Unofficial 2013-2014 Armchair GM Thread

[Corn Flake]

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

"stupid" huh? Never... as in concluded after 21 games?

 

[Corn Flake]

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.

I'd rather have Bozak than Roy.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

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

You're missing JVR. I'd say he's a good comparable to Hossa and then Lupul is close to Sharp. Chicago's probably the closest recent Cup winner that we can model ourselves after. Unfortunately the two pieces that we're missing are hardest to find in the NHL.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

"stupid" huh? Never... as in concluded after 21 games?

This is an aside, but I really think you take too much offence to the word stupid. This is a fan forum. We're all talking pretty casually as fans do. I think our GM and coach have made plenty of stupid decisions which might make them considered stupid. At least as far as NHL GMs and coaches are concerned. I'm sure their IQ levels aren't actually below average or whatever.

As for the actual point you raised, it's not based on 21 games. It's based on Clarkson's entire career.

 

[Champ Kind]

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

You're missing JVR. I'd say he's a good comparable to Hossa and then Lupul is close to Sharp. Chicago's probably the closest recent Cup winner that we can model ourselves after. Unfortunately the two pieces that we're missing are hardest to find in the NHL.

One might argue that the Leafs' most glaring deficiency vis a vis Chicago is this:

Quennville > Wilson / Carlyle

They have a dedicated, consistent approach going on what, five or six years now.  They also have arguably the best captain in the league in Toews, which, again, is something that the Leafs don't.

 

[sneakyray]

uh guys...you are forgetting the most important guy.

mr cup winning goal himself...bolland.

 

[Kin]

You're missing JVR. I'd say he's a good comparable to Hossa and then Lupul is close to Sharp.

I think I might like to see JVR put up a single season of 40+ points before I start putting him on an even par with a probable hall of famer.

 

[Bullfrog]

I also think Hossa's all around game isn't being properly appreciated.

 

[Corn Flake]

You're missing JVR. I'd say he's a good comparable to Hossa and then Lupul is close to Sharp.

I think I might like to see JVR put up a single season of 40+ points before I start putting him on an even par with a probable hall of famer.

I just gagged at the thought of Hossa going to the HoF.

 

[Corn Flake]

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

You're missing JVR. I'd say he's a good comparable to Hossa and then Lupul is close to Sharp. Chicago's probably the closest recent Cup winner that we can model ourselves after. Unfortunately the two pieces that we're missing are hardest to find in the NHL.

One might argue that the Leafs' most glaring deficiency vis a vis Chicago is this:

Quennville > Wilson / Carlyle

They have a dedicated, consistent approach going on what, five or six years now.  They also have arguably the best captain in the league in Toews, which, again, is something that the Leafs don't.

Can every discussion please NOT turn into Carlyle vs. the world one?

Your captain doesn't have to be your top centre to be great. I think Phaneuf is a pretty good captain now.

As good a leader as Toews can be, remember he threw a massive hissy fit in the middle of the playoffs last year and almost blew the series for the Hawks before Seabrook got him to calm down.  He took a bunch of really stupid penalties in a row in that game.

What I'm saying is the guy isn't some perfect god of a person or hockey player. He's passionate and that's what you need, not perfection.

 

[Kin]

I just gagged at the thought of Hossa going to the HoF.

Eh, I've warmed on the guy since he left Ottawa. He's going to finish with 1000+ points, was one of the best two way players in the league, won two cups and was on two more teams that made it to game 7 of the finals...he'll have a pretty good case.

 

[LuncheonMeat]

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.

Where does Bozak go in this scenario?

 

[Kin]

Where does Bozak go in this scenario?

Hell. Where he belongs.

 

[bustaheims]

Where does Bozak go in this scenario?

Hell. Where he belongs.

Harsh, but fair.

 

[Kin]

Where does Bozak go in this scenario?

Hell. Where he belongs.

Harsh, but fair.

In fairness, that's just the way I describe New Jersey.

 

[bustaheims]

In fairness, that's just the way I describe New Jersey.

Huh. I thought you were sending him here.

 

[Britishbulldog]

Where does Bozak go in this scenario?

Back to Colorado where he went to college for the negotiating rights to UFA Stastny.

 

[Champ Kind]

Can every discussion please NOT turn into Carlyle vs. the world one?

Your captain doesn't have to be your top centre to be great. I think Phaneuf is a pretty good captain now.

As good a leader as Toews can be, remember he threw a massive hissy fit in the middle of the playoffs last year and almost blew the series for the Hawks before Seabrook got him to calm down.  He took a bunch of really stupid penalties in a row in that game.

What I'm saying is the guy isn't some perfect god of a person or hockey player. He's passionate and that's what you need, not perfection.

I'm not anti-Carlyle, but I think one would have to grant that Quennville would be considered among the elite NHL coaches.  I also think that having him at the helm for what, six or seven years now, brings with it consistency and stability, something which the Leafs have not had at the coaching or management level for some time.  I thnk it sort of speaks to the fact that the Leafs are in many ways still trying to define what kind of team they are.

As for the Toews vs Phaneuf leadership things goes: look, what I know, I'm just some schlub and not in the room.  But, I think there have been some things with the team's performance that points to, if not a lack of leadership, then some void in the leadership structure.  In other words, something is missing.  Maybe they're just not good enough, but the team generally seems to lack the ability to close out games, to hold leads, to collectively will itself to victory.  Is this all on Phaneuf?  Heck no.  But if you ask me to choose between a two-time Cup winner and Dion, I go with the former.

 

[Rebel_1812]

I just gagged at the thought of Hossa going to the HoF.

Eh, I've warmed on the guy since he left Ottawa. He's going to finish with 1000+ points, was one of the best two way players in the league, won two cups and was on two more teams that made it to game 7 of the finals...he'll have a pretty good case.

Plus he has very good high sticking skills.

 

[Britishbulldog]

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.

Guess I was setting my sights too low wanting the Leafs to be like Chicago.....