Future of the Toronto Maple Leafs Part 2: Pending Restricted Free Agents (and some Prospects)
by Say *plan the parade one more time*... on Jan 30, 2010 11:37 AM EST
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PrintEditor's Note: Say *plan the parade one more time*... continues his four part series looking at the upcoming decisions facing Brian Burke. This installment focuses on the pending restricted free agents as well as the prospects that he deems most likely to make the big club next year.
Hello my fellow long-suffering Leaf fans! This season is done in all but name. We aren't making the Playoffs, and are unlikely to even play our way out of a Draft Lottery position. I have been watching the Leafs since 1989 and this is by far the worst season(results wise) that I have ever seen.
This team is bad, but I think it is actually better than the results show. I am not going to make excuses or offer reasons for the lousy play. This season has been Murphy's Law for the team - anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.
This is one of a series of four posts in an attempt to gain some consensus in the community on how to build next year's team.
The first of the four posts will be 'Pending Free Agents' in which we will discuss what to do with our UFA's this year. The debate will center on their trade value, how much we would re-sign them for, or if we let them walk.
The second will be 'Pending Restricted Free Agents.' The discussion will be based around if we should trade them, sign them(money and term), the possibility of other teams tendering offer sheets, and what role do we see them having on next year's team(Depth placement, another season in the Marlies ETC.) Also, this is probably the best place to discuss our prospects and if any of them have a chance to make the Leafs out of training camp.
The third post is titled 'Players Under Contract.' Here we will speculate on what should be done with our signed players - Trade them, buy them out/waive them or keep them.
In the fourth post 'Free Agent Frenzy' we will touch upon what might still be available and who could potentially be a good fit for our team.
Please be aware that these posts are interconnected. Although we are focusing on one thing at a time, be mindful that there is a big picture to consider. This is a discussion on how we would like to see our team built. Speculation is welcome - crazy deals and flights of fancy are discouraged. Let's try to stay within the realms of reasonable possibility.
Credit where credit is due: Basic information(Height, Weight etc) and other league info - TSN.ca Cap and salary figures - nhlnumbers.com Capgeek.com Statistics - NHL.com Marlies stats -torontomarlies.com Prospect information forcaster.faceoff.com
Onto Part II - Pending Restricted Free agents. In addition to our RFAs I have added in a few prospects that I feel have some shot at playing some games with the team this year. There are a lot of prospects I didn't include on this list because due to the current circumstances I really don't see them making the team next season. If you disagree, feel free to explain your position below.
It looks like we have 5 major RFAs after this season - Gustavsson, Mitchell, Hanson, Kulemin and White. I'll also touch on the following prospects who might have a chance to make the team out of camp - Oreskovic, Kadri and Deveaux. Before you start saying ‘we have guys with a lot more talent that you haven't listed.' I didn't say these are guys with more talent but these are probably the guys that have the best shot to make the team because of what role they will be asked to play.
Let's start with the Goalies:
Jonas Gustavsson Position: G Age 25 HT 6'3" Wt 192 Catches L Salary/Cap Hit: .81/.9
2008-2009
League GP W L OT/SL GA SV% SO
SEL(FSD) 42 1.96 .932 3
(I googled the hell out of this...if someone can find his win/loss record, I would appreciate it... sleza?)
2009-2010
League GP W L OT/SL GA SV% SO
NHL 30 9 12 8 2.98 .901 1
My take: Jonas was considered to be by many as the best goalie not in the NHL last year. There were a lot of suitors with Dallas and Toronto being the eventual front-runners. He eventually signed with the Leafs amidst speculation that he picked Toronto because he had the best shot at being the starting goalie with the team. There was much hype, but as we have come to learn with our little exercise the SEL is not the NHL. The hope was high in Leafland as now we had a great prospect for a goalie and a revamped defensive squad. Oh how wrong we were. After suffering through multiple medical issues, he eventually joined the team full-time. We will never know how good Jonas could have been in his first NHL season had he had a competent team in front of him.
Strengths of his game include his developing technical abilities, his size, his reflexes and his flexibility. His weaknesses are poor rebound control, poor puck handling skills and occasionally losing his net. Luckily, he has raw talent and arguably the best goalie coach in the League to strengthen his game. Obviously, letting him walk is not an option. The Leafs should qualify Jonas on a multi year deal. How much we should be offering is up for much debate. Chemmy speculated somewhere south of 2 million per, while others were figuring something over 3 million a year.
