Confirmed with Link: [TOR/MTL] Tomas Plekanec (50% Retained) & Kyle Baun for Kerby Rychel, Rinat Valiev & TOR 2nd 2018

[StatsNightHeroes]

I think with the benefit of hindsight, we don't sign Matt Martin to that contract and we re-sign Boyle in this last off-season.

Signing a player like Martin to that contract was foolish from the get go, if they wanted a knuckle dragger that bad they could have just got a guy who can’t play at all, the team wasn’t supposed to compete that well last year.

It’s just frustrating to see where the Leafs have missed out on opportunities to really round out the core properly. I think it makes sense to keep the UFAs and go for it this year, but it’s going to sting if they all walk and the pieces we could have moved them for could have solved our top 4 D for years to come.

 

[Discordia]

Plex will also see a significant decrease in icetime (he's avg. 16Min with the Canadiens).

Whatever point increase you expect from him by playing with better players, in a better environment and with his shooting % possibly evening out - is mitigated by that fact imo.

 

[Darth Menace]

I will take a second for plekanic in a heartbeat to get rid of Moore and martin

 

[firstemperor]

I will take a second for plekanic in a heartbeat to get rid of Moore and martin

Moore is an adequate 4th liner that didn't necessitate an upgrade but make no mistake about it, Pleks isn't a 4th liner.....he's a guy who's basically used as a #1/#2, match-up guy and routinely plays against other team's best lines.....while simultaneously getting zero PP time, having to anchor the PK......and getting the brunt of Hab fan scrutiny (because he indeed, is overpaid, all things considered).

The problem is, a lot of Hab fans (not all of them) will insulate guys like Chuck and Drouin...who get far easier usage, PP time and project their woes onto Pleks because he's an easier target. It was the same with Pen fans and Hainsey last year, versus Maata, and to a lesser extent, Domoulin (except worst, because Hainsey fostered no long-serving admiration, he came in as a rental and was a easy target from day 1).

The price we paid for him is more than fair, the only reason why I was hesitant (because this was brought up actually in an analogous trade proposal before today) is because Pleks is a pure rental. If we can resign him at a good deal/hit as a #3/#4C on our club moving forward, it's a massive upgrade..given how he's been utilized.....also because this is a deep and excellent draft and I was at least semi-optimistic we could leverage those 2nd's to move up if need be (but this is a much lesser and trivial concern that had little bearing on my thoughts...it had moreso to do with the Pleks rental caveat....similar to Boyle last year).

 

[WTFMAN99]

Signing a player like Martin to that contract was foolish from the get go, if they wanted a knuckle dragger that bad they could have just got a guy who can’t play at all, the team wasn’t supposed to compete that well last year.

It’s just frustrating to see where the Leafs have missed out on opportunities to really round out the core properly. I think it makes sense to keep the UFAs and go for it this year, but it’s going to sting if they all walk and the pieces we could have moved them for could have solved our top 4 D for years to come.

If we can move him after July 1st signing bonus is paid out, he might have some appeal to teams. I was chastised a lot for flipping out over the signing.

People also told me to chill when I flipped about the summer when we traded 3 picks for Bolland, signed Clarkson, drafted Gauthier and re-signed Bozak. I was right on 3/4 of those.

 

[StatsNightHeroes]

If we can move him after July 1st signing bonus is paid out, he might have some appeal to teams. I was chastised a lot for flipping out over the signing.

People also told me to chill when I flipped about the summer when we traded 3 picks for Bolland, signed Clarkson, drafted Gauthier and re-signed Bozak. I was right on 3/4 of those.

I wonder if someone would claim him off waivers next fall. Next year isn’t so bad but the final year when Matthews is on a new deal we’ll need all the cap space possible.

 

[Welsh Maple Leaf]

Is Kyle Baun just a career AHLer?

 

[WTFMAN99]

I wonder if someone would claim him off waivers next fall. Next year isn’t so bad but the final year when Matthews is on a new deal we’ll need all the cap space possible.

Basically after July 1st this summer Martin's money looks like this:

2018-19 - $750k salary
2019-20 - 1M SB and 750k salary

Cap hit 2.5M

 

[horner]

For those that are worried about a second Rd pk.
Leaf management is very good at picking up quality players from Russia over the past couple of yrs .
Zaitsev
Borgman

 

[meefer]

Last years 2nd round pick helped lead the Leafs to the playoffs for the first time in years. A well spent pick. It introduced our youngsters to the rigors of playoff hockey. Invaluable experience. This years 2nd offers us a better chance to pass through the first round as neither Tampa or Boston are as deep as we are at C, dependent on Matthews returning in form, of course. The add guarantees us nothing, but Plek does improve our team. We have four lines we can roll with with varying degrees of confidence, they should all be able to contribute and it makes other teams more wary of our offensive firepower. I'd still like an add on D (and I for one am down with trading JVR) but if not, I believe we are a bigger threat today than we were on Saturday.

