Confirmed with Link: [TOR] Maple Leafs Re-Sign Carter Ashton [1 year/$850K]

[StuckOutHere]

@SNHockeyCentral 5s
MT @renlavoietva Carter Ashton accepts his QO. 1 year at $850 000. 2 way contract. #mapleleafs #tvasports

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[ACC1224]

Career Minor Leaguer, 4th line fill in.

 

[SprDaVE]

No surprise here. Another one down, 4 to go.

 

[Ace88*]

hope he gets his chance to stick on the 4th line. I also hope he doesn't fight because he got ragdolled in the NHL fights he has been in.

 

[Punch Drunk Loov]

That's fine with me

 

[SprDaVE]

Career Minor Leaguer, 4th line fill in.

I actually think he's fairly underrated. When you have a shooting percentage of 0% on 45 shots, I think you're bound to get some breaks go your way eventually. I can recall at least 4 or 5 instances where he was completely robbed of a goal.

I honestly think he'll be a solid contributor this season. He didn't look out of place when he actually got to play more then 5 minutes a game.

 

[ACC1224]

I actually think he's fairly underrated. When you have a shooting percentage of 0% on 45 shots, I think you're bound to get some breaks go your way eventually.

I honestly think he'll be a solid contributor this season.

Hope you're right. I've never thought he had much to offer. Big heart though.

 

[SprDaVE]

Hope you're right. I've never thought he had much to offer. Big heart though.

Plays hard and competes along the boards. We desperately need some of that.

Similar to Holland and a couple other youngsters, no matter how good you are, it will be incredibly hard to make an impact when you play between 2 and 6 minutes, which are the minutes he got before the last game of the season when he got 12 minutes and looked a lot better then most regulars.

I'm not suggesting he's the next Cam Neely, but god damn he needs to play more then 4 to 6 shifts a game. It's Pejorative Slured the minutes he got when he can actually skate and make a 2 foot pass, unlike Orr and McLaren.

 

[ACC1224]

Plays hard and competes along the boards. We desperately need some of that.

Similar to Holland and a couple other youngsters, no matter how good you are, it will be incredibly hard to make an impact when you play between 2 and 6 minutes, which are the minutes he got before the last game of the season when he got 12 minutes and looked a lot better then most regulars.

Yeah, I'm willing to keep an open mind with him, hope I'm wrong.

I think for sure this Team will be harder working this year which is long overdue.

 

[paulhiggins]

...I also hope he doesn't fight because he got ragdolled in the NHL fights he has been in.

If he has any motivation to improve his game he should learn how to do it effectvely rather than avoid it.

 

[Schenn]

Good for Ashton. Hopefully he gets a full time position this year.

 

[namttebih]

Call me crazy but I think that he'd look good with Kadri and Lupul.

 

[StuckOutHere]

Posted this on the trade board:

On why Ashton looks like he isn't NHL quality:

I think it has something to do with opportunity. He has shown a good scoring touch in the AHL (16 goals in 24 games last year), but he doesn't get the opportunities with the Leafs. I like his cycle game and he is at times hard to contain down low/on the boards. Regardless, this year he bounced between the press box and 4th line for 4 minutes a game with Colton Orr, sometimes playing center. This followed a great training camp. Hopefully with the Marlies influence behind the bench in Spott he can receive and embrace an opportunity to do more.

 

[diceman934]

A two way deal is the key....he will likely play more games for the Marlies and maybe the whole season. I think he is up against it making the Leafs this year...it will come down to Brodie or Ashton.....and Brodie wins the roster spot easily.

 

[Mess]

Ashton needs to clear waivers to be sent down so will be given every opportunity to make the Leafs in camp.

He is battling other 4th liners for that spot, with a player like Troy Bodie likely his greatest competition for an on ice spot as opposed to a pressbox seat.

 

[TOG26]

Ashton needs to clear waivers to be sent down so will be given every opportunity to make the Leafs in camp.

He is battling other 4th liners for that spot, with a player like Troy Bodie likely his greatest competition for an on ice spot as opposed to a pressbox seat.

I would also say Ashton is fighting with Frattin, if Ashton can show flashes of his AHL scoring vs NHL competition he could leapfrog Frattin as well.

 

[Mess]

I would also say Ashton is fighting with Frattin, if Ashton can show flashes of his AHL scoring vs NHL competition.

