General Leafs Rumour Updates...

[Champ Kind]

Actually, the one in that list that stunned me was that Bodies doesn't come back.  I really don't want to jump on this bandwagon, but I'm really hoping that Dreger mixed up Bodie with "Orr" or "McLaren".  Easy mistake to make, I'm sure.

 

[bustaheims]

Actually, the one in that list that stunned me was that Bodies doesn't come back.  I really don't want to jump on this bandwagon, but I'm really hoping that Dreger mixed up Bodie with "Orr" or "McLaren".  Easy mistake to make, I'm sure.

If only Orr and McLaren were UFAs, so the Leafs could just walk away from them.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Raymond 3@3?
wow.  Yeah he replaced the goal scoring of McArthur but he was MIA physically and defensively forgettable.  If he's not scoring, he's basically useless to the leafs.

Raymond at $3mil isn't that bad actually. I don't disagree with what you said, and anybody who read my thoughts in GDT threads knows that I'm not Jason's Mason's biggest fan, but for a 40 point scorer who can play a bit of PK $3mil is decent value.

 

[Champ Kind]

Actually, the one in that list that stunned me was that Bodies doesn't come back.  I really don't want to jump on this bandwagon, but I'm really hoping that Dreger mixed up Bodie with "Orr" or "McLaren".  Easy mistake to make, I'm sure.

If only Orr and McLaren were UFAs, so the Leafs could just walk away from them.

Well, yes.  Still, I guess I was just surprised that Bodie - who, by all accounts I think, played well last year - would be one from whom the Leafs are reportedly so easily walking away.

 

[Britishbulldog]

Raymond 3@3?
wow.  Yeah he replaced the goal scoring of McArthur but he was MIA physically and defensively forgettable.  If he's not scoring, he's basically useless to the leafs.

That is how I see it as well.

Disappointed that Bodie and Kulemin who could skate and play the body without getting sucked into stupid fights are not considered to return.

I see this as a continued mismanagement of assets.  There is one thing where the Leafs don't pull off my ludicrous trades but when the assets already in the system are mishandled it makes a fan like myself very discouraged with the prospect that the team is going to ever get better in my lifetime.

I hope that some major blockbuster moves are going to surprise us and give us hope again.

 

[L K]

Raymond 3@3?
wow.  Yeah he replaced the goal scoring of McArthur but he was MIA physically and defensively forgettable.  If he's not scoring, he's basically useless to the leafs.

Raymond at $3mil isn't that bad actually. I don't disagree with what you said, and anybody who read my thoughts in GDT threads knows that I'm not Jason's Mason's biggest fan, but for a 40 point scorer who can play a bit of PK $3mil is decent value.

Although when you look back and see MacArthur averaging 54 points/year over the last 4 years, playing a somewhat physical game and making 3.25, it kind of diminishes my interest in Raymond at 3M when he has averaged 41 points over that same stretch.
Realities of the cap world and free agency mean that you aren't going to turn your nose at every 3M contract but it just continues a nice line of Leafs cap mismanagement.

So according to that though.  Bodie's gone.  Kulemin's gone.  McClement's gone.  Bolland may or may not be gone (not upset about that one especially at the price)

So the Leafs currently look like this for next year:

JVR - Bozak - Kessel
Lupul - Kadri - Clarkson
Orr - McLaren

This team is going to be awesome.  If Kessel has a down year, they are going to have a shot at McDavid.

 

[Bullfrog]

I was really hoping for Bodie to be back in a forth line role, but he's pretty easily replaced. So is Raymond. Kulemin is definitely the bigger loss but I understand it.

 

[bustaheims]

mirtle: Nonis says Leafs unlikely to get big centres on trade market. Not really in those conversations.

 

[princedpw]

Raymond 3@3?
wow.  Yeah he replaced the goal scoring of McArthur but he was MIA physically and defensively forgettable.  If he's not scoring, he's basically useless to the leafs.

Raymond at $3mil isn't that bad actually. I don't disagree with what you said, and anybody who read my thoughts in GDT threads knows that I'm not Jason's Mason's biggest fan, but for a 40 point scorer who can play a bit of PK $3mil is decent value.

Although when you look back and see MacArthur averaging 54 points/year over the last 4 years, playing a somewhat physical game and making 3.25, it kind of diminishes my interest in Raymond at 3M when he has averaged 41 points over that same stretch.
Realities of the cap world and free agency mean that you aren't going to turn your nose at every 3M contract but it just continues a nice line of Leafs cap mismanagement.

So according to that though.  Bodie's gone.  Kulemin's gone.  McClement's gone.  Bolland may or may not be gone (not upset about that one especially at the price)

So the Leafs currently look like this for next year:

JVR - Bozak - Kessel
Lupul - Kadri - Clarkson
Orr - McLaren

This team is going to be awesome.  If Kessel has a down year, they are going to have a shot at McDavid.

