Confirmed with Link: TOR signs LD Mikko Lehtonen

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Martin Skoula

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Amen. He carried a top 4 pair in that last stretch while we had injuries, often against the #1D matchups. Sure he hadn't had the best season until that point (really a bad first few months, not bad since January and very good in that last stretch), but he also dislocated a shoulder last year and that seemed to make Matthews gunshy on contact as well.

We would have some pretty serious egg on our face if we traded him now to find out that he's the player that he has been for the last little while. I can see the "how could you trade him when he already showed that he was that good?!" comments now

Unless he can play RHD, where does Dermott play even if he is a guy that can play top-4? Further, if he shows that he is "that guy", where does the money for him come from?

The egg on our face is if we get a bad return for him. If he's part of a package deal for a legit #2 RHD, I don't think anyone will complain even if he goes on to have a Stralman development curve.
 

LeafParade

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Unless he can play RHD, where does Dermott play even if he is a guy that can play top-4? Further, if he shows that he is "that guy", where does the money for him come from?

The egg on our face is if we get a bad return for him. If he's part of a package deal for a legit #2 RHD, I don't think anyone will complain even if he goes on to have a Stralman development curve.

Dermott is the LD that is most likely to play on the right. After that it makes me wonder if Sandin may start in the AHL. Reilly, Muzzin, Mikko is your left side. Unless they plan on moving another LD to the right, Sandin could be starting in the AHL.

I actually think Sandin is capable of playing on the right if paired with a solid defensive partner. But besides Muzzin, who would that be?

Training camp just got really interesting.
 

diehardleafsfan9878

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Wouldn't this be considered illegal under the CBA? Or did Dubas take money from Soup to go and buy him things? Or is it only illegal if the corporate entity that is MLSE executives making purchases for players illegal?
 

Martin Skoula

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Dermott is the LD that is most likely to play on the right. After that it makes me wonder if Sandin may start in the AHL. Reilly, Muzzin, Mikko is your left side. Unless they plan on moving another LD to the right, Sandin could be starting in the AHL.

Ok, and then what? We're still in the exact same situation next year, how long do you want Sandin to be in the AHL?
 

diehardleafsfan9878

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clearly Dermott is the wildcard.

He is either going to be moved to the right side (I hope)
or dealt.

Reilly Dermot
Muzzin Holl
Makes sense
Leaves Lehtonen and Sandin battling for the 3rd spot.

We are stacked @ LHD
And this signing might be the vampire stake to the heart of Marty Marincin.
Don't bet on that.
 

rent free

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Unless he can play RHD, where does Dermott play even if he is a guy that can play top-4? Further, if he shows that he is "that guy", where does the money for him come from?

The egg on our face is if we get a bad return for him. If he's part of a package deal for a legit #2 RHD, I don't think anyone will complain even if he goes on to have a Stralman development curve.
dermott can play with rielly on the top pair.
 

Martin Skoula

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dermott can play with rielly on the top pair.

When has he ever shown this? 98% of his NHL career has been played in (some of) the most sheltered 3rd pairing D minutes in the league on the left side, and he's still shown struggles in that role.
 

diehardleafsfan9878

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So a little less than 1 million and around 400k after taxes, pension and agent?

If that true then wow, his release clause was rumoured to be something between 500k-1mil.

So basically he is paying to play hockey next year.
His release clause would be paid in Russian Rubles. So 500k Ruble, is 6500 USD.
 

rent free

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When has he ever shown this? 98% of his NHL career has been played in (some of) the most sheltered 3rd pairing D minutes in the league on the left side, and he's still shown struggles in that role.
he can show it next season, when he'd be playing with his best defense partner that he hasn't gotten to play with yet (rielly) .

besides, beyond rielly, muzzin and holl, no one else is a lock for the top-4. lehtonen just came over so he's got no nhl experience; sandin has only played a handful of nhl games, liljegren has played even less and i won't even give reasons for rosen and marincin
 

deletethis

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Farm out Sandin for one more season and there's still a 4 LHD log jam that will be addressed.

If you really believe in this player, re-sign Dermott on a bridge deal at about $2M AAV, deal Rielly in order to acquire a 1st pairing RHD.

Muzzin-Mr. New RHD
Lehtonen-Holl
Dermott-Liljegren (or another RHD signing/acquisition)
Marincin

Lehtonen replaces Rielly on the 1st PP.

Send down Sandin to be the 1st recall when injuries strike.

If Lehtonen walks as a UFA, the team still has Sandin ready to join the team full time and Dermott plus LHD are much easier to source than RHD.
 

Fogelhund

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Unless he can play RHD, where does Dermott play even if he is a guy that can play top-4? Further, if he shows that he is "that guy", where does the money for him come from?

The egg on our face is if we get a bad return for him. If he's part of a package deal for a legit #2 RHD, I don't think anyone will complain even if he goes on to have a Stralman development curve.


Lehtonen has played RD before, including for Finland at the WHC. Those who have watched him, believe he is equally competent on the Right Side.

