Current Leaf players who will be free agents

[Rebel_1812]

Here you go: http://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/57090/

After skipping to the conclusion (somebody needs to tell that guy to tighten up his posts) my takeaway is that McClement is not the problem, coaching is.

Asks for a strategic analysis of the PK and then doesn't even read it.  Nice one.

LOL.

 

[Andy007]

Kulemin is a must sign. When played exclusively on the 2nd line that line was dominant. Not sure why they kept getting broken up.

Bolland and McLement can leave. Thanks for the dearth of memories.

I'd have no problem with Raymond staying but that depends on his contract demands. Personally I think the team would be better off with Komarov for the same $. Give spots to Holland and Ashton and a combination of D'Amigo, Bodie, Leivo, Smith and McKegg can round out the bottom of the lineup.

 

[pmrules]

He had ~20 points this season.  He should have had 20-25 goals this season  just based on the amount of opportunities this guy had to score this year (playing the exact same minutes and situations as he did this season).  He just couldn't get the puck in the net. 

If he scored 20 goals with the number of shots he had on net, his SH% would have been 24.7%.  That would be the highest SH% in the league and ~7% higher than when he scored 30 goals.  Not really reasonable to expect that.

Who cares.    20 was just an arbitrary made up number.    This kid had ample of opportunities to score more goals this year than he did, and didn't - that was kind of my point.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

He had ~20 points this season.  He should have had 20-25 goals this season  just based on the amount of opportunities this guy had to score this year (playing the exact same minutes and situations as he did this season).  He just couldn't get the puck in the net. 

If he scored 20 goals with the number of shots he had on net, his SH% would have been 24.7%.  That would be the highest SH% in the league and ~7% higher than when he scored 30 goals.  Not really reasonable to expect that.

Who cares.    20 was just an arbitrary made up number.    This kid had ample of opportunities to score more goals this year than he did, and didn't - that was kind of my point.

To have have ample more opportunities to score he would have had to have finished with a lot more shots on net.  I'm trying to demonstrate that, no, he didn't really have a ton of missed opportunities because he scored at a pretty reasonable rate for his career.

What the Leafs need to do, if they sign him, is find a way to get him in a position to get more shots on net.  I'd play him with Kadri.

 

[Joe S.]

I really don't see why the Leafs should care to bring any of these spare parts back.

Remember after the lost NHL season, the Bruins came back with something crazy like only 5 players who had contracts and basically rebooted the team - that's what the Leafs need to do. I'm tired of this misplaced loyalty in these scrap heap players.

The Leafs need a freaking forecheck. They have absolutely no ability to cycle the puck, and outside of Kulemin, none of these FA other that from what I saw this year.

They can have their 1 line that scores off the rush, but I'm sure why the rest of the team thinks that they need to play like JVR and Kessel.

 

[Kin]

I really don't see why the Leafs should care to bring any of these spare parts back.

Remember after the lost NHL season, the Bruins came back with something crazy like only 5 players who had contracts and basically rebooted the team - that's what the Leafs need to do. I'm tired of this misplaced loyalty in these scrap heap players.

The Leafs need a freaking forecheck. They have absolutely no ability to cycle the puck, and outside of Kulemin, none of these FA other that from what I saw this year.

They can have their 1 line that scores off the rush, but I'm sure why the rest of the team thinks that they need to play like JVR and Kessel.

Sure but as long as the team is married to it's underwhelming core then the quality and ability of these "spare parts" are the dividing line between where the Leafs are now and where they could peak which is being a 4th or 5th seed. A complete and total reboot would be great but that involves looking at moving guys like Phaneuf and Kessel, at which point the spare parts are almost beside the point.

 

[Kin]

I'm trying to demonstrate that, no, he didn't really have a ton of missed opportunities because he scored at a pretty reasonable rate for his career.

If you are then you should probably actually make the case for the number of shots a player takes being independent of how well he plays offensively rather than just assume it as a given. Saying that a player would have to take more shots in order to score more doesn't really refute the claim that he didn't play well offensively.

 

[Redleaf]

Bolland: "For sure it was a tough year for me... A fluke injury gets the best of you." "It's Toronto, it's my hometown. Love to come back."


If I were a betting man, I'd bet he'll be back next season...

 

[Kin]

Honestly, I'd let them all walk. The way the Leafs roster is right now the discussion can't just be about who's good or who isn't, it really has to be about looking at who can be replaced at a cheaper price from within even if it means a short term setback. I don't see that there's really anything that Kulemin, Bolland or McClement add that you don't want to at least give some guys on the Marlies a shot at recreating.

I mean, given what we saw from the larger flaws in this team going forward, what difference does it make if Paul Ranger is a little bit better than TJ Brennan or Bolland a little bit better than Peter Holland?

 

[Redleaf]

Honestly, I'd let them all walk. The way the Leafs roster is right now the discussion can't just be about who's good or who isn't, it really has to be about looking at who can be replaced at a cheaper price from within even if it means a short term setback. I don't see that there's really anything that Kulemin, Bolland or McClement add that you don't want to at least give some guys on the Marlies a shot at recreating.

I mean, given what we saw from the larger flaws in this team going forward, what difference does it make if Paul Ranger is a little bit better than TJ Brennan or Bolland a little bit better than Peter Holland?

I think it really depends on what kind of influence Shanahan will have on the management side of the team, if any. I can't see him coming in as president and deciding right away to let all these guys walk, but hey, I could be wrong.

