Confirmed Signing with Link: [TOR] Joe Thornton signs with the Maple Leafs (1 year, $700K)

[Peasy]

Odd signing, 700K is no risk, but also indicative of where Thornton is in his career now at 41. He is going to have to get used to not being as much if he is in a 4th line role. Not as easy for former players that are used to playing higher in the line up as most think.

As for the leadership angle, I think this is being played up. Considering this was what Tavares was brought in for, did he fail? In addition, didn't Thornton have his captaincy taken away from him by the Sharks once? Regardless it is a secondary signing all things considered. Not in the caliber that is going to change the NHL landscape.

Yes, Tavares was solely brought in for a leadership role

 

[Contenderorpretender]

Well yes, they were soft. But thonton and simmonds make any and every lineup tougher. Thornton doesnt play a nasty game but he is tough as nails.

As soon as kadri ripped out Thornton's beard. That's when I knew he was a tuff mother f***er. I think I'd rather get punched in the face than have a chunk of beard ripped out.

 

[BAM]

No risk so not hating but it’s a hard guy to waive/bench. And he’s shot imo.

And not like there’s a ton of speed sans Johnsson and Kap to insulate him with, especially given Simmonds signing.

?

The 3rd line would be

Robertson-Thornton-Kerfoot

4th line would be

Simmonds-Speeza-Engval.

Speeza isn't slow, he's not fast either but he is the fastest out of the Thornton, Simmonds and Speeza group.

 

[BAM]

That's grittier than last year's bottom 6? Was last year's bottom 6 literally made of tissue paper?

The 3rd line of Johnsson-Kerfoot-Kapanen has only one physical player on it and Kappy only does that when he feels like it. None of them are "big" guys either.

 

[Petrus]

Thornton will show Matthews and Nylander how to properly cultivate a beard. Marner will have to dab some rogaine on his chin to join the club.

 

[tsujimoto74]

The 3rd line of Johnsson-Kerfoot-Kapanen has only one physical player on it and Kappy only does that when he feels like it. None of them are "big" guys either.

I mean, I still only count 1 physical player in that bottom 6 (Simmonds).

 

[BallardEra]

Sometimes a change is what a person needs to get the mojo and fire back. Even in our daily lives.

Curious to see how this works out for the Leafs but I personally like it.

 

[mazmin]

It looks good on paper, but let’s be real, 2/3 of the bottom six move like turtles.

The team isn’t built for 2021, it’s built to sell newspapers and collect clicks and likes.

 

[BAM]

I mean, I still only count 1 physical player in that bottom 6 (Simmonds).

Thornton can play physical. Playing physical is one thing, playing through physicality is another.

Nobody would say the Hawks or Penguins were like the Bruins, Kings, Blues esque physical teams...They just executed their plays regardless of the contact. The players the Leafs have acquired are like that.

The Leafs entire 3rd line last year of Johnsson-Kerfoot-Kapanen would abandon a play if it meant the risk of getting hit. Thornton, Robertson, Speeza, Simmonds, Engval don't play like that.

 

[Petrus]

So does this mean Engvall is redundant?

I'll take him in Chicago. There's already a pair of Swedes in the bottom six (Janmark/Wallmark). Make a trifecta of mediocre Swedes and make a line of them.

We got that other Swede the plays RW. How about him instead?

 

[Shanwhatplan]

Yes, because a team with a captain has never acquired any additional veterans or leaders for the room. Never happened.

Acquiring veterans is one thing, changing the culture/attitude in a dressing room is another. Dishing out all that money to young players, who have had good to great regular seasons but haven’t been able to get the team out of the first round, could create a feeling of entitlement. Who’s to say that hasn’t had an effect on the culture in the dressing room?

 

[POVERTY]

And here we all thought Pietrangelo leaving the Blues would be the talk of free agency, but Joe Thornton signing for a 1 year $700k depth signing is the real bombshell

 

[93gilmour93]

I see this thread is still salty the day after the signing. Leafs living rent free in people's brains. Leafs Derangement Syndrome

 

[BM14]

That's grittier than last year's bottom 6? Was last year's bottom 6 literally made of tissue paper?

We played 6 times last year.
It's obviously circled on your calendar bc Toronto is a big thing to Buffalo.

Do you not watch the games for yourself to come up with your own conclusions to your question?

 

[dubey]

We did it HFboards! A thousand replies for a 700k signing!

Can we call this the biggest signing of 2020-21? A jumbo signing if you will?

 

[BM14]

It looks good on paper, but let’s be real, 2/3 of the bottom six move like turtles.

The team isn’t built for 2021, it’s built to sell newspapers and collect clicks and likes.

Let's be real - the top 2 lines will play 20+ minutes each. That's the benefit of having elite depth.

 

[DitchMarner]

Out of curiosity, who were the last former Art Ross and Hart winners the Leafs had on their roster?


Obviously Thornton isn't that guy anymore... but having a former Ross and Hart winner seems unusual for TOR.

 

[SotasicA]

We got that other Swede the plays RW. How about him instead?

Zero interest in yet another Nylander.

 

[Petrus]

Zero interest in yet another Nylander.

Engvall for your Nylander?

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Here is the reality of the situation

Nolan Patrick accepts qualifying offer 3 pages

Leafs sign 41 year old to be in the bottom 6

41 pages 1000+ responses that says it all right there.

 

[Petrus]

Out of curiosity, who were the last former Art Ross and Hart winners the Leafs had on their roster?


Obviously Thornton isn't that guy anymore... but having a former Ross and Hart winner seems unusual for TOR.

Probably Eric Lindros?

The more interesting thing is the last time the Leafs won a playoff series is when Thornton was the last time He was seen clean shaven. Is there a link?

 

[thekernel]

Must be rough when our 4th line center signing gets more attention than your gimmick-year Cup ever did

I can see why you're so salty

It sounds like you're salty about never seeing a cup in your lifetime so you call other people's cups illegitimate

 

[thekernel]

Here is the reality of the situation

Nolan Patrick accepts qualifying offer 3 pages

Leafs sign 41 year old to be in the bottom 6

41 pages 1000+ responses that says it all right there.

Here is the non-biased reality of the situation

Joe Thornton is a hall of fame former franchise player who is leaving his home of 15 years, surprising everyone

vs

22 year old kid accepts second contract of his career exactly as everyone expected because the team holds his rights

Doesn't take a genius to figure that one out

 

[Albus Dumbledore]

So does this mean Engvall is redundant?

I'll take him in Chicago. There's already a pair of Swedes in the bottom six (Janmark/Wallmark). Make a trifecta of mediocre Swedes and make a line of them.

He may be, hard to say hes still young at 24 with half a season of experience. Spezza or Thornton could both be gone after next season and having him is better but he does make a smidge more then 1 mil so you never know.

He had a great 15 or so games with the leafs last year that got him an extension. Turns out when mikheyev got injured his play dropped and mikheyev was carrying him. TBD to see if hes an nhler without him imo.

 

[DitchMarner]

Probably Eric Lindros?

The more interesting thing is the last time the Leafs won a playoff series is when Thornton was the last time He was seen clean shaven. Is there a link?

Yeah, Lindros (2005) is the last former Hart winner to have played for the team.

They haven't had a former Art Ross winner play for them since Dickie Moore (1965).