I am surprised by this signing, but in a very good way. I just didn't think he'd choose us, but I suppose we need a guy, particularly if he can work out on the right side. Let's assume for a moment, that he works out, and is effective as a second pairing RHD. I appreciate that Dermott has upside, but if we could move him, and a forward for a Manson type guy, or just sign a Tanev/Hamonic to play with Rielly, our D might not be too bad.

Rielly Manson/Tanev/Hamonic
Muzzin Lehtonen
Sandin/Dermott Holl

I mean, that's starting to look a lot better than where we've been...

Alternatively, you move Rielly for Parayko as an example, and have plenty of options moving forward too.
 
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Kiwi

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When has he ever shown this? 98% of his NHL career has been played in (some of) the most sheltered 3rd pairing D minutes in the league on the left side, and he's still shown struggles in that role.

He did a good job with Holl in a shutdown role when we had injuries this season, it's time to move him up the lineup and sort out exactly what he is before we make a decision on giving him a new potentially mid to long term contract
 

Zub

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I really hope he succeeds in the big league, but you never know with these guys no matter how good they do in the KHL or where ever else they play at, and as a Finn, i'm naturally always abit pessimistic but i mean i LOVE the leafs and i love Lehtonen so it feels like the stars are aligning for me finally haha.
 

Patmac40

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Beyond where he ends up in the regular D pairings, I wonder what his role on the PP will be. He seems to be incredibly poised on the blueline, does a good job of holding the line when needed, gets shots through, and sees the ice really well from back there to find guys around the zone.
 

Martin Skoula

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He did a good job with Holl in a shutdown role when we had injuries this season, it's time to move him up the lineup and sort out exactly what he is before we make a decision on giving him a new potentially mid to long term contract

I'd be careful with his ~20ish games in that role, he had the highest PDO among our defense by a good margin in the games after Rielly went down.

I do want to see what we have in him, but pencilling him in for top pairing RD minutes on day one seems like a recipe for disaster. He has a lot of the same flaws as Barrie in terms of decision making under pressure, except without the offensive IQ to balance it out. He can't be the defensive half of a pairing IMO, he'd need to be with Muzzin to make sense in the top-4.
 

Randy Randerson

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Unless he can play RHD, where does Dermott play even if he is a guy that can play top-4? Further, if he shows that he is "that guy", where does the money for him come from?

The egg on our face is if we get a bad return for him. If he's part of a package deal for a legit #2 RHD, I don't think anyone will complain even if he goes on to have a Stralman development curve.
I meant in the case that we trade him without getting a very good return, like a young top 4rhd with top pairing upside. In that case, the question of where the money comes from is still a pressing one, a byproduct of having too many good players and a problem that we should get used to having because it's not going anywhere. I would still always be pulling for our players to put us in that position rather than not be good enough to do that.

I do think he'll be competent on the right side though, and luckily RFA dmen are way less expensive than RFA forwards, look at the recent comps: Parayko, Andersson, Girard, Chychrun, Theodore, Hanifin, etc. There is a lot of precedent for a much lower cap on Dermott's contract than a comparable level forward, assuming that he maintains the level of play that we saw since Muzzin got hurt.

I'd be careful with his ~20ish games in that role, he had the highest PDO among our defense by a good margin in the games after Rielly went down.

I do want to see what we have in him, but pencilling him in for top pairing RD minutes on day one seems like a recipe for disaster. He has a lot of the same flaws as Barrie in terms of decision making under pressure, except without the offensive IQ to balance it out. He can't be the defensive half of a pairing IMO, he'd need to be with Muzzin to make sense in the top-4.
I agree with a lot of what you're saying here, but I don't see much of Barrie in his game in terms of decision making, I'd call that a huge strength of Dermott's game - thinks very fast.

He did lob some grenades early in the year, but I don't see that often in him.
 
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PanniniClaus

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If we are going to add pieces like this they need to bring something we don't have. Can Lehtonen hit the one timer?
 

Kiwi

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I'd be careful with his ~20ish games in that role, he had the highest PDO among our defense by a good margin in the games after Rielly went down.

I do want to see what we have in him, but pencilling him in for top pairing RD minutes on day one seems like a recipe for disaster. He has a lot of the same flaws as Barrie in terms of decision making under pressure, except without the offensive IQ to balance it out. He can't be the defensive half of a pairing IMO, he'd need to be with Muzzin to make sense in the top-4.

Barrie? Dermott is a good transitional defender who plays a very tight gap

Barrie ain't doing that

I'd be happy for him to go on the right with Muzzin and use Holl with Rielly if they are the best equipped players we've got for those roles since I doubt a saviour is coming to play the top pair RD anytime soon
 
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Rare Jewel

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Well, we will see how he does. Right now you would have to say he's about the 4th or 5th on the depth chart for the left side so the farm team being in Toronto would be at least reassuring, Makes you wonder why he wouldn't go to a team with a clearer path even to the 3rd pairing Montreal, Detroit or where ever.
 

Al14

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Jul 13, 2007
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I didn't come here for a couple of months just to come back and see people trying to trade Reilly...... I'll try again in a couple months.
Rielly isn't exactly the Bobby Orr of our Leafs, but, whatever. His name is also spelt R I E L L Y.

See you in a couple of months. Stay safe.
 
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