I agree but because Frattin was acquired recently for a pick and prospect he likely is a bigger part of Leaf plans at present.

If management believed Ashton could do what Frattin might be able to then they likely wouldn't have made the trade.

Frattin might even get a chance alongside Lupul and Kadri on the 2nd line where he had success in the past.

Leafs could actually ice a Marlies 4th line of Ashton -- Holland -- Frattin potentially.

 

[wc17]

I agree but because Frattin was acquired recently for a pick and prospect he likely is a bigger part of Leaf plans at present.

If management believed Ashton could do what Frattin might be able to then they likely wouldn't have made the trade.

Frattin might even get a chance alongside Lupul and Kadri on the 2nd line where he had success in the past.

Leafs could actually ice a Marlies 4th line of Ashton -- Holland -- Frattin potentially.

And, if utilized correctly (more than 4 minutes a game), those 3 can be very useful to the Leafs next season.

Whether or not they actually are given an opportunity is a different issue all together...but Shanahan and others have been saying the right things this off-season.

The Leafs are gonna need guys like Ashton to step up for sure though...or else theyre looking at another bottom 5 finish.

 

[htpwn]

Hard to complain about the deal.

Make or Break year for Ashton coming up. Either he can be a successful NHLer or not. Just because you put up numbers in the American League doesn't mean they'll carry you to the NHL. He doesn't have the talent to be Top 6 forward, so he'll have to find his niche and contribute elsewhere at the NHL level.

The Leafs also need to put him in a position to succeed. He's not going to get the ice time he gets with the Marlies, but no player should be playing 4 minutes a night. The way Carlyle handled him, other young players, and the 4th line in general last year was a recipe for failure. A 4th line should play between 10-12 minutes a night.

 

[Pierre Gotye]

Career Minor Leaguer, 4th line fill in.

And how so? The guy has gotten next to little in terms of opportunity with the Leafs.

4th line with Orr and McClement and 5 minutes a game isn't going to get anyone much in terms of production.

 

[indigobuffalo]

Hard to complain about the deal.

Make or Break year for Ashton coming up. Either he can be a successful NHLer or not. Just because you put up numbers in the American League doesn't mean they'll carry you to the NHL. He doesn't have the talent to be Top 6 forward, so he'll have to find his niche and contribute elsewhere at the NHL level.

The Leafs also need to put him in a position to succeed. He's not going to get the ice time he gets with the Marlies, but no player should be playing 4 minutes a night. The way Carlyle handled him, other young players, and the 4th line in general last year was a recipe for failure. A 4th line should play between 10-12 minutes a night.

What evidence is there of this? His usage dictated his opportunities.

IMO he was pretty much the same player as Frattin. Hard on the puck, fast, lots of opportunities but lacked finish in a lot of instances. However, Frattin was given 2nd line minutes and Ashton has been mostly on the 3rd or 4th lines.

Ashton is young, and still growing into his frame, as the development curve for power-forwards is slower than that of skill forwards.

Ashton could still wind up capable of top 6 minutes. But frankly, I'm very happy with him as a bottom 6 depth player because of the elements I listed above, and the affordable cap hit that usually goes with players in the bottom 6.

I expect Ashton to be able to get 15-25 goals per season.

 

[Mess]

Hard to complain about the deal.
.

Well he did sign his qualifying offer he received from the Leafs so they could retain his rights.

The only other outcome could have been holding out for more or taking less money on a 1-way guaranteed contract as opposed to more on a 2-way deal (but gets paid much less to be an AHLer).

However Ashton is banking on the fact that he needs to clear waiver to be sent down that Leafs keep him on the NHL roster so he can earn $850k, even while sitting in the pressbox.

 

[Rob Brown]

A two way deal is the key....he will likely play more games for the Marlies and maybe the whole season. I think he is up against it making the Leafs this year...it will come down to Brodie or Ashton.....and Brodie wins the roster spot easily.

Brodie?

I like Ashton, and I think he'll end up on the fourth line, but he really needs more minutes if he's ever going to prove anything. He's been pretty snakebitten so hopefully he gets some bounces this year. Dude needs to stop fighting though.

 

[Atomos2]

Would've preferred if he had been the one being traded for Frattin rather than D'amigo. Don't care much for this deal.

 

[ConnorTO]

now he makes more than a surgeon !