I think the number will be closer to 2 million than to 3. There is only so much you can pay for potential. He has a chance to gain experience down the stretch as Wilson has promised him the lion's share of the starts. Is he good enough to be a good/elite goalie in the NHL? Only time will tell.
Ian White Position: D Age 25 HT 5'10" Wt 185 Shoots R Salary/Cap Hit: .950/.850
2008-2009
League GP G A P +/- PIMs PPG TOI
NHL 71 10 16 26 +6 57 2 22:50
2009-2010
League GP G A P +/- PIMs PPG TOI
NHL 54 9 17 26 +3 37 2 23:44
My take: First off, full disclosure - 2 training camps ago I had written off Ian White as being too small and unable to handle the big forwards down low. That year I speculated that Wilson should play him as a forward. White started the season as a healthy scratch for 11 games but finally got his shot -as a forward - in the 12th game. That only lasted for a while because injuries soon forced him back to D - and he has never looked back. He has really become one of the bright spots on this dismal team. After adjusting his game and proving night in and night out that he is one of the hardest workers on the team, he has put together 2 pretty significant seasons.
Most people felt that last year he had a really good season - he has already matched his point totals this year. Yes, he didn't get to play all 82 games last year, but he did play some of them as a forward. Much has already been discussed about Ian White through some great fan posts by clrkaitken. The lower range he might sign for is somewhere in the 2.25 million area. If he was a UFA, he would probably make north of 3 million. Is he ripe for an offer sheet? Many of us have speculated that if he gets tendered an offer that would see the Leafs get a 1st and a 3rd we should let him walk. What do you think? I think we should lock him up to a reasonable deal with a significant term.
Phil Oreskovic Position: D Age 23 HT 6'4" Wt 217 Shoots R Salary/Cap Hit: .525/.525 - 2 way contract 50k in the AHL
2008-2009
League GP G A P +/- PIMs PPG TOI
NHL 10 1 1 2 -2 21 0 16:13
AHL 65 1 10 11 +17 103 ? ?
2009-2010
League GP G A P +/- PIMs PPG TOI
AHL 41 0 2 2 -14 98 0 ?
My take: He and the Marlies are having a pretty rough season this year. He isn't an offensive powerhouse as you can see by his numbers. He is a tough, physical defenseman who has seen very limited time with the big club. If we move either White or Kaberle, Phil could see some time as the 6th/7th defenseman. He probably can do Exelby's job, but with less suck. The reason why I don't have Mikus or Blacker on this list is because these aren't the guys you want to give bottom 2 minutes to, and I don't see them displacing any of the top 4 guys we have. Maybe 2011-12 will be Mikus' and Blacker's time.
Andre Deveaux Position: C/RW Age 25 HT 6'3" Wt 240 Shoots R Salary/Cap Hit: .5/.5 - 2 way contract 85k in the AHL
2008-2009
League GP G A P +/- PIMs PPG TOI
NHL 21 0 1 1 -3 75 0 7:14
AHL 38 14 11 25 +4 75 9 ?
2009-2010
League GP G A P +/- PIMs PPG TOI
AHL 44 12 15 27 -9 111 4 ?
My take: Some of us thought Andre might start on the 4th line with the Leafs this year, but we already had too many 4th line players. He seems to be a secondary scoring contributor on the Marlies but used as an ‘energy player' with the Leafs. If Burke can parley some of his mid level talent into picks and then sign some high level talent, he may get closer to his ideal Top 6/Bottom 6 mentality. If he does that, you could see some room made for Deveaux on the Leafs. A Rosehill/Orr/Deveaux line could provide energy and a strong hitting presence as the Leafs 4th line.
Nazem Kadri Position: C Age 19 HT 6'0" Wt 177-190? Shoots L Salary/Cap Hit: 1.75/1.75(bonuses of .85 included) Entry level contract not activated
2008-2009
League GP G A P +/- PIMs PPG TOI
OHL 56 25 53 78 13 31 ? ?
2009-2010
League GP G A P +/- PIMs PPG TOI
OHL 37 25 34 59 24 81 ? ?
