Unofficial 2013-2014 Armchair GM Thread

[Corn Flake]

What a great chance to upgrade our overall skill level.  I see it as a blessing in disguise.  Because this year's edition is sadly lacking an overall compete level.
I'd nominate Derek Roy and Andrew Cogliano as UFA's to hunt down for some depth at C.

What does upgrading skill level have to do with compete level?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

McClement $1.5 ** I see him simply as a PK specialist. That's it.

Yeah I'm not saying that I would give him $2mil but he's going to get a raise for sure. Boyd Gordon got $3mil last season so $2mil might even be low.

Phaneuf $7.0 ** although you are probably right

With the cap going up that much I think he'll be able to get a few more pennies out of the contract.

Franson $4.25 ** 5 year contract

On a long-term deal that sounds right but I don't see the Leafs going that route. Just a hunch. This might end up going to arbitration which I didn't consider at first so he could get more than $3.5mil from that.

Reimer $2.9 ** signed to a matching contract to Bernier

Not only will I eat my own hat if Reimer signs for $2.9mil, I'll eat all the hats of every single person on this forum. Bernier got that contract with 62 games under his belt and had never been either a starter or in a 1A/1B position before. Reimer will likely be coming off back-to-back seasons where he finished top-10 in save percentage. He already signed his bridge contract that Bernier's currently on. He's proved he can be a starter in this league. He's going to command big bucks.

 

[Corn Flake]

FORWARDS
James Van Riemsdyk ($4.250m) / Nazem Kadri ($2.900m) / Phil Kessel ($8.000m)
Joffrey Lupul ($5.250m) / Tyler Bozak ($4.200m) / David Clarkson ($5.250m)
Andrew Cogliano ($3.590m) / Dave Bolland ($4.500m) / Brian Boyle ($3.200m)
Troy Bodie ($0.700m) / Jay McClement ($1.500m) / Jerry D'Amigo ($0.851m)
Carter Ashton ($0.851m)

DEFENSEMEN
Jake Gardiner ($3.000m) / Dion Phaneuf ($7.700m)
Carl Gunnarsson ($3.150m) / Henrik Tallinder ($4.000m)
Morgan Rielly ($0.894m) / Mark Stuart ($1.700m)
Korbinian Holzer ($0.788m)

GOALTENDERS
Jonathan Bernier ($2.900m)
Justin Peters ($0.750m)

I think the Reimer/Bernier tandem will run its course by end of this year. Peters is still young and did a pretty good job filling in for Cam Ward this year, after a bit of a shaky start.

BUYOUTS
John-Michael Liles ($0.792m)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(estimations for 2014-15)
SALARY CAP: $71,000,000; CAP PAYROLL: $70,714,333; BONUSES: $850,000
CAP SPACE (22-man roster): $285,667

 

[hap_leaf]

What a great chance to upgrade our overall skill level.  I see it as a blessing in disguise.  Because this year's edition is sadly lacking an overall compete level.
I'd nominate Derek Roy and Andrew Cogliano as UFA's to hunt down for some depth at C.

What does upgrading skill level have to do with compete level?

Better skilled players can compete better?  At least I hope so!  I didn't mean to imply our current guys don't try hard, just that they can't compete with the likes of the upper echelon teams.  But I see what you mean.

 

[Corn Flake]

My explanations for my post got chopped so here goes:

1. Bernier/Reimer tandem should be discontinued. $3 mil on a backup is something the Cancuks would do. Name a starter and move the other. Likely Reimer.  Peters is a decent young goalie who did fairly well standing in for Ward this year. Unless we can get Scrivens back.

2. Overhaul of 3rd line. Cogliano brings some offense, speed and serious agitation while being defensively sound and can play all 3 forward roles. Boyle brings size, physical, defensive, kills penalties, often shadows top forwards. It's by design that all three 3rd liners are natural centres.  As we've seen you can never have too many.

3. Defense overhaul.. I decided to pick from Franson or Gardiner and move one, creating room to shore up with some actual defensive d-men. I pick Gardiner. Tallinder is old but may still have enough to continue as a shut down guy.  If not him, someone like him.  Stuart on the 3rd pair solidifies that unit. He has decent wheels and is tough - more of what we need badly back there.

Bye bye to:

Kulemin - like him but $3 mil is too much for a guy settling into a PK specialist role.

Raymond - will get his money elsewhere.

Liles - bought out

Orr and Fraser - yeah I'm there too.  Fraser possible as 23rd guy but I wouldn't lose sleep over it, not with the addition of Boyle, Bodie and Stuart - all guys who will drop the gloves.

Other kids stand as fill-ins for injury.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

You're not a fan of Kulemin at $3 million but you're okay with Brian Boyle at $3.2 million?  Didn't you just describe the same attributes to Boyle that you said was too much for Kulemin at $3 million?