 

[BodaciousBeefBazooka]

Is Kyle Baun just a career AHLer?

Based on his age and stats, it sure looks like it.

 

[StatsNightHeroes]

Basically after July 1st this summer Martin's money looks like this:

2018-19 - $750k salary
2019-20 - 1M SB and 750k salary

Cap hit 2.5M

If Ottawa decides to blow it up that contract might be appealing to them and help them get to the cap floor. Worst case scenario I’m sure they can dump him on a team by trading a 7th or low tier prospect.

 

[Pookie]

Last years 2nd round pick helped lead the Leafs to the playoffs for the first time in years. A well spent pick. It introduced our youngsters to the rigors of playoff hockey. Invaluable experience. This years 2nd offers us a better chance to pass through the first round as neither Tampa or Boston are as deep as we are at C, dependent on Matthews returning in form, of course. The add guarantees us nothing, but Plek does improve our team. We have four lines we can roll with with varying degrees of confidence, they should all be able to contribute and it makes other teams more wary of our offensive firepower. I'd still like an add on D (and I for one am down with trading JVR) but if not, I believe we are a bigger threat today than we were on Saturday.

You are all for “invaluable playoff experience”, getting through the first round and support giving up picks.

Yet, you’d make the team and specifically the special teams weaker by trading JVR which would have the net effect of increasing their chances to lose in the playoffs?

Pretty inconsistent views there.

Perhaps you just favour a go for it now approach that only includes players you like?

 

[4thline]

Plex will also see a significant decrease in icetime (he's avg. 16Min with the Canadiens).
.

I don't know if I'd bet on that,

 

[Al14]

Just saw the interview with Plekanec on TSN. Sounds like he is definitely just a rental!

He didn't really seem to be that thrilled to have been traded, and, although he said he was happy to join the Leafs for a chance at a Cup, his demeanor was screaming otherwise.

He also hinted that he wants to stay in Montreal as his kids are in school there and they speak french as their 1st language! It sure doesn't sound to me that he is interested in moving his family to Toronto!

He said he was open to returning to the Habs. Quelle surprise!

This is exactly why I didn't want a toilet seat player on the Leafs. Despite how bad their team and organization are at the moment, their players always appear to be loyal to the team.

I'm now not happy spending any assets on his acquisition! I hope his short stay with our Leafs changes my mind!

 

[Trapper]

Just saw the interview with Plekanec on TSN. Sounds like he is definitely just a rental!

He didn't really seem to be that thrilled to have been traded, and, although he said he was happy to join the Leafs for a chance at a Cup, his demeanor was screaming otherwise.

He also hinted that he wants to stay in Montreal as his kids are in school there and they speak french as their 1st language! It sure doesn't sound to me that he is interested in moving his family to Toronto!

He said he was open to returning to the Habs. Quelle surprise!

This is exactly why I didn't want a toilet seat player on the Leafs. Despite how bad their team and organization are at the moment, their players always appear to be loyal to the team.

I'm now not happy spending any assets on his acquisition! I hope his short stay with our Leafs changes my mind!

Hate this deal. Hate that it's a waste to all things: the Habs.
We'd better have a good playoff run. If we get bounced in the 1st round I'm going to be even less than impressed.
I already don't like the JVR situation and now this.
Turtleneck, Bozak and JVR better be the best players on this team.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Hate this deal. Hate that it's a waste to all things: the Habs.
We'd better have a good playoff run. If we get bounced in the 1st round I'm going to be even less than impressed.
I already don't like the JVR situation and now this.
Turtleneck, Bozak and JVR better be the best players on this team.

Silver lining - the Habs drafting under Bergevin has been pretty underwhelming?

Really though the Leafs have fared well against both Boston and Tampa this season and can certainly beat them in a 7 game series. For me its less about how far they get in the playoffs, and more about losing a 2nd rounder... Shades of Dave Nonis with 2nd's being dealt for Pleks and now Boyle.

I will say that the 2nd is better spent on Pleks than Boyle, but it is still a 2nd spent.

I just hope they make some additional moves today to get a pick or two back. Yes they lost a 2nd for 2018, but they've gained a 2019 3rd and a 2020 7th (Yes those picks aren't as good, but better than nothing).

 

[Budsfan]

Plekanec excited to join talented Leafs team, open to returning as UFA

After being acquired by the Maple Leafs, Tomas Plekanec says he is excited to join a talented team in Toronto that will be playing for the Stanley Cup and that he understands why the move was made by Marc Bergevin. He also leaves the door open to return to Montreal as a free agent this summer.