My take: First a few things about the stats - does any league besides the NHL have extensive published stats? Also, his team site lists Kadri at 177 lbs, but recent reports put him around 188-190, so unless I see him on a scale I really couldn't tell you how much he weighs. Either way, it is better than his draft listed weight of 167. Also, he has played less games this year than many other OHL players because of the WJH Tournament. So he has the same amount of goals in almost 20 less games from last year... that's promising. Let's face it though, the only way he makes the Leafs next year is if he has an even better camp than last years. There is no need to have him on our team unless he is centering one of the top 2 lines.
Many fans are divided on Nazem making the Leafs next year. Due to the fact we probably won't be any good next year, a lot of fans are of the opinion that a year in the AHL would do him good. Others believe if he outplays most of the forwards in camp he deserves to be on the team. We won't know for sure, but what are your impressions? I think a lot will depend on his maturity, both physical and emotional. One stat to look at is his penalty minutes...they have ballooned since a year ago. Is he going to be a Getzlaf-type player? We can only hope... Would the coaching staff consider moving Grabovski to the wing and have Kadri as the second line center? Who knows, but it is up to us to speculate.
John F. Mitchell Position: C/LW Age 25 HT 6'1" Wt 182 Shoots L Salary/Cap Hit: .5/.487
2008-2009
League GP G A P +/- PIMs PPG TOI
NHL 76 12 17 29 -8 31 2 13:48
2009-2010
League GP G A P +/- PIMs PPG TOI
NHL 33 3 8 11 -8 31 1 15:55
My take: Full disclosure - I have never understood why some people like this guy so much. To be honest, there is very little in his game that wows me. Even when given some prime ice time, he has not shown a great deal of finish. The whole team lacks finish this year, but I have to confess that I am not a fan and would rather see him in the AHL so we can give other guys more of a chance. He was injured for a stretch this year, but he has had little impact in or out of the lineup. I don't know what his top end potential is, but right now I don't see him as any more than a third line guy with a little scoring upside. Is it time to give up on him and send him down/trade him? I think it may come down to direct competition with other players that will decide his fate on the roster.
Christian Hanson Position: RW Age 23 HT 6'3" Wt 202 Shoots R Salary/Cap Hit: .875/.925 currently only a 58K cap hit-AHL, two way contract 65K
2008-2009
League GP G A P +/- PIMs PPG TOI
NHL 5 1 1 2 -1 2 0 16:19
NCAA(ND) 37 16 15 31 ? 28 ? ?
2009-2010
League GP G A P +/- PIMs PPG TOI
NHL 6 0 1 1 -2 4 0 10:52
AHL 27 10 17 27 +8 31 3 ?
My take: Hanson is another of the college players that Burke signed last year. He played for Notre Dame and he had some decent numbers. He's a pretty big kid with good hands, but we haven't seen enough of him to know what his potential is. Before he was concussed he was tearing up the AHL, leading all rookies in scoring. With a +8 and scoring at a point per game, there was some hope he could be called up to showcase his skills in Toronto. Can he develop into a top 6 player, or will he fill a role in the bottom 6? I think he is still worth more to us than what we could get in any trade. Depending on how many bodies get moved by the trade deadline, I wouldn't mind seeing him up with the big club to get a better feel for his game and what his potential might be. I'd re-sign him and hope he is good enough to crack the lineup next season.
Nikolai Kulemin Position: LW/RW Age 23 HT 6'1" Wt 183 Shoots L Salary/Cap Hit: .85/.85
2008-2009
League GP G A P +/- PIMs PPG TOI
AHL 5 0 0 0 -2 0 0 ?
NHL 73 15 16 31 -8 18 2 13:48
2009-2010
League GP G A P +/- PIMs PPG TOI
NHL 50 10 10 20 +1 8 0 15:14
My take: Even though the stats don't show it, Kulemin has had a great season. He is only on pace to match last years totals, but I believe he will have a strong finish to the year. When he first broke into the league, we hoped he would be a scoring machine. Although that hasn't happened, he has developed into a great 2-way player. He does all the little things that make the coaches(and fans) happy - forechecks, hits, fights hard for the puck. He's still only 23 but is developing nicely. He may not turn out to be a top scorer, but there have been some flashes this year that indicate he may be more than a third line winger. I think we really need to re-sign this kid and see how he develops next season. What do you think he is worth? Can he cut it as a top 6 forward in the NHL? How much potential does he have?