Good work though, I enjoy seeing people attempt to put rosters together under the cap.

 

[Corn Flake]

You're not a fan of Kulemin at $3 million but you're okay with Brian Boyle at $3.2 million?  Didn't you just describe the same attributes to Boyle that you said was too much for Kulemin at $3 million?

Good work though, I enjoy seeing people attempt to put rosters together under the cap.

Yeah I know I smelled the hypocrisy there too. I guess if I had to pick between Kulemin and Boyle at that rate, I pick Boyle.

 

[hap_leaf]

I like it a lot CF.  Any interest in Derek Roy?  I would love to see a place for him at this stage of his career, I think at 30 (31 next year) he is poised for a 3 or 4 year contract with someone with lots left in the tank.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

You're not a fan of Kulemin at $3 million but you're okay with Brian Boyle at $3.2 million?  Didn't you just describe the same attributes to Boyle that you said was too much for Kulemin at $3 million?

Good work though, I enjoy seeing people attempt to put rosters together under the cap.

Yeah I know I smelled the hypocrisy there too. I guess if I had to pick between Kulemin and Boyle at that rate, I pick Boyle.

I can't comment too much on Boyle, but just on a quick glance at their basic stats his offensive numbers are a fair bit off Kulemin's and his are considered low right now.  I'd just personally stick with the guy we know, but I don't know much about Boyle's situation in New York.

 

[Tigger]

FORWARDS
James Van Riemsdyk ($4.250m) / Paul Stastny ($7.000m) / Phil Kessel ($8.000m)
Joffrey Lupul ($5.250m) / Nazem Kadri ($2.900m) / David Clarkson ($5.250m)
Peter Holland ($0.951m) / Dave Bolland ($4.200m) / Nikolai Kulemin ($3.000m)
Tyler Biggs ($0.894m) / Jay McClement ($2.000m) / David Broll ($0.591m)
Frazer McLaren ($0.700m) / Jamie Devane ($0.660m) /
DEFENSEMEN
Carl Gunnarsson ($3.150m) / Dion Phaneuf ($7.000m)
Morgan Rielly ($0.894m) / Jake Gardiner ($2.000m)
Andrew MacWilliam ($0.875m) / Cody Franson ($3.500m)
Paul Ranger ($1.500m) /
GOALTENDERS
Jonathan Bernier ($2.900m)
James Reimer ($3.500m)
BUYOUTS
Mike Komisarek ($0.000m)
Mikhail Grabovski ($0.000m)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(estimations for 2014-15)
SALARY CAP: $71,100,000; CAP PAYROLL: $70,964,667; BONUSES: $1,275,000
CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $135,333

How likely to get Stastny is another question but if he goes to market he'll probably get something like that. Probably low on Franson but it may open up the discussion as to the nature of the defense anywho, maybe they'd be better off trading him and signing a Clayton Stoner or something in that bottom pairing role. Not sure about keeping both goalies but heck, it's working now so maybe.

 

[bustaheims]

Yeah I know I smelled the hypocrisy there too. I guess if I had to pick between Kulemin and Boyle at that rate, I pick Boyle.

I don't think that's where the decision should be, though. I think it's between McClement and Boyle, and, there, I'd take Boyle - though, not at $3.2M. I think you're overpaying him by about $1M per there. He'd make an great 4th line centre for the team that can fill in on the 3rd line if need be, but, he's not a full-time 3rd liner.

 

[Rebel_1812]

I don't know why everyone here wants to keep lupul.  Sure he plays well when heathly, but he is never healthy.  Best to trade him now when you can get a return and free up some cap space.  We have plenty of wingers.

Assuming we want to mimic the two time winning champs the Hawks, we should probably keep him.

They have 3 great wingers (Hossa, Sharp, Kane) we have (Kessel, Lupul, JVR). They have 2 great dmen (Seabrook, Keith) we have (Phaneuf, ?). They have a great center in Toews and hopefully Kadri keeps developing into something 80-90% as good as that. Also our goalies are better in my opinion.

So let's so we trade Lupul to get that question mark beside Phaneuf... then who steps up for that winger position?

This is just assuming we want a close as possible carbon copy.

Until the Leafs get a top power forward like Lucic and a physical anomaly on defense like Chara, I also realized the Leafs were more likely able to model a Hawks team than the Bruins and looked at the exact same comparisons except I think that Toews skillset is not in the Leafs system and Kadri more resembles Brandon Saad than a 1st line center.  Kane - Kessel, Hossa - JVR, Sharp - Lupul, Saad - Kadri, Toews - ?? (sorry Bozak), Keith and Seabrook - Phaneuf and ??.

Clarkson was suppose to be our Lucic.

