Official Armchair GM Thread 2015-2016

[L K]

I think your Leaf lineup will look like this
JVR-Bozak-Parenteau
Setaguchi-Kadri-Lupal
Komarov-Matthias-Panik
Spaling-Winnik-Arcobello
extras Holland-Beck
on D- phanny-Hunwick
        Maricin-Reilly
        Gardner-Polak
extras -Robidas-Harrington

Eh. That lineup seems mostly plausible (and entirely depressing), but why do you think Bozak would stay on the top line...? Habit? Probably more important to see if Kadri can be a 1C and Holland a 2C than to showcase a player that, even if he doesn't entirely crater without Kessel, is still too overpaid and too old to be much of an asset.

well Kadri is not a first line center at best an average no2 but every body should give Bozak a chance he may even shock some people after all this time with Kessell and the lack od defence being played by Phil maybe he can find it in JVR and Parenteau also look at his numbers he gotten better each year and that was playing on a B.S. line with no defence

You do realize that without the same PP opportunities as well as not playing with Kessel that Kadri has put up the same point production as Bozak.

 

[northernpike]

I think your Leaf lineup will look like this
JVR-Bozak-Parenteau
Setaguchi-Kadri-Lupal
Komarov-Matthias-Panik
Spaling-Winnik-Arcobello
extras Holland-Beck
on D- phanny-Hunwick
        Maricin-Reilly
        Gardner-Polak
extras -Robidas-Harrington

Eh. That lineup seems mostly plausible (and entirely depressing), but why do you think Bozak would stay on the top line...? Habit? Probably more important to see if Kadri can be a 1C and Holland a 2C than to showcase a player that, even if he doesn't entirely crater without Kessel, is still too overpaid and too old to be much of an asset.

well Kadri is not a first line center at best an average no2 but every body should give Bozak a chance he may even shock some people after all this time with Kessell and the lack od defence being played by Phil maybe he can find it in JVR and Parenteau also look at his numbers he gotten better each year and that was playing on a B.S. line with no defence

You do realize that without the same PP opportunities as well as not playing with Kessel that Kadri has put up the same point production as Bozak.

Kadri was given all the time to prove and it still went back to Bozak because he wins faceoffs remember its always better to have the puck and when T.O got beat in game 7 what was the main cause was faceoffs and if you think of it Bozak got hurt and was not there to take the faceoffs that left Kadri as there no 1 guy

 

[Bender]

I think your Leaf lineup will look like this
JVR-Bozak-Parenteau
Setaguchi-Kadri-Lupal
Komarov-Matthias-Panik
Spaling-Winnik-Arcobello
extras Holland-Beck
on D- phanny-Hunwick
        Maricin-Reilly
        Gardner-Polak
extras -Robidas-Harrington

Eh. That lineup seems mostly plausible (and entirely depressing), but why do you think Bozak would stay on the top line...? Habit? Probably more important to see if Kadri can be a 1C and Holland a 2C than to showcase a player that, even if he doesn't entirely crater without Kessel, is still too overpaid and too old to be much of an asset.

well Kadri is not a first line center at best an average no2 but every body should give Bozak a chance he may even shock some people after all this time with Kessell and the lack od defence being played by Phil maybe he can find it in JVR and Parenteau also look at his numbers he gotten better each year and that was playing on a B.S. line with no defence

You do realize that without the same PP opportunities as well as not playing with Kessel that Kadri has put up the same point production as Bozak.

Kadri was given all the time to prove and it still went back to Bozak because he wins faceoffs remember its always better to have the puck and when T.O got beat in game 7 what was the main cause was faceoffs and if you think of it Bozak got hurt and was not there to take the faceoffs that left Kadri as there no 1 guy

Faceoffs are important, yes, but they don't mean anything if you are stripped of possession right away or don't do anything meaningful with that possession.

In every case at even strength, besides faceoffs, Kadri beats Bozak handily in every other metric.

http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/k/kadrina01-additional-sh.html

http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/b/bozakty01.html


You know who else were also really good at Faceoffs? Dave Steckel and Jay McClement.

 

[LuncheonMeat]

I think your Leaf lineup will look like this
JVR-Bozak-Parenteau
Setaguchi-Kadri-Lupal
Komarov-Matthias-Panik
Spaling-Winnik-Arcobello
extras Holland-Beck
on D- phanny-Hunwick
        Maricin-Reilly
        Gardner-Polak
extras -Robidas-Harrington

Eh. That lineup seems mostly plausible (and entirely depressing), but why do you think Bozak would stay on the top line...? Habit? Probably more important to see if Kadri can be a 1C and Holland a 2C than to showcase a player that, even if he doesn't entirely crater without Kessel, is still too overpaid and too old to be much of an asset.

well Kadri is not a first line center at best an average no2 but every body should give Bozak a chance he may even shock some people after all this time with Kessell and the lack od defence being played by Phil maybe he can find it in JVR and Parenteau also look at his numbers he gotten better each year and that was playing on a B.S. line with no defence

You do realize that without the same PP opportunities as well as not playing with Kessel that Kadri has put up the same point production as Bozak.