Well, that concludes part 2 of my analysis, Pending Restricted Free agents(and some prospects.) These players aren't fully established NHLers yet, and they are unsigned. We still have their rights, which direction do we go with them? Have they worn out their welcome or do we keep trying to develop them? NHL or AHL? It's up to you to decide.
If you haven't read Part 1 - Pending Unrestricted Free agents - click on it to check it out. Also, please stay tuned to Part 3 - Players Under Contract - Due out next week.
Thanks for Reading!
PensionPlanPuppets.com is a fan community that allows members to post their own thoughts and opinions on the Toronto Maple Leafs and hockey in general. These views and thoughts may not be shared by the editor of PensionPlanPuppets.com.
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i think you were looking at primeau
kulemin’s cap hit is 1.488, but thats with a 0.850 bonus. his salary is only .850 this season
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your analysis is pretty spot-on. all of these guys can be back next year, either in set roles or to try and crack the roster next camp. and if you cant keep deveaux/mitchell on the cheep, then see you later.
by Death_By_Leafs on Jan 29, 2010 10:34 PM EST reply actions
You're right
fixed
"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."
Albert Einstein
by Say *plan the parade one more time*... on Jan 29, 2010 11:04 PM EST up reply actions
Definitely re-sign Gustavsson in the 2-2.5M range for 2-3 years. He’s not been perfect but I’ve seen enough of him to be encouraged.
I’d rather keep White than see him go unless the package we get in return is astronomical.
Oreskovic and Deveaux have their role, if they replace XLB and Mayers, for example, I’m fine with that, I don’t expect anything more than that.
I’d like to see Kadri develop more before putting him in the lineup, a year with the Marlies would do him nicely I think.
I’m very meh on Mitchell as well, I don’t really care at this point if he stays or not.
I’m hoping Hanson gets called up after the trade deadline and gets an extended run with the Leafs so we get a better idea of what he can give us.
Kulemin has been excellent, it’s been between he and White as the best Leaf this year. I think Kulie is capable of being a top 6 forward, and he has that rare ability to contribute offensively while still having a good checking and defensive awareness. I’d definitely sign him up, maybe to a Grabbo level contract.
leaf fan stuck in ottawa, a localized black hole that will suck everything in that area to oblivion.
My thoughts on Kadri
If he plays with the Leafs next year, be prepared to have a year similar to this one. He won’t be able to step in and produce numbers equivalent to a 1st or 2nd line C, so if he’s playing, we’re not getting better. This would be indicative of a more extensive rebuild, and I don’t really see Burke going that way. Plus, he likes his prospects developing well in the AHL. So if Kadri is up with the big club, there probably won’t be a lot to like about how the season is going to go. I’d much rather see Bozak/Grabby get the lion’s share of the top two line C duties.
I’d really prefer Kadri spend some time in the A next season. It’s true, in the three games I’ve seen him play (live) this year, there have been shifts where almost no other player has the puck on the ice – he shoots, collects his own rebounds, forechecks like mad, and never stops moving his feet. He’s also scored two goals in all of those games. On the other hand, he’s tried to do way too much by himself, and his giveaways often lead to goals against. He’s capable of making really sweet passes, but I think that in the NHL, he’d be eaten alive for these kinds of mistakes.
Stats sources.
1) I wouldn’t use tsn.ca for bio information like height and weight.
It lists players such as Nikolai Kulemin as being 6’1" and 183 lbs, when according to both the Leafs and the NHL he is actually 6’1" and 225 lbs. They don’t tend to change the bio info after a guy gets drafted unless he develops into a star and people are noticing. So yeah… I’d change that before you continue your postings.
2) The number 42 is a bit misleading for Gustavsson’s games played in the SEL. If you include the playoffs, he actually played in 127 games over two seasons. He only started 85 of them, but he skated in a hell of a lot more than 42 games. In terms of minutes played in the SEL he saw 4912:12. It should also be noted that Gustavsson was playing with AIK in the 1st division in Sweden before he was signed by an Eliteserien club. That’s developmental time also. He played in 97 games with AIK… which means he played 224 total games in men’s leagues in Sweden before crossing the pond.
By way of comparison Henrik Lundqvist had played in 257 games for Frolunda… but saw no time against men in Sweden in any league other than the SEL.