 

[L K]

I don't know why everyone here wants to keep lupul.  Sure he plays well when heathly, but he is never healthy.  Best to trade him now when you can get a return and free up some cap space.  We have plenty of wingers.

Assuming we want to mimic the two time winning champs the Hawks, we should probably keep him.

They have 3 great wingers (Hossa, Sharp, Kane) we have (Kessel, Lupul, JVR). They have 2 great dmen (Seabrook, Keith) we have (Phaneuf, ?). They have a great center in Toews and hopefully Kadri keeps developing into something 80-90% as good as that. Also our goalies are better in my opinion.

So let's so we trade Lupul to get that question mark beside Phaneuf... then who steps up for that winger position?

This is just assuming we want a close as possible carbon copy.

Until the Leafs get a top power forward like Lucic and a physical anomaly on defense like Chara, I also realized the Leafs were more likely able to model a Hawks team than the Bruins and looked at the exact same comparisons except I think that Toews skillset is not in the Leafs system and Kadri more resembles Brandon Saad than a 1st line center.  Kane - Kessel, Hossa - JVR, Sharp - Lupul, Saad - Kadri, Toews - ?? (sorry Bozak), Keith and Seabrook - Phaneuf and ??.

Clarkson was suppose to be our Lucic.

Which was a stupid assumption.  Clarkson has never shown himself to be anything remotely close to Lucic.

 

[#1PilarFan]

Lucic is a very unique individual. Clarkson was no doubt brought on to help the Leafs toughen up the forward group and help in the playoffs, but I don't think anyone thought he'd grow 4" in height and add 20lbs in weight once he signed the contract.

 

[Jalili]

I don't know why everyone here wants to keep lupul.  Sure he plays well when heathly, but he is never healthy.  Best to trade him now when you can get a return and free up some cap space.  We have plenty of wingers.

Assuming we want to mimic the two time winning champs the Hawks, we should probably keep him.

They have 3 great wingers (Hossa, Sharp, Kane) we have (Kessel, Lupul, JVR). They have 2 great dmen (Seabrook, Keith) we have (Phaneuf, ?). They have a great center in Toews and hopefully Kadri keeps developing into something 80-90% as good as that. Also our goalies are better in my opinion.

So let's say we trade Lupul to get that question mark beside Phaneuf... then who steps up for that winger position?

This is just assuming we want a close as possible carbon copy.

I just don't see the Chicago model translating at all to the Leafs. They don't have a Toews, a Kane, a Hossa, or a Keith. The Leafs have some really good players, but no one like those guys.

 

[bustaheims]

I just don't see the Chicago model translating at all to the Leafs. They don't have a Toews, a Kane, a Hossa, or a Keith. The Leafs have some really good players, but no one like those guys.

I'd say they have a Kane in Kessel, but, other than that, I agree.

 

[Kin]

I just don't see the Chicago model translating at all to the Leafs. They don't have a Toews, a Kane, a Hossa, or a Keith. The Leafs have some really good players, but no one like those guys.

Agreed. If the idea is to build a team that mimics the Blackhawks but is noticeably not as good as they are in all of the key spots mentioned except one then, yeah, maybe you're more likely to beat Buffalo in November but when you have to play a team as good as Chicago they'll get smoked.

 

[Highlander]

I'd be happy with Sharpe on our team..althought starting to get a bit long in the tooth

 

[Britishbulldog]

My explanations for my post got chopped so here goes:

1. Bernier/Reimer tandem should be discontinued. $3 mil on a backup is something the Cancuks would do. Name a starter and move the other. Likely Reimer.  Peters is a decent young goalie who did fairly well standing in for Ward this year. Unless we can get Scrivens back.

Well Scrivens might be available once Quick is back. Rookie Martin Jones was called up to back up Scrivens and now has his 2nd shutout in 3 games winning all 3.  He seems legit.

NAME             GP     GA GAA SA PCT SO ENG W L OTL
Martin Jones   3       2 0.65 75 .973 2       0 3 0 0

Jones is signed next year as well and Scrivens is a UFA.

Reimer and Gardiner are HUGE trade chips.

 

[Corn Flake]

I just don't see the Chicago model translating at all to the Leafs. They don't have a Toews, a Kane, a Hossa, or a Keith. The Leafs have some really good players, but no one like those guys.

I'd say they have a Kane in Kessel, but, other than that, I agree.

Actually to me I think they have comparable a bit closer than just that one, but it's the Toews and Seabrook we don't have, plus some of the better depth guys, such as an underrated Hjalmarsson.

?? / Toews
Kessel / Kane
Phaneuf / Keith
Lupul / Hossa
Berner (Reimer) / Crawford
?? / Sharp
Gunarsson? (nope) / Seabrook
Clarkson / Bickell (eventually)