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General Leafs Talk: Post-Olympics Edition

AvroArrow said:
I'm much rather go after Stastny than re-sign Bolland.  I just don't trust his recovery yet.  He might be just fine when next year rolls around, but why risk it.

If we could get Stastny under contract I'd even be fine with looking to move Kadri in a trade for defensive help. Bozak likely isn't going anywhere and all three can't fit. But Stastny-Holland-Bozak down the middle is pretty good.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
Nik the Trik said:
Well, and I acknoweldge I'm speaking hypothetically here, but if you're Dave Nonis you might have a sense of what kind of contract Kadri might be looking for ahead of time.

Yeah, but even if he scores at the rate you said I highly doubt Kadri goes looking for $7mil a season. So strictly hypothetically speaking if we're looking at all angles in a Kadri vs. Bolland debate I'm much more comfortable with the value of a potential Kadri extension than the value of a potential Bolland extension.

Sure and, just to be clear, even if the choice is Kadri vs. Bolland + whatever you could get for Kadri in a trade I would still choose Kadri unless the "whatever" is impossible to turn down.

And while that stance might raise the question of why I brought it up I suppose I'd just say that if we hear in coming weeks or months that the team is "shopping" Kadri then I think because of that option, Nonis would be an idiot for not at least investigating it. 
 
Strangelove said:
If Kadri is replaced in the lineup long term by Bolland, a guy with middling offensive talent and who has looked extremely suspect defensively, I'll probably be done cheering for this team for a good while.  The last thing the Leafs need is more David Clarkson-esque "talent."

Dreger seems like he has gone absolutely crazy over the past year or so.

I must admit that I haven't watched many games post Bolland return, but from what I saw before the injury he looked very capable (actually quite good) at both ends of the ice.

That said, I think this team needs to part ways with him unless he comes in at a very reasonable rate.

The injury has become very convenient for Bolland and very difficult for the Leafs. Nonis et al didn't get to see a full season of play, aren't exactly sure how it will affect Bolland moving forward and couldn't move him for full value due to injury and UFA status at the end of the year. Pity really.
 
Potvin29 said:
I'm hoping this is what it is.  Does anyone recall how he was during the Bozak negotiations?  Accurate?

Darren Dreger ‏@DarrenDreger  Jul 2
Bozak contract talks expected to resume today with Leafs. Proposal on the table believed to be 8 years at less than $5 mil per.

Hope_Smoke ‏@Hope_Smoke  Jul 3
Dreger on TSN Radio "Leafs aren't comfortable paying Bozak $5 million. Nobody believes the Leafs will give Bozak anywhere near 8 years"
 
Mt. Kushmore said:
"solid on and off the ice"

Subtle shot at Kadri.

The nice thing about those 'off the ice' problems is the can easily be corrected and usually correct themselves on their own.

Who knows, maybe in a couple years he'll be scoring hat tricks for team Canada. (my subtle shot at Jeff Carter)
 
CarltonTheBear said:
AvroArrow said:
I'm much rather go after Stastny than re-sign Bolland.  I just don't trust his recovery yet.  He might be just fine when next year rolls around, but why risk it.

If we could get Stastny under contract I'd even be fine with looking to move Kadri in a trade for defensive help. Bozak likely isn't going anywhere and all three can't fit. But Stastny-Holland-Bozak down the middle is pretty good.

I'm not so sure you can't have all 3.  It'd probably take some tinkering (ex: possibly move Lupul, hopefully move Gleason), but rolling Bozak - Stastny - Kadri - Holland as our top 4 centers looks pretty good to me.  Maybe something along the lines of:

Kessel - Bozak - JvR
<two-way-winger> - Stastny - Kulemin
<scoring winger> - Kadri - Clarkson
D'Amigo - Holland - Ashton
Bodie

Bozak's line is the obvious #1 - primary duties = score tons of goals.
Stastny's line is the checking line, but should be capable of scoring too.
Kadri's line is the designated secondary scoring line.
Holland's line is there to learn it all, while throwing lots of energy into it.


Edit: Essentially, I'm willing to downgrade our winger positions if that means we can upgrade our center positions.

Edit2: maybe Komarov rides shotgun with Stastny and Kulemin?  Really good checking winger, hopefully with untapped offensive skills, though we didn't see much of that in his last stint.
 
AvroArrow said:
I'm not so sure you can't have all 3.  It'd probably take some tinkering (ex: possibly move Lupul, hopefully move Gleason), but rolling Bozak - Stastny - Kadri - Holland as our top 4 centers looks pretty good to me.  Maybe something along the lines of:

Kessel - Bozak - JvR
<two-way-winger> - Stastny - Kulemin
<scoring winger> - Kadri - Clarkson
D'Amigo - Holland - Ashton
Bodie

Bozak's line is the obvious #1 - primary duties = score tons of goals.
Stastny's line is the checking line, but should be capable of scoring too.
Kadri's line is the designated secondary scoring line.
Holland's line is there to learn it all, while throwing lots of energy into it.


Edit: Essentially, I'm willing to downgrade our winger positions if that means we can upgrade our center positions.

Edit2: maybe Komarov rides shotgun with Stastny and Kulemin?  Really good checking winger, hopefully with untapped offensive skills, though we didn't see much of that in his last stint.

