Confirmed with Link: Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Cody Franson (1 yr/2m)

[xyzz]

Dion,Gunnar,Gardiner,Ranger, Franson are locks. One spot left.

Brennan,Fraser,Liles,Reilly

Tough choice, I like what each guy brings to the team..

 

[AustonMitchWilly]

Honestly? Its gotta be Liles. Push him hard, make him make plays and improve his stock.

Then flip him to a team and let Brennan or Fraser play the rest.

 

[bobermay]

Honestly? Its gotta be Liles. Push him hard, make him make plays and improve his stock.

Then flip him to a team and let Brennan or Fraser play the rest.

This would be optimal, but there is a good chance that with keeping Liles up, we'd have to send Fraser or Brennan down to the AHL... and either of them would likely get picked up on waivers IMO.

In waiving Liles and keeping Brennan up, we save roughly 300k in capspace.

 

[Eb]

When will it be announced what the salary cap will be for the upcoming year?


------


As mentioned many times in this thread, great job Nonis.

 

[Jack Bauer]

LOL @ the talk all summer about $5.9 not being enough for Kadri and Franson and Nonis didnt know what he was doing. He got both plus Mayson Raymond.

 

[Ricky Bobby]

Lebrun says a lto of teams, including the Leafs, should waive a bunch of players today

Nonis is probably working the phones right now regarding Holzer and Fraser.

 

[The Missing Piece]

I'm just thrilled with that signing. Very impressed!

 

[Brock Radunske]

Nonis is probably working the phones right now regarding Holzer and Fraser.

I think Little-Big Joe is gone.
He's been outplayed by a few guys and he won't pass through waivers. I could see him and Liles being shipped to Calgary for something decent back. Nothing major, likely a decent prospect and a 2nd/3rd

 

[SprDaVE]

Dion,Gunnar,Gardiner,Ranger, Franson are locks. One spot left.

Brennan,Fraser,Liles,Reilly

Tough choice, I like what each guy brings to the team..

Fraser, Brennan and Liles can be replaced internally, especially the former 2. They are bottom pairing defensemen that can be replaced with a smaller cap hit.

 

[Smif]

Trading Liles, letting go of a few depth players like Fraser and with a cap rise, Leafs should be fine.

We will likely lose a player like Kulemin though, unless he signs a fair contract is he puts up another bad offensive year.

Kulemin stinks now anyways.

 

[Penalty Kill Icing*]

No Franson on ice today.

#2014HoldoutPreparation.

Probably clearing the physicals away.

 

[Eb]

Kulemin stinks now anyways.

Doesn't put up lotzz of goalzz, he stinks like poo poo.

Give me a break.

 

[Budsfan]

Franson can be traded if there is no room for him, as Rielly probably has his last season in junior this year, and then they have other defenders who are knocking on the door, Percy for one.

I agree Ulf there are a lot of possibilities and that's what I was alluding to, another 2 1/2 mill will be freed up on the buyouts of Tucker and Armstrong and the cap take back of Frattin and Scrivens.

If the cap goes up to 70 plus million next year and add-on the above he may just be able to pull it off but I think this is the reason he didn't buyout Liles and have an extra drain on the cap for next year but I think possibly Liles will be on the block and Kulemin too.

These are the players we can replace with Reilly and Ashton.

 

[Deebo]

Doesn't put up lotzz of goalzz, he stinks like poo poo.

Give me a break.

If it's going to require a significant raise to retain him, then it might be time to let him go.

 

[Smif]

Doesn't put up lotzz of goalzz, he stinks like poo poo.

Give me a break.

He can't handle 2nd line with the scorers cause of his stone hands, he should only be getting Mason Raymond type money. Mason Raymond's, Brenden Morrow's, Nik Kulemin's can be had CHEAP now'a'days...

 

[Vexed]

Doesn't put up lotzz of goalzz, he stinks like poo poo.

Give me a break.

I like Kulemin but he's the most expendable forward in the top 9 and if a forward has to go it will most likely be him.

That being said, I prefer him in the line-up over any of our AHL crop although Ashton is close to being able to bring what Kule brings

 

[Commander Clueless]

Love it. #2 D, #1C away from being legit contenders.