Either way, I just think the numbers are relevant in their entirety. I also don’t think the SEL posts W-T-L records for goaltenders on any of their statistical databases, so you’d have to literally look up a game by game record of Gustavsson’s play… and I don’t think that’s anything rather than ridiculously time consuming.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
Similarly with Kulemin
I think it’s relevant to show his stats in the RSL (now the KHL) if you’re tracking overall development. The fact that he led the RSL in goal scoring one year across the regular season and playoffs, en route to a league championship, strikes me as fairly important (although I admit many would disagree with that viewpoint).
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
by Steve Burtch on Jan 30, 2010 1:27 PM EST up reply actions
Thanks for the Info
I was only going back two years, development wise. I really didn’t see much payoff in going back 3+ years
"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."
Albert Einstein
by Say *plan the parade one more time*... on Jan 30, 2010 6:23 PM EST up reply actions
I'm concerned that White has started to believe his on hype a tad
and he’s starting to wear down on the blue line.
After starting the first half of the season so stellarly, he has dropped off of late. Since the start of the new year, he has gone through 14 games, produced 1 goal and 3 assists, and is a combined 5. Compare that with the first part of the season through December, where he played in 41 games, had 8 goals and 11 assists, and was a combined +9. That’s a drop off from 0.46 points per game to 0.29 points per game, and his +/ has gone in completely the opposite direction.
I think he’s a solid top 4 guy, but playing top 2 minutes is kind of eating him alive a bit.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
i like White
but as I’ve said around these parts many times already, there is already way too much $ tied up on this team’s defence — and it’s not like they’re world-beaters.
White is certainly in for a 100% raise at the very least, but whether it’s 200% or even more I have no idea.
I just don’t see how you can keep him without moving serious dollars on D. Komisarek and Beauch aren’t going anywhere (unless somebody knocks Burke’s socks off) because he was hand-picked by them, I don’t think.
That leaves Finger (a serviceable dman who just makes way too much) and Kaberle, who seems like the likeliest other shoe to drop.
I like Kaberle, but I think it’s in the team’s best interest to ship him out for a young scoring forward, and give Kabby’s role to White, while saving $1M or so in the process.
im pretty sure if they sign white, Kabby is gone, if they trade white, kabby stays
Puns, Innuendo and Bad Spelling, Yes We Got That
by JaredFromLondon on Jan 30, 2010 5:05 PM EST up reply actions
Woops
wtf was with the strikeout…
That should have read: Compare that with the first part of the season through December, where he played in 41 games, had 8 goals and 11 assists, and was a combined +9. That’s a drop off from 0.46 points per game to 0.29 points per game, and his +/ .
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
1st line: Unfilled – Bozak – Kessel
2nd line: Unfilled – Grabovski – Unfilled
3rd line: Kulemin – Hanson – Stempniak (resigned as a UFA, the only one)
4th line: Rosehill – Deveaux – Orr
Now we have quite a bit of empty spots up here. I really like the third line like that, all provide solid 2 way games. The 4th line is a great energy line, all of them capable of kicking ass and taking names. The 2nd line needs some scorers, and of remaining in-house candidates we have Kadri, Stalberg, D’Amigo and longshots like Hayes, D’Dimenico, Ryan and Stefanovich. Most of these guys are too young, like Ryan, so if we let every UFA walk, other then Stempniak, and sign these RFAs to market level contract we should have some money to spend to help fill some of these spots as well.
1st D: Kaberle – Komisarek
2nd D: Schenn – White
3rd D: Beauchemin – Gunnarson
This is pretty much set, lines can be shuffled but I feel like its going to be those 6.
1st Goalie: Gustavsson
2nd Goalie: Unfilled
We could use a 1B goalie to push Gustavsson, a solid veteran prescence.
no Stalberg or Hagman?
Puns, Innuendo and Bad Spelling, Yes We Got That
by JaredFromLondon on Jan 30, 2010 2:50 PM EST up reply actions
I think that they fill two of those three spots.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
A lot of grit, ya, and a lot of pugnacity and all that, but career stats of 7-11-18 in 331 GP would indicate they would contribute zero offence. And I’d like at least a little out of the 4th line.
If Mayers had of been as advertised, he would have been a great 4th liner. Hit, forecheck, energy, decent D and the occasional goal is what I look for. This line would do the first 3, but that’s about it.
apparently if a player dies while under contract, his cap hit doesn’t count….