The sad thing is that Toronto has been relatively lucky injury-wise the last few years (in addition to being a cap team).  Phaneuf and Kessel are their most irreplaceable players and they've been incredibly healthy:

Kessel -- 0 games missed the last 4 years  (how many players in the league can say that??? 1%?)
Phaneuf -- 4 games missed the last 3 years

 

[Deebo]

Paul Hendrick ‏@HennyTweets  3m
Nonis also added that it wouldn't be a stretch to see James Reimer return to battle for the starting job. #tmltalk

 

[bustaheims]

TGfireandice: Might be only exploratory,  but I'm told Leafs do have some interest in Brodeur as possible backup/mentor to Bernier next season.

Brodeur's had a great career and all, but, no thanks. He hasn't been great for a few seasons now, and I just don't see him signing for the kind of money you want a backup to sign for. Also, I don't think he'll be that great a mentor - he complained about being put into a similar role with Schneider last season. I'm also not sure Bernier needs a mentor any more. He's not some 18 year old kid. He's been in the league for long enough that he knows what's what.

 

[Kin]

TGfireandice: Might be only exploratory,  but I'm told Leafs do have some interest in Brodeur as possible backup/mentor to Bernier next season.

Brodeur's had a great career and all, but, no thanks. He hasn't been great for a few seasons now, and I just don't see him signing for the kind of money you want a backup to sign for. Also, I don't think he'll be that great a mentor - he complained about being put into a similar role with Schneider last season. I'm also not sure Bernier needs a mentor any more. He's not some 18 year old kid. He's been in the league for long enough that he knows what's what.

He was bad playing half the season though. I wonder if he had more of a 15-20 game workload if he couldn't be better rested and an effective back-up.

That said, I agree. He doesn't seem to be either the #1B type Reimer could possibly be or the cheap, clear backup that is the clear alternative. He's basically the worst of both worlds.

 

[Optimus Reimer]

So the Leafs currently look like this for next year:

JVR - Bozak - Kessel
Lupul - Kadri - Clarkson
Orr - McLaren

This team is going to be awesome.  If Kessel has a down year, they are going to have a shot at McDavid.
[/quote]

Apparantly the Leafs have interest in Michalek.  According to Dreger if the Leafs got him, he would be a top 6 player for the Leafs who would then ship out Lupul.  Not sure what the Leafs would get for Lupul, but acquiring Michalek claiming he would be a top 6 player would be idiotic.

 

[bustaheims]

Not sure what the Leafs would get for Lupul, but acquiring Michalek claiming he would be a top 6 player would be idiotic.

While I'm not a fan of acquiring Michalek, his career production is awfully similar to Lupul's and both have major injury concerns. Michalek struggled last season, sure, and had his lockout shortened really derailed by injuries, but, if Lupul is a top 6 forward, so is Michalek.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

While I'm not a fan of acquiring Michalek, his career production is awfully similar to Lupul's and both have major injury concerns. Michalek struggled last season, sure, and had his lockout shortened really derailed by injuries, but, if Lupul is a top 6 forward, so is Michalek.

I was a bit surprised when I looked at Michalek's point totals as  a sen. Honestly I expected them to be higher. Other than 11/12 he's basically been a .5 PPG scorer, and considering he's been their top left winger until Ryan showed up that's pretty low. Since he became a sen he's scored 180 points in 314 games (0.57 PPG). In that same time frame (split between the Ducks and the Leafs) Lupul has 174 points in 228 games (.076 PPG).

Michalek's better defensively so that helps even things out, but strictly from a production point of view I'm not sure Michalek is really a legitimate top-6 player. Especially considering the two players he's played with the most in Ottawa have been Spezza and Karlsson.

 

[AvroArrow]

How about we go upgrade our centers and defense first... Those positions should be the priority...

 

[Kin]

How about we go upgrade our centers and defense first... Those positions should be the priority...

Defense maybe but I'm not so sure about center. Short of adding the sort of elite #1 that really isn't available, Bozak, Kadri and Holland might be the best course of action.

 

[AvroArrow]

How about we go upgrade our centers and defense first... Those positions should be the priority...

Defense maybe but I'm not so sure about center. Short of adding the sort of elite #1 that really isn't available, Bozak, Kadri and Holland might be the best course of action.

I'm essentially talking about going all in on Stastny (any trades [Thornton, Marleau, Spezza] would be too cost-prohibitive).  I'd be 10x more confident (and might actually look forward to next season) adding Stastny into that same list of centers.

edit: I realize my original post was a little vague - was just trying to post quickly

 

[bustaheims]

Defense maybe but I'm not so sure about center. Short of adding the sort of elite #1 that really isn't available, Bozak, Kadri and Holland might be the best course of action.

Yeah. Some more depth down the middle would be nice, but, right now, I'd say improving the team's secondary scoring is more of a priority than upgrading the centres, because, as you said, the type of guy the Leafs should be looking to add there really isn't available right now.

 

[AvroArrow]

Defense maybe but I'm not so sure about center. Short of adding the sort of elite #1 that really isn't available, Bozak, Kadri and Holland might be the best course of action.

Yeah. Some more depth down the middle would be nice, but, right now, I'd say improving the team's secondary scoring is more of a priority than upgrading the centres, because, as you said, the type of guy the Leafs should be looking to add there really isn't available right now.

I think adding a Stastny would improve secondary scoring more than a Michalek.