Laich placed on waivers (again)

[CarltonTheBear]

According to Bob McKenzie, the Leafs placed Laich on waivers today. This might be a response to the comments he made yesterday to the Athletic where he said he wants to either be called up or given the chance to play in the NHL elsewhere. Article here: https://theathletic.com/39552/2017/02/20/brooks-laich-wants-in-on-leafs-plans-or-i-would-like-to-pursue-a-stanley-cup-somewhere-else/

So the Leafs are likely giving any team out there a chance to pick him up for free. The other interesting possibility is if this is the first step in having his contract mutually terminated. If Laich really does want to play in the NHL somewhere doing that and then signing a cheap deal with another team would be his best shot.

edit: Bobbo blatantly calling me out here:

Bob McKenzie @TSNBobMcKenzie
BTW, Laich is NOT on unconditional waivers (which permits mutually agreed termination of contract). Regular waivers in this instance.

 

[Omallley]

I cannot imagine another team picking him up for his current cap hit, even this far into the season.

 

[herman]

If a team is seriously interested, I would seriously entertain retaining most of his cap hit for the pick/prospect. Salary cap space is one of our best assets right now, and contract count is the limitation. We don't even need to use LTIR if we can move a couple other pending UFAs for picks.

C'mon Washington... You want depth for the long playoff drive, and here's a guy that knows your system and has bled for the team for years. You're short a 4C. Plop in Laich, shift Beagle over, and push Wilson up over Sandford. Let him win with you guys.

 

[Coco-puffs]

If a team is seriously interested, I would seriously entertain retaining most of his cap hit for the pick/prospect. Salary cap space is one of our best assets right now, and contract count is the limitation. We don't even need to use LTIR if we can move a couple other pending UFAs for picks.

C'mon Washington... You want depth for the long playoff drive, and here's a guy that knows your system and has bled for the team for years. You're short a 4C. Plop in Laich, shift Beagle over, and push Wilson up over Sandford. Let him win with you guys.

I don't believe they have enough cap space for that, even if they send Sandford down and the Leafs eat the maximum 50%.  Maybe it fits in right on deadline day.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I don't believe they have enough cap space for that, even if they send Sandford down and the Leafs eat the maximum 50%.  Maybe it fits in right on deadline day.

Yeah, that's just too many hoops to jump through just to get a potential 4th liner who hasn't played in the NHL all season. Maybe this is just to show Laich that nobody wants him at his current contract, and once that becomes clear the Leafs give his agent a chance to reach out to other teams about interest in him if he terminates the contract.

 

[Coco-puffs]

I don't believe they have enough cap space for that, even if they send Sandford down and the Leafs eat the maximum 50%.  Maybe it fits in right on deadline day.

Yeah, that's just too many hoops to jump through just to get a potential 4th liner who hasn't played in the NHL all season. Maybe this is just to show Laich that nobody wants him at his current contract, and once that becomes clear the Leafs give his agent a chance to reach out to other teams about interest in him if he terminates the contract.

I think this is exactly the case.  "Nobody wants you for free... want to terminate your contract and lose your last $1.2 million in salary this year for a shot?"

Its unclear to me though... do the Leafs save that salary cap space or does a mutually agreed terminated contract still count?  EDIT:  It comes off the books. 

 

[mr grieves]

C'mon Washington... You want depth for the long playoff drive, and here's a guy that knows your system and has bled for the team for years. You're short a 4C. Plop in Laich, shift Beagle over, and push Wilson up over Sandford. Let him win with you guys.

If he's good enough to be Washington's 4C, isn't he good enough to be ours...?

 

[herman]

I don't believe they have enough cap space for that, even if they send Sandford down and the Leafs eat the maximum 50%.  Maybe it fits in right on deadline day.

Yeah, that's just too many hoops to jump through just to get a potential 4th liner who hasn't played in the NHL all season. Maybe this is just to show Laich that nobody wants him at his current contract, and once that becomes clear the Leafs give his agent a chance to reach out to other teams about interest in him if he terminates the contract.