Kadri was given all the time to prove and it still went back to Bozak because he wins faceoffs remember its always better to have the puck and when T.O got beat in game 7 what was the main cause was faceoffs and if you think of it Bozak got hurt and was not there to take the faceoffs that left Kadri as there no 1 guy

Good to see you back, hobarth.

 

[bustaheims]

Kadri was given all the time to prove and it still went back to Bozak because he wins faceoffs remember its always better to have the puck and when T.O got beat in game 7 what was the main cause was faceoffs and if you think of it Bozak got hurt and was not there to take the faceoffs that left Kadri as there no 1 guy

A) Holy run-on sentence, Batman! Punctuation is your friend. Use it.

B) Having face-off skills is all well and good, but it doesn't trump other skill sets. If you have two players with relatively equal talent levels, then, sure, choose the guy who is better on the faceoff. But, that's not what he have here. Kadri is significantly more talented than Bozak. Kadri was also hardly given "all the time to prove" anything. He's play on the first line for a handful of games, then get bumped again. He never really had an extended stretch to show what he could do with that kind of ice time or that level of talent on his wing.

 

[Kin]

I mean, I guess it's a side issue but if the top two lines are some variation of

JVR- Center A -Parenteau
Matthias(or whoever)- Center B - Lupul

Then does it really matter which of the lines you sort of arbitrarily decide is the first line? I mean, to some extent or another who a team's top line is is decided by the opposing team and their defensive assignments/line matching and the general trend of giving top lines less ice time seems to narrow the distinction further.

Even over and above that though, if we're working under the assumption that this team is designed to be competitive and you go with what seems to be the popular choice here:

JVR-Kadri-Parenteau
Matthias-Bozak-Lupul

Is that actually better? Or would the team bunch up all of it's best offensive talent by using JVR-Kadri-Lupul as a top line?

I know it wasn't the point the poster was trying to make but when talent is this thin offensively I think a fair question is how a team should be constructed to balance scoring or at least make sure that both of your top two lines are credible offensive threats.

 

[Sudafederov]

Rob Schremp has 5G and 1A in 6 games in Portland

Given the Leafs emphasis on skill, do we have any Armchair GMs here willing to take a shot?

 

[Bullfrog]

29 years old; hasn't played in the NHL in five years. I think the answer is an easy no.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Rob Schremp has 5G and 1A in 6 games in Portland

Given the Leafs emphasis on skill, do we have any Armchair GMs here willing to take a shot?

Even an AHL only deal is a stretch, massive logjam in the system and the spot is best reserved for those with potential still.

 

[mr grieves]

A few interesting tweets from Hope Smoke about next year's Leafs:

Hope_Smoke ‏@Hope_Smoke  42m42 minutes ago
Leafs have: Boyes, Parenteau, Matthias, Grabner & Spaling as pending UFAs & Kadri & Holland as RFAs. All could be gone next year.

Hope_Smoke ‏@Hope_Smoke  40m40 minutes ago
Have Nylander, Marner, Brown, Kapanen & Johnson who have a very good chance of filling those spots. Wonder how many rookie Leafs use next yr

Hope_Smoke ‏@Hope_Smoke  39m39 minutes ago
I think Kadri stays, but that?s 6-7 open roster spots next year. Doesn?t even take into account potential for 2016 1st rounder to stick

Hope_Smoke ‏@Hope_Smoke  38m38 minutes ago
Can?t remember a team that used 5-6 rookies. Brown?s coming off ROY, Nylander?s def ready. Marner back in OHL next yr? Makes no sense

Hope_Smoke ‏@Hope_Smoke  38m38 minutes ago
Johnson has proven himself in SHL and, if he goes to AHL, may not be for long. He?s ready too. Leaves Kapanen.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Soshnikov has been the most impressive Marlie not named Nylander, if they go with young guys, he will be a Leaf.

I think he might get a look before the end of this season.

 

[Tigger]

Yeah, he's been solid right from the start of camp, he'll be one the guys up after the deadline at a minimum.

 

[mr grieves]

Soshnikov has been the most impressive Marlie not named Nylander, if they go with young guys, he will be a Leaf.

