Confirmed with Link: TOR signs LD Mikko Lehtonen

[biotk]

The Leafs had their perfect 3 LHD 3 RHD this season and they were/are a pretty bad D-core. This was done to please Babs, who was the one who was hung-up on the LHD-RHD even though many of his years in Detroit it was almost entirely LHDs.

Take for instance 2011/12 (Detroit D in order - RHDs are bolded)

Lidstrom
Kronwall
White
Stuart
Ericsson
Kindl
Quincey
Smith
Commodore
Janik

1 D in their top-6 was a RHD. Their other RHD was #9 on the depth chart.

I think that the Leafs' will try to acquire another RHD, but Dubas has always said that he is about finding efficiencies - RHDs are currently well over-priced and the exact opposite of finding efficiencies. I think if you are a young D who wants to either make the roster or move up in the lineup you better show you are can play the right side.

I suspect Sandin (and Liljegren) will spend another year in the minors. If he is I hope they leave him there for the season instead of bouncing him around.

 

[Muston Atthews]

Thank god we don’t have a coach who will neuter him ala Babcock with Zaitsev

 

[Wafflewhipper]

In what world is Rielly a better defenseman than Parayko?

I’m not sure where you are, so hard to answer. Is it a oxygen depleted environment there!

 

[LeafsOHLRangers98]

Rielly is horrible on right side. It is his hands. Dermy is d*mn good at it.
This guy does not fit at all with what we need unless he can play right side too.

Rielly is actually pretty decent on the right side when paired with Muzzin. Limited sample size but I think that pair could work.

Dermott is almost better on the right.

I would prefer a better lefty/righty balance but we'll see what this summer holds.

 

[Menzinger]

Rielly, Muzzin, Dermott, Sandin, Lehtonen would be 5 LHD... makes me wonder if Dermott could be trade bait.

One of Sandin or Dermott will have to play on the right, or elae onE moved, and thats not going to be Sandin...

Dermott + Kap couple probably return a pretty good D man

 

[93LEAFS]

Before everyone jumps to the trade Dermot attitude. Nothing about this guy indicates he's above an AHL player.

 

[Menzinger]

Nice get by management.

Theyve shown quite the knack for getting their man in free agency. Any time thr Leafs benefit and other teams loses out is a good day in my books. And zero risk if he doesnt work out

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Before everyone jumps to the trade Dermot attitude. Nothing about this guy indicates he's above an AHL player. The Finnish league has been dramatically weakened in recent year, and has any legitimate NHL defencemen jumped from SM-Liiga to the NHL at 26 in recent years?

Well he came from the KHL, where he was the top producing defenseman and one of the top producing players in the entire league.

Plenty of players have jumped straight from the KHL to the NHL.

 

[93LEAFS]

Well he came from the KHL, where he was the top producing defenseman and one of the top producing players in the entire league.

Plenty of players have jumped straight from the KHL to the NHL.

I realized my mistake quickly after. But, lets not act like there is a good transfer rate from KHL defender to NHL defender in recent years. Especially enough of one that we decide to trade a 23 year old defender with more team control left to play him.

Find me the last quality defender to jump from the KHL to the NHL with no NA experience in recent years above the age of 23? The best example is probably Zaitsev.

 

[IPS]

lmao @ the mod warning being required on the main board thread.

Only with the Leafs is it necessary.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Replacement for burrie

 

[Zub]

I remember last year watching him play for Team Finland when they won the WC gold, every game he was the backbone of the finnish defence, offensively atleast, the guy carried the puck from his own zone to the offensive zone so many times with ease that i lost count, he was the best player on that team imo even if he didnt rack up a ton of points. But that was on a big rink so you never know will he transition it to the smaller NA rink, i think he just might, but he is a wildcard. Even if he doesn't pan out it's still a good move done by the Leafs. Heres to hoping he succeeds.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Before everyone jumps to the trade Dermot attitude. Nothing about this guy indicates he's above an AHL player.

Really? Nothing?

 

[93LEAFS]

Really? Nothing?

I mean, I'd say the likelihood of its pretty small. Fine with the gamble, but depending on him to fill in for Dermott and make Demott trade bait would just be reckless. Find me the last 23 or older KHL defender come over here and actually do something? This is a league Chris Lee destroys.

 

[Zub]

Really? Nothing?

Don't listen to him.

 

[lovemyleafs]

Replacement for burrie

yup, pretty much. It's amazing the off-season hasn't even begun, and we've already filled the void that will be left by barrie's departure and then some.

 

[Zub]

I mean, I'd say the likelihood of its pretty small. Fine with the gamble, but depending on him to fill in for Dermott and make Demott trade bait would just be reckless. Find me the last 23 or older KHL defender come over here and actually do something? This is a league Chris Lee destroys.

I mean you could be right, but seriously he has some skills that AHL'ers don't have, lets just hope this ain't the case, your being abit too negative on the matter i think. But i can understand why in a sense ofc.

 

[4thline]

Just based on comments from Dubas, none of Sandin or Lilly are guaranteed spots, so everyone putting Sandin in the lineup for sure might want to step back. Another thing I take away from the comments he isn't trading any of the young defencemen.

Makes a lot of sense

Rielly-Holl
Muzzin-Lehtonen/Dermott
Lehtonen/Dermott - xxx
Marincin

xxx= Bogosian/Ceci/Braun/Gudas

Sandin/Liljegren get challenged to take the step from top pair to league wide MVP level in the A, and the team has two high end waiver exempt replacements.

 

[The Podium]

I mean, I'd say the likelihood of its pretty small. Fine with the gamble, but depending on him to fill in for Dermott and make Demott trade bait would just be reckless. Find me the last 23 or older KHL defender come over here and actually do something? This is a league Chris Lee destroys.

Mark Giordano

 

[93LEAFS]

Mark Giordano

A guy who played there because of a hold out and happened over a decade ago? Shining example of getting defensive talent out of the KHL.

 

[weems]

 

[The Podium]

A guy who played there because of a hold out and happened over a decade ago? Shining example of getting defensive talent out of the KHL.

Well... There is literally 8 Russian defencemen in the NHL right now and only 2 are undrafted. You dont have a good enough sample size.

Lyubushkin
Zaitsev

One undrafted Finnish D in Riikola... but not KHL, he is a top 4 however

Kempny is an undrafted D from the KHL, ended up a #4/5

 

[ottomaddox]

This guy was the best defenseman outside of the NHL last season. Why in the world would it be a Marlies move?

With all due respect, wasn't Dallas Eakins the best coach outside of the NHL?

 

[Mats13]

Dreadful without knowing return. Reasonable.....

I agree it would have to be pretty damn good return though. But with Dermott Muzz and Sandin....our left isn’t terrible. Reilly for a stud Righty and this new fella on the right?

meh just miss hockey

Am I reading this right? Are you saying we should trade Rielly???

 

[ZippityDooDa]

This signing replaces everything Barrie brought to the team and likely much more because Barrie was a useless tit. At least this guy is reported to be able to actually play a two-way game which is important for us if true. I also like that we reacquired Rosen as he was playing a mans game with us before the break. Liljegren needs more time, he still gets very overwhelmed out there.

Good riddance to Barrie and Ceci.

Will Lehtonen be able to play in the playoffs for us this year if the season finishes?