4th Line Center

[cw]

Loiselle stated recently that the Leafs were looking for a good sized body who could win faceoffs for that role.

Boyce doesn't fit that. Though Hanson meets the criteria stated, evidently, they didn't feel he was the answer.

I don't see an obvious solution on the UFA market
http://www.capgeek.com/free_agents.php?year_id=2011&team_id=-1&position_id=F&fa_type_id=2

The guys left don't seem to meet the desired criteria, have injury issues, are too old or aren't that good or seem to have some issue.

For this team to contend, since their top 6 is what I would describe as arguably substandard for a playoff club, I've felt they have to make it up as best they can with their dough and talent in the bottom six.

Any ideas on guys we might trade for or snag off the waiver wire as teams try to cut down to the 23 man roster?

 

[maplesyrup]

Loiselle stated recently that the Leafs were looking for a good sized body who could win faceoffs for that role.

Boyce doesn't fit that. Though Hanson meets the criteria stated, evidently, they didn't feel he was the answer.

I don't see an obvious solution on the UFA market
http://www.capgeek.com/free_agents.php?year_id=2011&team_id=-1&position_id=F&fa_type_id=2

The guys left don't seem to meet the desired criteria, have injury issues, are too old or aren't that good or seem to have some issue.

Any ideas on guys we might trade for or snag off the waiver wire as teams try to cut down to the 23 man roster?

Not sure... Maybe one or two cap casualties to be had as a result of RFA arbitration? 

 

[Tigger]

Not sure either. I mentioned Korpikoski before the corruption, seems like a good fit for the third line lw, perhaps it could help facilitate a trade that included a good 4th line center if they picked him up? He had 35 es points on just under 12 minutes es toi and had the highest pk toi in Phoenix.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Not sure either. I mentioned Korpikoski before the corruption, seems like a good fit for the third line lw, perhaps it could help facilitate a trade that included a good 4th line center if they picked him up? He had 35 es points on just under 12 minutes es toi and had the highest pk toi in Phoenix.

Is he a UFA or RFA?

 

[Tigger]

He's RFA, first arbitration on the list.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

I mentioned it in another thread, but if the Rangers arbitration awards get a little wacky we might be able to squeeze Brian Boyle out of them for someone like Greg McKegg.  Greg does have some skills, but appears to be be physically lacking somewhat, still a decent prospect.

 

[Jacques Strap]

I think a few decent players will shake out due to declined arbitration awards. Will be interesting to see if another Clarke MacArthur can be had.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

I mentioned it in another thread, but if the Rangers arbitration awards get a little wacky we might be able to squeeze Brian Boyle out of them for someone like Greg McKegg.  Greg does have some skills, but appears to be be physically lacking somewhat, still a decent prospect.

You just keep getting me all excited about that possibility. I sure hope you're right, but I think he'll get signed before his award. The way it's going, they might lose one of Callahan or Dubinsky. I think they'd have some pissed off fans if that happened.

If given the choice though, I would make a trade for Boyle, as he would fit our team very well I think. I bet Burke would like him as well.

 

[cw]

I mentioned it in another thread, but if the Rangers arbitration awards get a little wacky we might be able to squeeze Brian Boyle out of them for someone like Greg McKegg.  Greg does have some skills, but appears to be be physically lacking somewhat, still a decent prospect.

You just keep getting me all excited about that possibility. I sure hope you're right, but I think he'll get signed before his award. The way it's going, they might lose one of Callahan or Dubinsky. I think they'd have some pissed off fans if that happened.

If given the choice though, I would make a trade for Boyle, as he would fit our team very well I think. I bet Burke would like him as well.

I don't see that happening. In the worst case, they'll just waive Wolski ($3.8 mil) if they can't find any takers to trade him. I think a bunch of guys would go before  Callahan, Dubinsky or Boyle. Put yourself in the Rangers spot - it's kind of like saying we'd dump Grabbo, MacArthur, Lupul or Kulemin because we have a cap problem while Finger is on the roster. Those three guys are very key players for the Rangers in my opinion.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

I don't see that happening. In the worst case, they'll just waive Wolski ($3.8 mil) if they can't find any takers to trade him. I think a bunch of guys would go before  Callahan, Dubinsky or Boyle. Put yourself in the Rangers spot - it's kind of like saying we'd dump Grabbo, MacArthur, Lupul or Kulemin because we have a cap problem while Finger is on the roster. Those three guys are very key players for the Rangers in my opinion.

I agree and I forgot about Wolski. On that though, are they really going to give up on Wolski that quickly? I suppose they would if they didn't give Gilroy much of a shot to redeem himself and ultimately lost him.