I think he might get a look before the end of this season.

So add another. The question HS is asking, though, is how many young guys will they have who are NHL-"ready" (and/or contractually excluded from development leagues they might be sent to)? And is there a limit on the number of rookies you want on your roster at one time?

 

[herman]

Soshnikov has been the most impressive Marlie not named Nylander, if they go with young guys, he will be a Leaf.

I think he might get a look before the end of this season.

So add another. The question HS is asking, though, is how many young guys will they have who are NHL-"ready" (and/or contractually excluded from development leagues they might be sent to)? And is there a limit on the number of rookies you want on your roster at one time?

I wouldn't mind going rookie heavy next year and netting a marginally better result than this year's.

Out: Matthias, Arcobello, Boyes, Parenteau, Grabner, Spaling, Polak, Robidas (LTIR?), van Reimsdyk, Kadri

In 2016-17: Nylander, Brown, Kapanen, Leipsic, Soshnikov, Hyman, Gauthier, Loov, Valiev (maybe)

 

[bustaheims]

So add another. The question HS is asking, though, is how many young guys will they have who are NHL-"ready" (and/or contractually excluded from development leagues they might be sent to)? And is there a limit on the number of rookies you want on your roster at one time?

I think you have to be careful not to put too many rookies into significant roles at the same time. You find spots for the guys who are clearly ready - guys like Nylander and maybe a couple others - and you give the rest more time. If they look ready mid-season, you find a way to get them into the lineup then, but until that point, you populate the lineup with vets on expiring deals like they've done this season. You bring the kids in in waves, not all at once.

 

[Frank E]

So add another. The question HS is asking, though, is how many young guys will they have who are NHL-"ready" (and/or contractually excluded from development leagues they might be sent to)? And is there a limit on the number of rookies you want on your roster at one time?

I think you have to be careful not to put too many rookies into significant roles at the same time. You find spots for the guys who are clearly ready - guys like Nylander and maybe a couple others - and you give the rest more time. If they look ready mid-season, you find a way to get them into the lineup then, but until that point, you populate the lineup with vets on expiring deals like they've done this season. You bring the kids in in waves, not all at once.

I'd think that the Leafs are hoping that the Marlies can graduate more than just Nylander for next year.  If he's the only guy that can make the jump, he'll be in for a pretty tough '16-'17 season that would look a lot like this year's team.  That can't image that that's a scenario that management would be excited about subjecting Nylander to...I think that's more of a worst case scenario.

 

[bustaheims]

I'd think that the Leafs are hoping that the Marlies can graduate more than just Nylander for next year.  If he's the only guy that can make the jump, he'll be in for a pretty tough '16-'17 season that would look a lot like this year's team.  That can't image that that's a scenario that management would be excited about subjecting Nylander to...I think that's more of a worst case scenario.

I'm sure they're very hopeful about that. Right now, though, Nylander is the only obvious one I see. Others will hopefully present themselves over the course of the season. I just feel like a lot of the names being put out there aren't ready and very likely won't be by next season.

 

[Kin]

I'd think that the Leafs are hoping that the Marlies can graduate more than just Nylander for next year.  If he's the only guy that can make the jump, he'll be in for a pretty tough '16-'17 season that would look a lot like this year's team.  That can't image that that's a scenario that management would be excited about subjecting Nylander to...I think that's more of a worst case scenario.

I don't think that will play a huge role. Most top players come into the league on terrible teams.

Anyways, I think there's probably an upper limit on how many rookies/young players you want on a team at any one point but I don't think it's overly restrictive. I wouldn't be surprised to see 7-8 Marlies this year as Leafs regulars next year.

 

[Frank E]

I'd think that the Leafs are hoping that the Marlies can graduate more than just Nylander for next year.  If he's the only guy that can make the jump, he'll be in for a pretty tough '16-'17 season that would look a lot like this year's team.  That can't image that that's a scenario that management would be excited about subjecting Nylander to...I think that's more of a worst case scenario.

I don't think that will play a huge role. Most top players come into the league on terrible teams.

Anyways, I think there's probably an upper limit on how many rookies/young players you want on a team at any one point but I don't think it's overly restrictive. I wouldn't be surprised to see 7-8 Marlies this year as Leafs regulars next year.

It's early, and there's lots of time for improvement...but man, I have trouble pegging 7 or 8 current Marlies that I think could make the jump in 10 months from now.

 

[Kin]

It's early, and there's lots of time for improvement...but man, I have trouble pegging 7 or 8 current Marlies that I think could make the jump in 10 months from now.

Well, the team's not going to be particularly good next year so that would probably allay most of the concerns.