Yeah, I just ran some numbers and it's not impossible. I do think those wingers are a little too weak though. Moving Kadri in that situation would allow the team to spread out the cash/talent more evenly on centre/wing/defence. I also think Stastny would have to play with Kessel if he signs here. Phil can keep his BFF as a roommate but the days of being linemates would end:

JVR-Stastny-Kessel
Lupul-Holland-Ashton/Leivo/UFA
Kulemin-Bozak-Clarkson
Komarov-McClement/UFA-D'Amigo
Bodie
 
I'm curious as to why so many people here think Komorov is coming back to the Leafs. Is there something I missed? The guy walked away when Nonis turned down his offer to stay for more money, before this team was up against the cap. I'd like to see him back next season as well, but I just don't seeing it happening.
 
RedLeaf said:
I'm curious as to why so many people here think Komorov is coming back to the Leafs. Is there something I missed? The guy walked away when Nonis turned down his offer to stay for more money, before this team was up against the cap. I'd like to see him back next season as well, but I just don't seeing it happening.

He's spoken openly since then about wanting to/considering returning to the Leafs. And while money certainly played a factor in Komarov leaving, wanting to play in Europe during the Olympics also played a big role. That won't be an issue this time around.
 
I feel the same about Kadri as I did Jason Allison when he played for the leafs.  If the leafs can stay in the offensive zone all the time then awesome give him the big contract and keep him.  I just think his defensive mindset is atrocious and it balances out all of the flash and pizzazz that he brings to the other end of the ice.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
RedLeaf said:
I'm curious as to why so many people here think Komorov is coming back to the Leafs. Is there something I missed? The guy walked away when Nonis turned down his offer to stay for more money, before this team was up against the cap. I'd like to see him back next season as well, but I just don't seeing it happening.

He's spoken openly since then about wanting to/considering returning to the Leafs. And while money certainly played a factor in Komarov leaving, wanting to play in Europe during the Olympics also played a big role. That won't be an issue this time around.

Well, if we can get him back at a decent rate, than great, but I think he's going to follow the money somewhere else.
 
JohnK's Revenge said:
I feel the same about Kadri as I did Jason Allison when he played for the leafs.  If the leafs can stay in the offensive zone all the time then awesome give him the big contract and keep him.  I just think his defensive mindset is atrocious and it balances out all of the flash and pizzazz that he brings to the other end of the ice.

Except that whatever you think of his "defensive mindset", Kadri is generally pretty good about keeping it in the offensive end, unlike guys like McClement and potentially Bolland (I haven't seen enough of him) who have undeserved reputations for being good defensive players in part, I imagine, because they spend so much time hemmed in their own zone.

Before talking about replacing Kadri with some "defensive" player I think you'd have to take a good hard look at what they bring to the team.  Guys who can't score and have a rep for solid defense are a dime a dozen, and are in no way as valuable, pound for pound, as a young, talented goal scorer.
 
JohnK's Revenge said:
I feel the same about Kadri as I did Jason Allison when he played for the leafs.  If the leafs can stay in the offensive zone all the time then awesome give him the big contract and keep him.  I just think his defensive mindset is atrocious and it balances out all of the flash and pizzazz that he brings to the other end of the ice.

Ok, except Allison was 30 years old and defensive responsibility can often be one of the last things to click for a talented player's game.
 
Potvin29 said:
Strangelove said:
Dreger seems like he has gone absolutely crazy over the past year or so.

I'm hoping this is what it is.  Does anyone recall how he was during the Bozak negotiations?  Accurate?

Slightly crazier than how it actually turned out. It's only crazy or "bad reporting" if you think of him as a reporter. As a front office flack, he's good at what he does: reports the players' negotiating positions so when management signs them to the middle ground, the contract looks sensible. Same dance with Clarkson and all that money on the table, I think.

If he's saying Bolland could command around $5m and 6-7 years, I'd guess the Leafs sign him for 4 or 5 at $4m. Which, in the real world, is too long and too much, of course.
 
I'd be a little wary of bringing in Stastny to play with guys like Kulemin and Komarov (or someone of that ilk).

His play had fallen off until this year and from the Avs games I've watched this year, 13 of his points have come from the PP playing with the likes of Mackinnon and his linemates at ES are a fair bit better than Kulemin/Komarov IMO.

If you're gonna pay the guy, he's gonna have to be put into the position to succeed offensively.
 
Strangelove said:
JohnK's Revenge said:
I feel the same about Kadri as I did Jason Allison when he played for the leafs.  If the leafs can stay in the offensive zone all the time then awesome give him the big contract and keep him.  I just think his defensive mindset is atrocious and it balances out all of the flash and pizzazz that he brings to the other end of the ice.

Except that whatever you think of his "defensive mindset", Kadri is generally pretty good about keeping it in the offensive end, unlike guys like McClement and potentially Bolland (I haven't seen enough of him) who have undeserved reputations for being good defensive players in part, I imagine, because they spend so much time hemmed in their own zone.

Before talking about replacing Kadri with some "defensive" player I think you'd have to take a good hard look at what they bring to the team.  Guys who can't score and have a rep for solid defense are a dime a dozen, and are in no way as valuable, pound for pound, as a young, talented goal scorer.

But, keep in mind, that there's a reason you never hear the phrase, 'offense wins championships'

You need to have a proper mix of the two, and guys like Kadri can help provide the opportunity to find someone that isnt 'a dime a dozen'.
 

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