Jared McCann is a Leaf [edit: nevermind]

[Guilt Trip]

I don't hate the trade, I think McCann is a good player, but Hallander seemed like the team's best C prospect and McCann is maybe a year away from expecting a big new deal.

Other than thinking that he's just a good centre, that's one reason I'd lean toward him playing 3C instead of being a top-6 winger. I think his offence from this past season (on pace for 61 points) isn't very sustainable but if he plays with Matthews he could hit that number again and have a big pay day waiting for him. He could provide just as much value being a useful 3C but scoring less and his next contract would at least fit more in line with what he deserves.

He's a career 41% on the draw so unless Malhotra can work some magic with him, I don't see it happening on a regular basis.

 

[herman]

If they protect Kerfoot, won?t that mean they?re exposing McCann?

Matthews, Tavares, Marner, Nylander
McCann, Kerfoot, whatever FWD
Rielly, Muzzin, Brodie
Campbell

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/jmarshfof/status/1416481528629104648
Just going to be amazing to see him go on a 3-on-0 with Engvall and Mikheyev and no one scores.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

He's a career 41% on the draw so unless Malhotra can work some magic with him, I don't see it happening on a regular basis.

I mean he had a better percentage than Kerfoot and Engvall did last season so it won't disqualify him immediately. We'll see if they add another centre this offseason but as things stand it's his spot I think.

 

[Kin]

He's a career 41% on the draw so unless Malhotra can work some magic with him, I don't see it happening on a regular basis.

I think it would be near impossible for the Leafs to bring in someone like McCann and then also need to bring in someone else of any appreciable quality to be a 3rd line C unless you're then trading Kerfoot.

So either they're going to need to be able to live with someone being so-so on the draw as a 3rd line C or you're going to be digging down on whatever scoring depth they have.

 

[Guilt Trip]

He's a career 41% on the draw so unless Malhotra can work some magic with him, I don't see it happening on a regular basis.

I mean he had a better percentage than Kerfoot and Engvall did last season so it won't disqualify him immediately. We'll see if they add another centre this offseason but as things stand it's his spot I think.

True enough. I think it also depends on Hyman/Kerfoot leaving or not where he's going to play. Let's hope it works out wherever he plays.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1416510107215597569

McCann had 7 PP goals in 43 games this season. That was in pretty limited minutes too, just 84 compared to the 150+ minutes almost all the players ahead of him had. He led the league in PP goals per 60 minutes.

About-to-be-Leaf Michael Bunting was 5th in PP goals per 60 but in significantly less minutes. Looks like we'll have some more shooting options there.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/kyle_cush/status/1416514596840611840

 

[Guilt Trip]

https://twitter.com/TicTacTOmar/status/1416510107215597569

McCann had 7 PP goals in 43 games this season. That was in pretty limited minutes too, just 84 compared to the 150+ minutes almost all the players ahead of him had. He led the league in PP goals per 60 minutes.

About-to-be-Leaf Michael Bunting was 5th in PP goals per 60 but in significantly less minutes. Looks like we'll have some more shooting options there.

I hope you're right and they sign Bunting.

 

[dappleganger]

If they protect Kerfoot, won?t that mean they?re exposing McCann?

Matthews, Tavares, Marner, Nylander
McCann, Kerfoot, whatever FWD
Rielly, Muzzin, Brodie
Campbell

Ahh, gotcha. I guess that means either Dermott or Holl are gone.

 

[Kin]

Ahh, gotcha. I guess that means either Dermott or Holl are gone.

I guess but taking Dermott would strike me as a pretty weird move. None of us here really consider him a prospect any more and he's not really a top 4 defenseman yet(and indeed a lot of people seem to think the window is closing on him getting there). Say what you will about Holl but he's proven he can be a 20+ minute a night guy and not kill you.

I suppose you could say Dermott is the more valuable of the two(and is cheaper) but for a team in Seattle's position I feel like taking Holl, hoping he can give you a solid performance as a #4 and dealing him at the deadline is a much better move.

 

[herman]

We could still expose Kerfoot to draw fire off Holl/Dermott and take the cap space. I?d still rather try to trade Kerfoot out and replace 3rd pair D elsewhere.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I guess but taking Dermott would strike me as a pretty weird move. None of us here really consider him a prospect any more and he's not really a top 4 defenseman yet(and indeed a lot of people seem to think the window is closing on him getting there). Say what you will about Holl but he's proven he can be a 20+ minute a night guy and not kill you.

I suppose you could say Dermott is the more valuable of the two(and is cheaper) but for a team in Seattle's position I feel like taking Holl, hoping he can give you a solid performance as a #4 and dealing him at the deadline is a much better move.

Seattle just hired a head coach who had a say in Holl playing 20+ minutes a night with top defensive responsibilities and top PK minutes while playing Dermott only 13 minutes a night with no specialty teams and rarely relied on him late in games when trailing or leading. I think the Hakstol hire pretty much confirmed Seattle would be taking whichever one of Kerfoot or Holl was exposed over Dermott.

 

[Kin]

Seattle just hired a head coach who had a say in Holl playing 20+ minutes a night with top defensive responsibilities and top PK minutes while playing Dermott only 13 minutes a night with no specialty teams and rarely relied on him late in games when trailing or leading. I think the Hakstol hire pretty much confirmed Seattle would be taking whichever one of Kerfoot or Holl was exposed over Dermott.

And obviously organizational strategy will trump a coach's preferences but even then the only tactic where taking Dermott makes sense to me is if you're really planning on tanking hard out of the gate so throwing Dermott to the wolves and giving him a level of responsibility he hasn't proven he can handle is a win-win.

 

[herman]

https://canucksarmy.com/2014/07/07/get-to-know-a-prospect-jared-mccann-not-jared-mccan-t/
How Dubas/Keefe used Jared McCann back in the Soo, and also some insight into the team build/deployment patterns they follow(ed back then)

And the reason why Keefe likely never uses Nylander at centre

The other thing that hinders Jared (and all of our centres production) is the system we deploy in the defensive zone. The centres must come very low (to the goalie) to provide the D a controlled option low in the zone. He cannot cheat ever or leave the zone, thus you will never see him slide behind the opposition D for easy chances and often has the puck with 5 members of the opposition in front of him versus 2 or 3 if he got the breakout pass from the winger off the wall as many others do.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/frank_seravalli/status/1417867124618547210

Poop.

 

[dappleganger]

https://twitter.com/frank_seravalli/status/1417867124618547210

Poop.

So that was just a completely mental trade then.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

So that was just a completely mental trade then.

A B-level prospect and a 7th round pick would have been significantly less than what Seattle would have wanted from the Leafs to protect both Kerfoot and Dermott though. I'm not in love with the move, but I get the idea behind it.

 

[bustaheims]

https://twitter.com/frank_seravalli/status/1417867124618547210

Poop.

So that was just a completely mental trade then.

The Leafs gave up basically nothing (a mediocre, easily replaced prospect and a 7th round pick 3 drafts from now) to keep their roster intact. Would have liked the Leafs to retain McCann, obviously, but the strategic thinking behind the move makes sense.

Also, wouldn't shock me if this was something Dubas and Francis discussed around potential other deals between the two teams. Basically, the trade allowed Seattle to select two players from Pittsburgh.

 

[L K]

So we are now back to having the same roster as last year.  I'm not super impressed.  I get the Hallander/7th thinking of making that the selection is a good loss relative to otherwise but I just don't see how this team is going to be different enough to be better next year.