A top pairing D will hopefully be solved by development from within as the Leafs have been drafting heavily into defense. Not surefire by any means of course so we'll see what happens.

#1C seems to be the never ending quest with Kadri as our only real potential option there.

Team is definitely starting to shape up after way too many years of darkness. Not quite where they need to be yet though.

I'd also add the Leafs are a true goaltender emergence away from contention, but I do like having two very good young goalies back there. Reimer's performance last season was excellent - hopefully he has another gear yet. Bernier has a lot of potential too.

 

[Morguee]

I like Kulemin but he's the most expendable forward in the top 9 and if a forward has to go it will most likely be him.

That being said, I prefer him in the line-up over any of our AHL crop although Ashton is close to being able to bring what Kule brings

This is Kulemins last year IMO. I would like to trade him now packaged with Liles for any type of return. I like the 3rd line of Ashton, Bolland and Raymond but Clarkson kinda through a wrench into that for the first ten games. Still think Ashton would be a capable 3rd line replacement and bring some toughness that Kulemin lacks.

 

[Ricky Bobby]

Great job by Nonis this off-season.

I've questioned the Clarkson trade but he managed to fit him in and he's a unique true power forward that every team is looking for and we added him in for only cap space.

Kadri signed to a nice continue to prove your success bridge deal.

Bernier was a heck of a trade.

Bolland fits exactly what Carlyle wanted Grabo to be.

Fitting in Franson on a one-year deal

Raymond, Ranger were very slick moves and I think we're entering a phase where we'll continue to see useful depth players take less to play for Toronto cause we now offer the opportunity to win in a major market. Having a few good depth players take discounts makes a huge difference (witness: Hawks: Rozsival, Pens: Vokoun, etc.)

Two moves that have really went on the radar that I like are the Trevor Smith and TJ Brennan signings. Both are unlikely to make the team but if they do it's a bonus. Playing in the AHL both are top players that will get paid the same as if they played in the NHL and help keep the winning Marlies culture strong.

 

[Commander Clueless]

I like Kulemin but he's the most expendable forward in the top 9 and if a forward has to go it will most likely be him.

That being said, I prefer him in the line-up over any of our AHL crop although Ashton is close to being able to bring what Kule brings

Kulemin has evolved into exactly the type of player you want on your 3rd line. I can't imagine his contract demands being too high unless he has another 30 goal season this year.

I would be a little concerned with the lack of Russian-speaking players on the team in regards to Kulemin's re-signing though. He doesn't seem that comfortable. We'll see I guess.

If Kulemin leaves, it will be tough to replace him IMO. His combination of speed and defensive skill is excellent and he has a good amount of offensive potential as well. Unless a guy like Ashton or Biggs takes a huge step forward in development we won't be able to effectively replace Kulemin from within.

 

[CanadianLov3]

@HennyTweets: Cody franson arrives on the ice to a rousing ovation of sticks banging on the ice from his teammates. #TMLtalk

 

[Brock Radunske]

A top pairing D will hopefully be solved by development from within as the Leafs have been drafting heavily into defense. Not surefire by any means of course so we'll see what happens.

#1C seems to be the never ending quest with Kadri as our only real potential option there.

Team is definitely starting to shape up after way too many years of darkness. Not quite where they need to be yet though.

I'd also add the Leafs are a true goaltender emergence away from contention, but I do like having two very good young goalies back there. Reimer's performance last season was excellent - hopefully he has another gear yet. Bernier has a lot of potential too.

Stamkos 2016

 

[Brock Radunske]

@HennyTweets: Cody franson arrives on the ice to a rousing ovation of sticks banging on the ice from his teammates. #TMLtalk

This makes me happy.
I honestly think this group of guys are a true team. Close in age, seemingly friends and have a pack mentality. This will translate into exciting hockey and hopefully a lot of wins.

 

[Commander Clueless]

Stamkos 2016

Like I said, never ending quest.

 

[RomanianLeafs]

This makes me happy.
I honestly think this group of guys are a true team. Close in age, seemingly friends and have a pack mentality. This will translate into exciting hockey and hopefully a lot of wins.

go leafssss gooo