"The only way out is in a body bag. Go Leafs Go." - Blinky
by Karina on Jan 30, 2010 4:42 PM EST up reply actions
I wouldn't
keep Kadri down on the 3rd line unless you want his offense to wither on the vine.
If he plays top line minutes he has all the potential to become a 60 point player. As the 3rd most talented guy on the top line, that’s actually very solid production. He would be great in the corners and the defensive conscience of the line.
If you reduce him to 3rd line minutes, he’s going to never really produce over 30 points in a season… it’s pretty hard for any 3rd liner to do that. You could play him with Grabovski on the 2nd line if you want him to get some points without worrying about him not succeeding as a top line winger.
I also strongly disagree with that 4th line. Deveaux can’t skate well enough to check effectively as a centre at the NHL level.
Hanson, Stempniak, and Blake would be a decent 3rd line on the cheap since I sincerely doubt any of them are likely to get a huge pay raise… and the NHL experience of Stempniak and Blake would make Hanson’s life easier.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
by Steve Burtch on Jan 30, 2010 5:25 PM EST up reply actions
wow... I just said Kadri
but I meant Kulemin… slip of sorts.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
by Steve Burtch on Jan 30, 2010 5:25 PM EST up reply actions
DiDomenico
and D’Amigo are huge longshots to have anything to do with the club next year.
D’Amigo is likely to play at least one more year in the NCAA, as it’s rare for teams to sign a player out of college after their freshman year. His play hasn’t really warranted shifting him to a pro contract just yet, and he can play in the World Juniors again next year… might as well leave him on RPI for the time being.
DiDo likely needs to get skating again, and then playing again, before the Leafs suddenly consider tossing him in the NHL lineup. I’m guessing a stint in the ECHL or AHL would come before he makes the big club.
Ryan, Stefanovich, Champagne, Hayes, Mitchell, are all likely to be playing in the AHL at MOST next season… they’re still a ways from being NHL ready. The Leafs should NOT rush these prospects. They want a good team in a few years… next year they’re going to suck… might as well get used to that idea.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
by Steve Burtch on Jan 30, 2010 5:35 PM EST up reply actions
My take...
Guys to resign:
White: Ideally for under $3million, max I would be willing to give is $3.25million, if another team offer sheets him for $3.5 or more, take the picks and let him walk.
Gustavsson: 2 years at around $2.5million and I would be happy, gives us a chance to see how good he can be, and if he proves himself we can give him a good raise in 2 years.
Hanson: Lock him up, he has the potential skill to break into the top 6, and if not he has the size and grit to fit into the bottom 6.
Kulemin: Love the kid, he has been playing really well in a 3rd line role and definitely should be locked up long term while he is cheap. If he suddenly starts scoring next season and we have him locked up for a few years super cheap then he will be a major value. If not then we have a good solid 3rd line guy locked up for a while.
Oreskovic/Deveaux: Sign them for the minimum, if they don’t want it, let them walk. These kinds of players are pretty expendable.
Mitchell: I don’t understand why people love the guy, let him walk, or hope someone offer sheets him.
Kadri: Probably could use some time in the AHL. I would love to see him in the NHL tearing it up, but if he doesn’t have an absolutely spectacular pre-season next year let him play in the AHL for a bit to get the experience. It’s not like we are expecting to be a seriously competitive team next year regardless (although I certainly hope we are).
great analysis
I just worry about signing gus for the long term and making him the number one without any sort of solid indication that he is the real deal. with all we have endured in the last few years in regards to goaltender deficiencies, can we really start another season with a questionable starter? However, if he goes out and gets a “proven” goalie (Giguere, or the likes) that would be an indication that the big swede isn’t the definitive number 1. Perhaps a Roloston type signing that obviously isn’t in the cards for the long run but will provide a solid plan B should Gus falter is the ticket. However he does it Burke has to shore up the nets.
"Dad why are you crying?"
by my son has a choice on Jan 30, 2010 4:04 PM EST reply actions
I don’t think anyone’s “handing” Gus anything.
Depending on something crazy happening with his stats over the last part of the season, I really feel the Leafs are going to want a 2-3 year deal with him, and I can’t see how his boxcar stats earn him anything much more than the $2 to $2.5M a year range.
