line that line sees more defensive assignments so it is hard to say how Brown effects his teammates.

What I do know is he sees the most difficult defensive usage on the team while being top 3 on the team for pretty much all defensive stats (GA/60, HDCA/60, ScoringChanceA/60 etc).
 
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LeafGrief

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Apr 10, 2015
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Brown has been extremely effective on a line with Kadri and Nylander lately. This should come as no surprise, as he is a decent hockey player and has enough talent to make a few plays and maintain possession when he is paired up with other (more) talented players. He's not nearly skilled enough to drive a line, but when he's playing on the fourth line with Gauthier and Lindholm he's far and away the best player on that line. His PK'ing and ability to produce when he gets moved up the lineup make him an extremely valuable depth piece, which we will almost certainly be hoping to keep for a playoff run.

That's likely where his Leaf career will end. $2m for a player of his calibre is a very reasonable deal, but we won't be able to afford that on our fourth line. I expect him to be moved at the draft, hopefully for a pick or package that values somewhere around the 50th overall pick. Solid depth is very valuable and the two comparable trades I point towards are the Hartman and Sheary deals. Hartman was slightly younger, but plays on Nashville's fourth line and got a first. Sheary came with slightly better production, but way more money and had the corpse of Hunwick attached and got a 4th. He's a quality bottom six piece and those have plenty of value when they're young with term.
 
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deletethis

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Someone making much more goes first (and maybe another second). These moves are going to be made to create cap space not eliminate your current favourite whipping boy.

Then if there is still a cap short fall, the $1.3M savings you get by replacing him with a league min. type could be necessary.

Do not forget that not every recalled AHL body can cut it. The Leafs have be fortunate in this area in recent years but eventually there is going to be another string of Carter Ashton's, Jerry D'Amigo's, Matt Frattin's, Alex Suglobov's, etc. players who look poised to be NHLers but aren't NHLers.
 

RLF

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May 5, 2014
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Good hard working player but unfortunately in the cap world, you can't keep everyone.

Plenty of teams could use a player like him and he will do much better with more minutes on his natural side.

I think his future depends on what the team does with other players. If someone with a larger salary is moved, Brown may still be here. Otherwise, I think you're right, he is the likely casualty even though he is a solid player.
 

Warden of the North

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Someone making much more goes first (and maybe another second). These moves are going to be made to create cap space not eliminate your current favourite whipping boy.

Then if there is still a cap short fall, the $1.3M savings you get by replacing him with a league min. type could be necessary.

Do not forget that not every recalled AHL body can cut it. The Leafs have be fortunate in this area in recent years but eventually there is going to be another string of Carter Ashton's, Jerry D'Amigo's, Matt Frattin's, Alex Suglobov's, etc. players who look poised to be NHLers but aren't NHLers.

The upside of the shrinking NHL middle class is that the pool of fourth line veteran talent looking for 1m~ deals each year is going to grow. Guys like Ennis are going to take cheap deals and are easily serviceable players at the bottom of the roster
 

Nineteen67

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Babcock shouldn’t get a say, he is a coach so he can coach the players he is given. Especially when you factor in he is the highest paid coach. Dubas should do what we he has to do and babs should shut his mouth and coach

What a terrific management strategy.
 
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Nineteen67

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We need some more size and sandpaper. And he's paid a little too much for what he brings
Cap casualty

Someone will take him, they always do, but who wants a guy that doesn’t play physical and doesn’t score heading to playoffs?
Then again, in a better cultural climate, he might be terrific energy line player.
 
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ToneDog

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The upside of the shrinking NHL middle class is that the pool of fourth line veteran talent looking for 1m~ deals each year is going to grow. Guys like Ennis are going to take cheap deals and are easily serviceable players at the bottom of the roster

Exactly and they will want to come to Toronto in order to be part of what is happening here.
 
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deletethis

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What a terrific management strategy.

It works great for autocrats. Until it doesn't. Like when the only coach you can ever employ for longer than a year has to be a mediocre mind and deferral type of personality. Or like when no one dares contradict you on even the smallest of matters. That type of management structure is almost always a failure unless the autocrat is an unquestionable genius.
 

Nineteen67

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a 1st round exit this playoffs and Babcock should start feeling the heat, you want that guy in on trading futures? pretty crazy to me

It’s pretty much a standard to have the coach’s input.
With the current roster set up to fail in the playoffs, I would think it would be smart to consult with the head coach.
 
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deletethis

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The upside of the shrinking NHL middle class is that the pool of fourth line veteran talent looking for 1m~ deals each year is going to grow. Guys like Ennis are going to take cheap deals and are easily serviceable players at the bottom of the roster

And Toronto should be a desirable destination for these types of veterans. The problem is that there are always going to be issues with these sorts of players, reasons why better contracts weren't available. The GM can make a huge impact by hitting on these "minor" signings. Same with older European veteran free agents.
 

RLF

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Unfortunately this. Love Connor but he just makes too much for the role he fills.

It's funy. When he was up for contract many thought he was getting or should get $3M or $3M+ because Hyman got $2.25 and Brown was by far the better player. I remember the outrage he got less than Hyman.
Fast forward 1.5 years...Now, he is overpaid and some even say he sucks.

I wonder what would be said if he actually got the $3M many thought he deserved.
 

56 Years No Cup

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It's funy. When he was up for contract many thought he was getting or should get $3M or $3M+ because Hyman got $2.25 and Brown was by far the better player. I remember the outrage he got less than Hyman.
Fast forward 1.5 years...Now, he is overpaid and some even say he sucks.

I wonder what would be said if he actually got the $3M many thought he deserved.
He got 20 goals so that's why he was worth the money. Now? Not so much.
 

RLF

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He got 20 goals so that's why he was worth the money. Now? Not so much.

Or maybe people overrated the guy based on the 20 goals in his first season? I don't even think his cap hit is bad at all. He is worth what he gets paid and would probably produce more in a bigger role, which isn't happening here.
 

Walshy7

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It’s pretty much a standard to have the coach’s input.
With the current roster set up to fail in the playoffs, I would think it would be smart to consult with the head coach.

yeah sure in the sense of "hey mike, player x is available I can get him does he suit your plans" not in the sense of "you cant trade brown" or "use a 2nd I want a 4C". He can of course ask, but in now way shape or form should management go out of their way spending futures unless they deem it a worthy deal
 

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