Polak Signs 1 Year Deal

[KadriFan]

How many teams only played 7 defenders last season?

Not many, sure, but you sign depth guys you can stash in the AHL for that, not guys that put you in a situation where you likely have to expose a quality young player to waivers.

How do you know it will be a young player who gets put on wavers?  I bet that after training camp, a few will be on wavers...both young and old.  Management has said over and over again that this summer will determine who makes it.  Hope those quality young players are in the gym now cause if they aren't....

 

[bustaheims]

How do you know it will be a young player who gets put on wavers?  I bet that after training camp, a few will be on wavers...both young and old.  Management has said over and over again that this summer will determine who makes it.  Hope those quality young players are in the gym now cause if they aren't....

On the blue line? Simple process of elimination. Rielly, Gardiner, Polak, and Hunwick are all going to make the team. That leaves three spots for Zaitsev, Corrado, Carrick and Marincin. Zaitsev is exempt, but the other 3 have to be exposed. So, really, the outcomes the team is facing are either Zaitsev isn't NHL ready (which, considering his play in the KHL is unlikely, but, obviously, not impossible) or a young player hits waivers.

 

[KadriFan]

How do you know it will be a young player who gets put on wavers?  I bet that after training camp, a few will be on wavers...both young and old.  Management has said over and over again that this summer will determine who makes it.  Hope those quality young players are in the gym now cause if they aren't....

On the blue line? Simple process of elimination. Rielly, Gardiner, Polak, and Hunwick are all going to make the team. That leaves three spots for Zaitsev, Corrado, Carrick and Marincin. Zaitsev is exempt, but the other 3 have to be exposed. So, really, the outcomes the team is facing are either Zaitsev isn't NHL ready (which, considering his play in the KHL is unlikely, but, obviously, not impossible) or a young player hits waivers.

I'm not so sure Hunwick or Marincin are sure things.  I think that after Rielly, Gardner and Zaitsev its wide open.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I'm not so sure Hunwick or Marincin are sure things.  I think that after Rielly, Gardner and Zaitsev its wide open.

Hunwick isn't going to go from getting top pairing minutes to being placed on waivers. He's a lock. And losing Marincin would be as bad if not worse than losing Carrick or Corrado.

This is almost definitely coming down to one of Marincin/Carrick/Corrado sitting and one being placed on waivers.

 

[McGarnagle]

I see Hunwick is going into his last contract year. So I could see him and Polak being traded toward the deadline.

Out of the new kids, I think Corrado is the one on the outside looking in.

 

[KadriFan]

I'm not so sure Hunwick or Marincin are sure things.  I think that after Rielly, Gardner and Zaitsev its wide open.

Hunwick isn't going to go from getting top pairing minutes to being placed on waivers. He's a lock. And losing Marincin would be as bad if not worse than losing Carrick or Corrado.

This is almost definitely coming down to one of Marincin/Carrick/Corrado sitting and one being placed on waivers.

Should be a good camp.  Like I said, hope these guys are getting ready now.  If one of them shows up not ready, I don't have a problem seeing him gone. 

 

[Tigger]

I see Hunwick is going into his last contract year. So I could see him and Polak being traded toward the deadline.

Out of the new kids, I think Corrado is the one on the outside looking in.

Sure, I do too. I can also see a trade of some kind helping out but if they lost him to waivers I wouldn't be too upset.

 

[princedpw]

Can they just carry 8 defenders until someone gets injured?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Can they just carry 8 defenders until someone gets injured?

That would mean they'd only carry 1 extra forward. It's a possibility but given the glut of forwards we currently have I would guess it's more likely they have 2 F and 1 D in the press box.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Any word on how much he signed for? Haven't seen that number anywhere yet.

It's pretty amazing that it's been almost 24 hours and there hasn't been a peep about this yet. If keeping salaries hidden wasn't the dumbest thing imaginable I'd be a little impressed.

 

[hockeyfan1]

With Polak back, can we all agree to pretend that he was never traded away, and therefore, agree to pretend that Raffi Torres was never a member of The Maple Leafs?

I know Torres never suited up for the Leafs or even Marlies, but man, I hate that guy, and hate that he was even technically a member of the organization that I love.