 

[bustaheims]

I think it really depends on what kind of influence Shanahan will have on the management side of the team, if any. I can't see him coming in as president and deciding right away to let all these guys walk, but hey, I could be wrong.

I actually see it the other way. I can very much see Shanahan coming in and deciding there needs to be significant change, and starting that process by not bringing back any of the UFAs - especially since none of them are key pieces.

 

[Kin]

I think it really depends on what kind of influence Shanahan will have on the management side of the team, if any. I can't see him coming in as president and deciding right away to let all these guys walk, but hey, I could be wrong.

Ok, but I was saying what I'd do, not what I think Shanahan will do if Shanahan even is the guy to make these decisions.

 

[Redleaf]

I think it really depends on what kind of influence Shanahan will have on the management side of the team, if any. I can't see him coming in as president and deciding right away to let all these guys walk, but hey, I could be wrong.

Ok, but I was saying what I'd do, not what I think Shanahan will do if Shanahan even is the guy to make these decisions.

Fair enough.

 

[Joe S.]

A complete and total reboot would be great but that involves looking at moving guys like Phaneuf and Kessel, at which point the spare parts are almost beside the point.

Which, as a fan, I'm fine with.

I love Kessel, I do, but sometimes you need a dramatic change to get the team on the right track.

I know it's not an exact parallel, make up of the team, maturity and so on was completely different, but when the Jays traded Fernandez and McGriff for Alomar and Carter - it was billed largely at the time as a shift in attitude, a change in culture, nobody would deny that Fernandez and McGriff were great players, but it was that switch that kicked the jays to another level. 

Look, I know Kessel isn't going anywhere, I'm just saying I wouldn't be heartbroken if he was moved. Phaneuf can stay or go, I have no particular affinity towards him.

I really thought Lupul was going to be that player that was going to shift the attitude of this team from a bunch of floaters to a team that gave a damn on the ice, but its seems Lupul is more interested in wearing and peddling suits than his performance on the ice.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

They're not on the team at the moment but since MacIntyre's name was brought up here I feel like mentioning that both T.J. Brennan and Trevor Smith will be UFAs this summer too.

 

[Optimus Reimer]

It would be nice to have Bolland and Raymond back next season.

 

[freer]

Honestly, I'd let them all walk. The way the Leafs roster is right now the discussion can't just be about who's good or who isn't, it really has to be about looking at who can be replaced at a cheaper price from within even if it means a short term setback. I don't see that there's really anything that Kulemin, Bolland or McClement add that you don't want to at least give some guys on the Marlies a shot at recreating.

I mean, given what we saw from the larger flaws in this team going forward, what difference does it make if Paul Ranger is a little bit better than TJ Brennan or Bolland a little bit better than Peter Holland?

I have to disagree with you Nik, I am sorry Holland does not hold a candle to Bolland and TJ Brennan is just as bad defensively as Franson but can skate better. We overvalue the guys in the AHL. There is a reason that they are there.

 

[Strangelove]

Honestly, I'd let them all walk. The way the Leafs roster is right now the discussion can't just be about who's good or who isn't, it really has to be about looking at who can be replaced at a cheaper price from within even if it means a short term setback. I don't see that there's really anything that Kulemin, Bolland or McClement add that you don't want to at least give some guys on the Marlies a shot at recreating.

I mean, given what we saw from the larger flaws in this team going forward, what difference does it make if Paul Ranger is a little bit better than TJ Brennan or Bolland a little bit better than Peter Holland?

I have to disagree with you Nik, I am sorry Holland does not hold a candle to Bolland and TJ Brennan is just as bad defensively as Franson but can skate better. We overvalue the guys in the AHL. There is a reason that they are there.

By that logic no AHLer would ever graduate to become a good NHL player.

Do you know who actually gets massively overvalued in this league? Guys, like Dave Bolland and David Clarkson, who happen to be able to chip in the odd goal and throw the odd hit, and thus get paid 5.5 million despite being defensively suspect third liners incapable of scoring more than 40 points in their best seasons. Somebody may want to pay guys like that, but it shouldn't be the Leafs.

 

[sneakyray]

Honestly, I'd let them all walk. The way the Leafs roster is right now the discussion can't just be about who's good or who isn't, it really has to be about looking at who can be replaced at a cheaper price from within even if it means a short term setback. I don't see that there's really anything that Kulemin, Bolland or McClement add that you don't want to at least give some guys on the Marlies a shot at recreating.

I mean, given what we saw from the larger flaws in this team going forward, what difference does it make if Paul Ranger is a little bit better than TJ Brennan or Bolland a little bit better than Peter Holland?

I have to disagree with you Nik, I am sorry Holland does not hold a candle to Bolland and TJ Brennan is just as bad defensively as Franson but can skate better. We overvalue the guys in the AHL. There is a reason that they are there.

By that logic no AHLer would ever graduate to become a good NHL player.

Do you know who actually gets massively overvalued in this league? Guys, like Dave Bolland and David Clarkson, who happen to be able to chip in the odd goal and throw the odd hit, and thus get paid 5.5 million despite being defensively suspect third liners incapable of scoring more than 40 points in their best seasons. Somebody may want to pay guys like that, but it shouldn't be the Leafs.

haha...except that BOTH clarkson and bolland scored more than 40 points in their best seasons and neither of them have ever made 5.5 million.

 

[Highlander]

perhaps Kulemons problems coexist with Clarksons?..Randy C?.whom couldnt find a good use for Grabbo?Perhaps with a new coach Kuleman and Clarkson can revert to 20-30 goal men?whom that coach is, is a complete frikken mystery to me.