 

[cw]

I don't see that happening. In the worst case, they'll just waive Wolski ($3.8 mil) if they can't find any takers to trade him. I think a bunch of guys would go before  Callahan, Dubinsky or Boyle. Put yourself in the Rangers spot - it's kind of like saying we'd dump Grabbo, MacArthur, Lupul or Kulemin because we have a cap problem while Finger is on the roster. Those three guys are very key players for the Rangers in my opinion.

I agree and I forgot about Wolski. On that though, are they really going to give up on Wolski that quickly? I suppose they would if they didn't give Gilroy much of a shot to redeem himself and ultimately lost him.

Even if they got these three forwards signed for dough that didn't push their cap, I still think they're intent on shoring up their D with Wolski's cap money (probably via trade and/or sign an older UFA like McCabe).

 

[Britishbulldog]

All I know is I wanted a non-goon 4th line and more of a playoff contender 4th line which shouldn't be that hard to assemble.  A 4th line that has guys that will have 20+ fights each and only 5 goals amoungst the 3 of them should be a thing of the past.

Realizing that ex-Leaf Shawn Thornton got 10 goals last year as the Bruins enforcer.

Last September I was hoping that the limited 4th line minutes in non-critical times of the games would let 2 top Leaf prospects play with Orr who was coming of a great campaign (for a fighter).

This year I would have gone with a 4th line of Eager / Boyce / Brown who all fight but none are super heavy weights or even particularly good fighters.  They all can skate and hit and could have gotten 20 - 25 goals between them and 20 - 25 fights which is a nice ratio in my mind.

I guess I am not sure who to put between Brown and Orr.

 

[Tigger]

All I know is I wanted a non-goon 4th line and more of a playoff contender 4th line which shouldn't be that hard to assemble.  A 4th line that has guys that will have 20+ fights each and only 5 goals amoungst the 3 of them should be a thing of the past.

Realizing that ex-Leaf Shawn Thornton got 10 goals last year as the Bruins enforcer.

Last September I was hoping that the limited 4th line minutes in non-critical times of the games would let 2 top Leaf prospects play with Orr who was coming of a great campaign (for a fighter).

This year I would have gone with a 4th line of Eager / Boyce / Brown who all fight but none are super heavy weights or even particularly good fighters.  They all can skate and hit and could have gotten 20 - 25 goals between them and 20 - 25 fights which is a nice ratio in my mind.

I guess I am not sure who to put between Brown and Orr.

I wish they'd just drop Orr out of the equation.

 

[Britishbulldog]

All I know is I wanted a non-goon 4th line and more of a playoff contender 4th line which shouldn't be that hard to assemble.  A 4th line that has guys that will have 20+ fights each and only 5 goals amoungst the 3 of them should be a thing of the past.

Realizing that ex-Leaf Shawn Thornton got 10 goals last year as the Bruins enforcer.

Last September I was hoping that the limited 4th line minutes in non-critical times of the games would let 2 top Leaf prospects play with Orr who was coming of a great campaign (for a fighter).

This year I would have gone with a 4th line of Eager / Boyce / Brown who all fight but none are super heavy weights or even particularly good fighters.  They all can skate and hit and could have gotten 20 - 25 goals between them and 20 - 25 fights which is a nice ratio in my mind.

I guess I am not sure who to put between Brown and Orr.

I wish they'd just drop Orr out of the equation.

For the 1st time, I agree.  Someone noted a couple of days ago that Wilson didn't look at who the opponents were and played Orr even when there was no fighters on the other team wasting a Leaf roster spot.  If Wilson had played Orr on a more balanced 4th line role like Orr had in NYR with Sjostrom and ?? I wouldn't mind Orr playing every night.  Right now Wilson seems to only use Orr in a goon role which is pathetic.  If he is really that bad as a hockey player then don't play him. 

 

[Tigger]

All I know is I wanted a non-goon 4th line and more of a playoff contender 4th line which shouldn't be that hard to assemble.  A 4th line that has guys that will have 20+ fights each and only 5 goals amoungst the 3 of them should be a thing of the past.

Realizing that ex-Leaf Shawn Thornton got 10 goals last year as the Bruins enforcer.

Last September I was hoping that the limited 4th line minutes in non-critical times of the games would let 2 top Leaf prospects play with Orr who was coming of a great campaign (for a fighter).

This year I would have gone with a 4th line of Eager / Boyce / Brown who all fight but none are super heavy weights or even particularly good fighters.  They all can skate and hit and could have gotten 20 - 25 goals between them and 20 - 25 fights which is a nice ratio in my mind.

I guess I am not sure who to put between Brown and Orr.

I wish they'd just drop Orr out of the equation.