Not many of us liked Torres, and never will.

Polak, by comparison, is like a breath of fresh air.

 

[Deebo]

https://twitter.com/generalfanager/status/749756861398781952

Roman Polak (#Leafs)
1 yr @ $2.25Mhttps://t.co/bRZZM6iJ8i
? General Fanager (@generalfanager) July 4, 2016

 

[jdh1]

Seems like a lot...but then again it's only one year.Maybe a 3rd rounder to pay Detroit or Jersey off when he's traded.

 

[Kin]

I get all of the question marks concerning roster spots but that really feels like a mid-September problem.

 

[lamajama]

Without the LTIR credit the Leafs are now over Cap. Hopefully
this means no Russell?

 

[bustaheims]

Without the LTIR credit the Leafs are now over Cap. Hopefully
this means no Russell?

It basically means no more signings for the NHL roster without trades, I would imagine.

 

[Guru Tugginmypuddah]

You can never confirm truth on stuff, but something like this concerns me as to where the mindset is in the front office:

https://twitter.com/HackswithHaggs/status/749433160165892096

Not so, according to Russell's agent.

http://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/1054363-kris-russell-s-agent-denies-turning-down-offer-from-leafs

 

[sickbeast]

This signing, just like Martin's, is pretty meh to me. But if anything, it shows that since the Leafs won't have much talent again, at least they'll work hard and make teams earn their victories.  If their work ethic rubs off on the young kids, then the value from this and Martin's signings will be seen in the long run.

I agree. The only move that I'm not really crazy about is the Andersen trade and signing, and maybe I'm a little huh on some of the draft choices but really, things went the way I wanted them to more than not. If I'm not entirely on point with some of the moves it's in a completely different realm than the way I disagreed with past regimes, so far at least.

Yup.  The Andersen trade was stupid and the Leafs lost out on drafting a very good forward.  Not only that, but Reimer signed for $1.6 million less and the Leafs could have had him for nothing.  Plus IMO Reimer is a better goalie.

 

[leafsjunkie]

This signing, just like Martin's, is pretty meh to me. But if anything, it shows that since the Leafs won't have much talent again, at least they'll work hard and make teams earn their victories.  If their work ethic rubs off on the young kids, then the value from this and Martin's signings will be seen in the long run.

I agree. The only move that I'm not really crazy about is the Andersen trade and signing, and maybe I'm a little huh on some of the draft choices but really, things went the way I wanted them to more than not. If I'm not entirely on point with some of the moves it's in a completely different realm than the way I disagreed with past regimes, so far at least.

Yup.  The Andersen trade was stupid and the Leafs lost out on drafting a very good forward.  Not only that, but Reimer signed for $1.6 million less and the Leafs could have had him for nothing.  Plus IMO Reimer is a better goalie.

The same inconsistent, injured Reimer, who has never played more than 37 games in a year (in 6 years) and is 28 years old? Yea, I think the Leafs are ok without Reimer.

 

[L K]

This signing, just like Martin's, is pretty meh to me. But if anything, it shows that since the Leafs won't have much talent again, at least they'll work hard and make teams earn their victories.  If their work ethic rubs off on the young kids, then the value from this and Martin's signings will be seen in the long run.

I agree. The only move that I'm not really crazy about is the Andersen trade and signing, and maybe I'm a little huh on some of the draft choices but really, things went the way I wanted them to more than not. If I'm not entirely on point with some of the moves it's in a completely different realm than the way I disagreed with past regimes, so far at least.

Yup.  The Andersen trade was stupid and the Leafs lost out on drafting a very good forward.  Not only that, but Reimer signed for $1.6 million less and the Leafs could have had him for nothing.  Plus IMO Reimer is a better goalie.

The same inconsistent, injured Reimer, who has never played more than 37 games in a year (in 6 years) and is 28 years old? Yea, I think the Leafs are ok without Reimer.

Instead we got a guy who is about to turn 27 who has rather pedestrian numbers the last two years while playing on a considerably better team and signed him to a long-term deal.  The commentary on Reimer isn't so much that Reimer would have been the right long-term choice, it's just that there isn't enough to compel that Andersen was worth the contract and trade.