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2019 Toronto Maple Leafs Offseason Discussion

Who will captain the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2019?

  • William Nylander

    Votes: 20 60.6%
  • John Tavares

    Votes: 3 9.1%
  • Morgan Rielly

    Votes: 6 18.2%
  • Mitch Marner

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • No one

    Votes: 4 12.1%

  • Total voters
    33
Nik the Trik said:
Oh man, that Biggest Analytics Staff trophy is ours!

You know, you picture these moments in your head when you become a hockey fan but...the reality...

This is why there has been much discussion about the Cody Ceci trade here in Ottawa.  On the one hand they know that Toronto has a huge analytics section.  They know that they have metrics that aren't publicly available.  So they questions are:

1.  Does Toronto see something in Ceci that the rest of the league doesn't necessarily see because they don't have the same set of metrics that the Leafs have?
2.  Is this a Babcock move, where he has basically told Dubas that he wants the player because he believes he can turn his career around?
3.  Did the Leafs just make a mistake on this one?  No group is infallible and the Leafs can make mistakes, so did they just whiff on this one?

The started drumming up conspiracy theories because they figured if the Leafs didn't want Ceci, they should have just walked away from him.
 
The answer is 4. No. The Leafs got Ceci so they could get rid of Zaitzev.

I didn't follow it too closely, but isn't there a risk with arbitration? Maybe they figured he was serviceable at that amount and can maybe recoup a draft pick at the trade deadline?
 
Bullfrog said:
The answer is 4. No. The Leafs got Ceci so they could get rid of Zaitzev.

I didn't follow it too closely, but isn't there a risk with arbitration? Maybe they figured he was serviceable at that amount and can maybe recoup a draft pick at the trade deadline?

If he was awarded a contract above some threshold, the Leafs would have been free to walk away.  It was generally considered likely that it would have been above the threshold, but now we'll never really know.
 
Significantly Insignificant said:
Nik the Trik said:
Oh man, that Biggest Analytics Staff trophy is ours!

You know, you picture these moments in your head when you become a hockey fan but...the reality...

This is why there has been much discussion about the Cody Ceci trade here in Ottawa.  On the one hand they know that Toronto has a huge analytics section.  They know that they have metrics that aren't publicly available.  So they questions are:

1.  Does Toronto see something in Ceci that the rest of the league doesn't necessarily see because they don't have the same set of metrics that the Leafs have?
2.  Is this a Babcock move, where he has basically told Dubas that he wants the player because he believes he can turn his career around?
3.  Did the Leafs just make a mistake on this one?  No group is infallible and the Leafs can make mistakes, so did they just whiff on this one?

The started drumming up conspiracy theories because they figured if the Leafs didn't want Ceci, they should have just walked away from him.

I tend to be a fan of simple explanations where simple explanations work. Getting Ceci was a necessary part of getting rid of Zaitsev, that much is obvious.

Keeping Ceci is probably a result of the Leafs, Babcock or Dubas or both, thinking that Ceci is a better choice for them in the role they figure he'll fit in than any of their other options. Could they think he has some sort of untapped potential or hidden value? Sure, but I don't think that has to be the case to explain their decision. Ceci is big, right-handed and plays the PK.  That is more or less exactly the kind of player the defense needed. Is he actually any good? Again, the question should be whether anyone else they could have chosen would be better.

I think we're all aware that just because the Leafs went this route doesn't neccesarily mean it's the right one though.
 
Signing Ceci following the Zaitsev trade was a chip off the glass and out after being hemmed in the DZ for 3 minutes.

The Leafs needed an RHD who has PKed and got one who is, at worst, equivalent to the player traded away, at the same price with only 1 year of term rather than 4 more.

Who else was available on the market? I think they could make do with Holl, but I also understand the need for insurance (and Holl has almost no growth curve left and minimal NHL ice time). As much as I love Gardiner, he's not fulfilling that role.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
https://twitter.com/kristen_shilton/status/1168892734079414279

PAIRINGS ALERT

https://twitter.com/lukefoxjukebox/status/1168908322545815553

Just like we all predicted.
 
herman said:
Just like we all predicted.

Can still speculate about who gets the toughs. Could easily see either one.

Gonna lean towards thinking it'll be Rielly-Ceci. Despite a reprieve in the playoffs Babcock has always gone with Rielly for those minutes.Meaning the whole "Ceci will get easier minutes!" dream might be dead on arrival.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
herman said:
Just like we all predicted.

Can still speculate about who gets the toughs. Could easily see either one.

Gonna lean towards thinking it'll be Rielly-Ceci. Despite a reprieve in the playoffs Babcock has always gone with Rielly for those minutes.Meaning the whole "Ceci will get easier minutes!" dream might be dead on arrival.

Ceci is still getting the best partner he?s ever had, and some of the better puck possession forwards he?s played with. As is Barrie. Which is going to be a pretty big step up on the aggregate over Hainsey/Zaitsev.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
herman said:
Just like we all predicted.

Can still speculate about who gets the toughs. Could easily see either one.

Gonna lean towards thinking it'll be Rielly-Ceci. Despite a reprieve in the playoffs Babcock has always gone with Rielly for those minutes.Meaning the whole "Ceci will get easier minutes!" dream might be dead on arrival.

I think it's mostly a pairing of *best defenseman on the team + whoever else
 
Nik the Trik said:
herman said:
The Leafs needed an RHD...

I mean, they didn't. Being maniacal about LD-RD splits is a choice they make.

Fair enough. But if the player is available, as Ceci is, that'll be the first thing to try. I do think Reilly and Dermott end up being the pairing at the end of the season.
 
herman said:
Fair enough. But if the player is available, as Ceci is, that'll be the first thing to try. I do think Reilly and Dermott end up being the pairing at the end of the season.

Sure, but the prospect of giving Ceci real minutes because he's the best available RHD seems like it should be ground zero for re-examining their strategy in that regard.

But, again, I'm willing to see how it plays out. There were alternatives though.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
herman said:
Just like we all predicted.

Can still speculate about who gets the toughs. Could easily see either one.

Gonna lean towards thinking it'll be Rielly-Ceci. Despite a reprieve in the playoffs Babcock has always gone with Rielly for those minutes.Meaning the whole "Ceci will get easier minutes!" dream might be dead on arrival.

I think prior to Muzzin's arrival, Babcock didn't feel he had a better choice than Rielly.  (I'd say Gardiner was, but not in Babcock's eyes). 

Based on Muzzin's play once he got comfortable with the Leafs, I'd speculate its going to be Muzzin-Barrie with the toughest matchup (alongside the Tavares line)



 

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