For the 1st time, I agree.  Someone noted a couple of days ago that Wilson didn't look at who the opponents were and played Orr even when there was no fighters on the other team wasting a Leaf roster spot.  If Wilson had played Orr on a more balanced 4th line role like Orr had in NYR with Sjostrom and ?? I wouldn't mind Orr playing every night.  Right now Wilson seems to only use Orr in a goon role which is pathetic.  If he is really that bad as a hockey player then don't play him.

It's weird, I seem to recall Wilson saying he didn't like the staged fights and that seems to be a big part of Orr's m.o. so something's off with that whole situation.

It's frustrating, knowing Lombardi is probably a none factor this year and how much they need some quality in the bottom six, I wish they had acquired a Talbot and/or a Torres but I continue to hope Burke etc. have something up their collective sleeve to solve that problem.

 

[pindreamer]

Seeing as Wilson really limits the playing time of the 4th line anyway does the centre really have to be a big guy and a fighter?

The wingers on the 4th line can be the fighters.

I would rather see a face off expert in this role. 

I think back to when they brought Zezel back for just that.

Surely there is someone out there that can fill that role.

If Wilson was a 4 line coach it would be a different story. 

 

[cw]

Chris Durno
Age: 30
Date of birth: October 31, 1980
Place of birth: Scarborough, Ont, Canada
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 205
http://forecaster.faceoff.com/faceoff/hockey/player.cgi?6281
52.5 faceoff win%

He's a UFA. I know nothing about this guy. Saw him mentioned on Twitter (maybe not seriously). Looks like an AHLer .. maybe a poor man's Brown who doesn't skate as well

 

[maplesyrup]

Chris Durno
Age: 30
Date of birth: October 31, 1980
Place of birth: Scarborough, Ont, Canada
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 205
http://forecaster.faceoff.com/faceoff/hockey/player.cgi?6281
52.5 faceoff win%

He's a UFA. I know nothing about this guy. Saw him mentioned on Twitter (maybe not seriously). Looks like an AHLer .. maybe a poor man's Brown who doesn't skate as well

downgoesbrown did a piece on Durno a couple years back... I don't remember the story but I remember it being quite interesting. - I know he's very high on him for one reason or another.

 

[cw]

Chris Durno
Age: 30
Date of birth: October 31, 1980
Place of birth: Scarborough, Ont, Canada
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 205
http://forecaster.faceoff.com/faceoff/hockey/player.cgi?6281
52.5 faceoff win%

He's a UFA. I know nothing about this guy. Saw him mentioned on Twitter (maybe not seriously). Looks like an AHLer .. maybe a poor man's Brown who doesn't skate as well

downgoesbrown did a piece on Durno a couple years back... I don't remember the story but I remember it being quite interesting. - I know he's very high on him for one reason or another.

Maybe as a joke when it started (and maybe still is)
http://www.downgoesbrown.com/2009/05/gary-leeman-denis-savard.html

But it turns out that he isn't small - not a bad size, he hits and wins faceoffs. But he could easily still be a slug. I don't know the guy at all.

 

[maplesyrup]

Chris Durno
Age: 30
Date of birth: October 31, 1980
Place of birth: Scarborough, Ont, Canada
Ht: 6-4 Wt: 205
http://forecaster.faceoff.com/faceoff/hockey/player.cgi?6281
52.5 faceoff win%

He's a UFA. I know nothing about this guy. Saw him mentioned on Twitter (maybe not seriously). Looks like an AHLer .. maybe a poor man's Brown who doesn't skate as well

downgoesbrown did a piece on Durno a couple years back... I don't remember the story but I remember it being quite interesting. - I know he's very high on him for one reason or another.

Maybe as a joke when it started (and maybe still is)
http://www.downgoesbrown.com/2009/05/gary-leeman-denis-savard.html

But it turns out that he isn't small - not a bad size, he hits and wins faceoffs. But he could easily still be a slug. I don't know the guy at all.

Yup... that's the pience. Funny, dgb tweets today;

DownGoesBrown Down Goes Brown
(For those confused about why Chris Durno must become a Maple Leaf, check here: http://bit.ly/76VP8U. About halfway down.)
2 hours ago

DownGoesBrown Down Goes Brown
Brian Burke. He's the GM of the Leafs who should be working on signing Chris Durno right now. RT @Zeluan: @DownGoesBrown WHO?
3 hours ago
?
Down Goes Brown
DownGoesBrown Down Goes Brown
Look, I defended Brian Burke on the Afghanistan thing and the "he's too distracted" accusations, but WHY HASN'T HE SIGNED CHRIS DURNO YET?
3 hours ago