I think this is exactly the case.  "Nobody wants you for free... want to terminate your contract and lose your last $1.2 million in salary this year for a shot?"

Its unclear to me though... do the Leafs save that salary cap space or does a mutually agreed terminated contract still count?  EDIT:  It comes off the books. 

Sad panda. You guys make too much sense, and Laich makes too many cents.

 

[Coco-puffs]

C'mon Washington... You want depth for the long playoff drive, and here's a guy that knows your system and has bled for the team for years. You're short a 4C. Plop in Laich, shift Beagle over, and push Wilson up over Sandford. Let him win with you guys.

If he's good enough to be Washington's 4C, isn't he good enough to be ours...?

Well, even if he was... going to the media and pretty much demanding a spot on the Leafs or another NHL team isn't going to fly with Lou. 

 

[Zee]

C'mon Washington... You want depth for the long playoff drive, and here's a guy that knows your system and has bled for the team for years. You're short a 4C. Plop in Laich, shift Beagle over, and push Wilson up over Sandford. Let him win with you guys.

If he's good enough to be Washington's 4C, isn't he good enough to be ours...?

Well, even if he was... going to the media and pretty much demanding a spot on the Leafs or another NHL team isn't going to fly with Lou.

Hard to blame the guy when he's been in the NHL for so long and still feels he has something to offer to a team.  He's got to look out for his own best interests, I hope for his sake he can get picked up by someone although I think it's unlikely.

 

[Bullfrog]

Sad panda. You guys make too much sense, and Laich makes too many cents.

Well done, herman.

 

[herman]

Sad panda. You guys make too much sense, and Laich makes too many cents.

Well done, herman.

Haha, thanks. You probably shouldn't encourage this behaviour.

My main takeaway from this is that people in the Leafs organization shouldn't talk to The Athletic.

 

[caver]

C'mon Washington... You want depth for the long playoff drive, and here's a guy that knows your system and has bled for the team for years. You're short a 4C. Plop in Laich, shift Beagle over, and push Wilson up over Sandford. Let him win with you guys.

If he's good enough to be Washington's 4C, isn't he good enough to be ours...?

don't go and muck up a perfectly good fantasy with your fancy logic....   

 

[Crucialness Key]

I'm pretty sure there's no cap ceiling in the playoffs.

Could this be a situation where, assuming Laich clears waivers, we could then trade him to a contender who puts him directly onto their farm team (like Kalinin), thereby avoiding the full cap hit, and then they bring Laich up for the playoffs?

 

[Coco-puffs]

I'm pretty sure there's no cap ceiling in the playoffs.

Could this be a situation where, assuming Laich clears waivers, we could then trade him to a contender who puts him directly onto their farm team (like Kalinin), thereby avoiding the full cap hit, and then they bring Laich up for the playoffs?

Well, of his 4.5 million salary, only 950k is saved by being in the minors.  So, you're talking 25% of 3.55 million still counting against that team's cap until the playoffs.  I've only looked at Washington based on this thread, but even if the Leafs eat 50% of the remaining cap hit in a trade, I don't think he fits under their cap unless someone goes on LTIR in the next week. 

For other teams, yes it could work.  Check the last column of the cap space chart https://capfriendly.com/ and find a team thats a contender and has a minimum of $1.8 million in space (50% retention, stays in minors).... or $3.55 million in space (no retention, stays in minors).

 

[Kaberle15]

Laich cleared...

 

[Frank E]

Laich cleared...

This is shocking. 

 

[Zee]

Laich cleared...

This is shocking.

That must suck for him to realize he's not wanted on any club.

 

[sneakyray]

Laich cleared...

This is shocking.

That must suck for him to realize he's not wanted on any club.

I think its possible that a club is talking to the leafs about a deal that sends back a contract or where the leafs retain...but it strikes me as more of a see if anyone bites after he publicly said he wants to go somewhere else.

 

[Deebo]

Laich cleared...

This is shocking.

That must suck for him to realize he's not wanted on any club.

I think there are teams that would take him if his salary was 1/4th of what it was.

He's not wanted at 4M+, which I'm sure he can understand.