Plekanec excited to join talented Leafs team, open to returning as UFA

 

[Nithoniniel]

Here are our flaws going into the TDL:

* Partner (preferably RHD) for Rielly/Gardiner.
* D-man with shutdown capability.
* Slot presence on a secondary PP.
* Faceoff ability on the PK.
* Depth on the PK.
* A #4C that can play.
* Center depth at NHL level.
* Center options for T9 injuries.

For the price of a second and spare parts, we addressed the last five of them. It's a pinpoint trade for fair value.

Now if we can get a long-term top four defender like McDonagh, then we might just enter the playoffs as one of the most well-rounded teams in the league.

 

[Trapper]

Here are our flaws going into the TDL:

* Partner (preferably RHD) for Rielly/Gardiner.
* D-man with shutdown capability.
* Slot presence on a secondary PP.
* Faceoff ability on the PK.
* Depth on the PK.
* A #4C that can play.
* Center depth at NHL level.
* Center options for T9 injuries.

For the price of a second and spare parts, we addressed the last five of them. It's a pinpoint trade for fair value.

Now if we can get a long-term top four defender like McDonagh, then we might just enter the playoffs as one of the most well-rounded teams in the league.

The trouble is next year as well. Are those points addressed next year or just today. Which of the current playoff teams have the most UFAs going into next season I wonder? I can't even judge what we do now as a base for next year. 5/6 guys poised to walk.

 

[Nithoniniel]

I'd like to expand on the point about faceoffs. I'm often saying that faceoffs don't matter as much as commonly thought, but there are some reasons for that. Primarily that a large part of them take place in the neutral zone where they don't make that much of a difference, but also because of the differences not being so large.

Many things change on the PK. For one, you start in the defensive zone so the neutral zone argument is not a factor. A loss also leads to more pressure than on even strength. The effect is so profound that a lost faceoff in the defensive zone means that you are twice as likely to get scored on in that shift. That means that differences in faceoff prowess that didn't matter so much at even strength becomes vital on the PK.

If you look at the Leafs, we only had wingers on the PK. Komarov has done reasonably well on the dot and his forward pairing has also fared well on shifts that start in their own zone as a result, but the other forward combinations have struggled in those situations.

Getting someone like Plekanec allows us to plug that hole, and make our PK that much better in the process.

 

[Nithoniniel]

The trouble is next year as well. Are those points addressed next year or just today. Which of the current playoff teams have the most UFAs going into next season I wonder? I can't even judge what we do now as a base for next year. 5/6 guys poised to walk.

It's always a balancing act between future and now. We are well set for the future. We have a lot of draft picks in upcoming drafts, and we have elite depth of prospects. As such, we can afford short-term solutions, and look at long-term solutions further on.

Our UFAs at this point would be JVR, Bozak, Komarov, Polak, Plekanec? One is a rental, and three of the others have little enough value to be inconsequential.

 

[inthe6ix]

Is Kyle Baun just a career AHLer?

seems like it

has his dad's name, but that's it

maybe playing for the blue and white will inject whatever is missing but we shouldn't hold our breaths

 

[inthe6ix]

Wonder how long it's going to take for people to correctly spell Plekanec before he's gone after this season since he didn't seemed too enthused to be joining us after 13 years with the Habs.

His heart and family are obviously still with them, but as long as his does his job while here, who cares I guess.

 

[Daisy Jane]

The trouble is next year as well. Are those points addressed next year or just today. Which of the current playoff teams have the most UFAs going into next season I wonder? I can't even judge what we do now as a base for next year. 5/6 guys poised to walk.

I don't think so really. @dimi78 had a really good post that the Leafs could be trying to to operate more like an NFL team and that's where the league is heading but to address your points without being "but we can" because I do respect your view, my friend (hug).


this is how i see it.
we have 5/6 guys poised to walk, but this allows a lot of the depth we have in the AHL ready to graduate.. now I think we've been lucky that we do have depth that I think once again we'll have some people coming up. I also feel that we're going to mining back in the KHL (that defenseman guy, maybe Kovy etc). not to mention, with the 5-6 spaces, it allows us to be aggressive in the NCAA market and CHL/Overagers.

that helps. now ideally i think the Leafs will start trading pieces to get more draft picks (because I do think it's important - truly i do), but I think honestly the management wants to focus a lot on the team at present and give them support as they can, and then deal with it (as much as i've griped about Lou the past few days, the one thing we can't deny is that he does have a lot of (invisible) stokes in the fire, and Hunter can mine some untapped talent from other places than the draft. I'm confident that a lot)

I also feel that the contracts/cap-space gone (and should the leafs not go for Tavares) - it gives them a warchest the summer of 2019. And I think it's also okay to have a war-chest/cap flexibility (or as much s we can before big contracts kick in) - because i think we also have seen the Leafs be aggressive when they need to be.