As you said, you then couple him with a capable veteran UFA for something between $1 and $2M and you go for it. As sad as it is, getting NHL-average tending (with the hopes of upside, from Gus) for $4M-$5M total is a vast vast improvement over the goaltending shitshow the Leafs have thrown out since about the lockout.
also
$2M is not a boat anchor if he turns out to be nothing more than a NHL backup, or buggers off back to the SEL.
It’s only once you get up to the $3M level that bad contracts start to really hinder GMs.
"Dad why are you crying?"
by my son has a choice on Jan 30, 2010 5:10 PM EST up reply actions
that would be a pretty decent 1 2. I think there is no choice but to give gus a decent chance.
"Dad why are you crying?"
by my son has a choice on Jan 30, 2010 5:17 PM EST up reply actions
Biron
played on Long Island for $1.4 million this year, I can’t see his salary rocketing up to $2 mill next season.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
by Steve Burtch on Jan 30, 2010 5:29 PM EST up reply actions
Also
his 3.22 GAA and .900 save percentage isn’t that hot either.
I’d say Jose Theodore and his 2.85 GAA and .910 save percentage might be a better option.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
by Steve Burtch on Jan 30, 2010 5:31 PM EST up reply actions
i really
think/fear burke might resort to a knee jerk move like trading for Jiggy.
"Dad why are you crying?"
by my son has a choice on Jan 30, 2010 5:44 PM EST up reply actions
if burke trades for giggy it wont be for a lot and there will be a good pick coming back
Puns, Innuendo and Bad Spelling, Yes We Got That
by JaredFromLondon on Jan 30, 2010 5:48 PM EST up reply actions
Finger for Giggy, straight up!
If that’s not enough, we will throw in Blake!
Literally, we will throw him.
"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."
Albert Einstein
by Say *plan the parade one more time*... on Jan 30, 2010 6:27 PM EST up reply actions
like a small furry projectile!
Puns, Innuendo and Bad Spelling, Yes We Got That
by JaredFromLondon on Jan 30, 2010 6:29 PM EST up reply actions
Jiggy’s not a knee-jerk move unless he’s trading assets for him.
His one year deal (which is what would be left) is the kind of move he should be making to improve the team immediately and buy more time for the team’s prospects to develop.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
My thoughts are running parallel to yours in this
"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."
Albert Einstein
by Say *plan the parade one more time*... on Jan 30, 2010 6:27 PM EST up reply actions
the fact that they have no other options in the system
should have zero bearing on Gus’s contract negotiations.
I don’t like many things Burke has done so far, but for some reason, I’m confident he’s going to have the goaltending sorted out to the point that it’s not a festering liability by the opening of training camp.
you think?
gus’s agent must be thinking its a bargaining chip in his favour/
"Dad why are you crying?"
by my son has a choice on Jan 30, 2010 5:25 PM EST reply actions
I'd worry more about the KHL
than the SEL. He could easily get $3 million in the KHL.
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."
- Sir Winston Churchill
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the Leafs.
by Steve Burtch on Jan 30, 2010 5:26 PM EST up reply actions
well then vaya con dios, jonas
this franchise can’t be rolling the dice and hoping. Paying a goalie (who i admit has a lot of potential) $3.5M+ for multiple years, despite the fact that his stats are below the mid-point of NHL starters, and doing it just because you have no other options and you’re afraid he’ll bolt if you don’t, REEKS of desperation.
Stop swinging for the fences. You can make progress by hitting a bunch of singles in a row.
true
i’d be happy with a solid at bat
"Dad why are you crying?"
by my son has a choice on Jan 30, 2010 6:12 PM EST up reply actions
But then you’re clogging the bases…
Just kidding.
You’re right, the Leafs cannot be overpaying for potential. Gustavsson is one spot where they have a chance at getting a player to out perform their contract.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
i don't care if he does
At the end of the day, the Leafs own his rights and control the terms of his NHL career for now. That’s an asset I want Brian “highest paid GM in NHL history” Burke to wield for the betterment of the franchise.
If another NHL team throws a crazy offer sheet at him, then you look at the compensation and decide. If a foreign team throws crazy money at him, OK, there’s no compensation.
But overpaying him just to save face or justify the investment in him is stupid. Not that “stupid” and “MLSE” are like oil and water…
Well, fuck
I guess I have some re-writing to do, thanks Burke!
"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."
Albert Einstein
by Say *plan the parade one more time*... on Jan 31, 2010 3:37 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
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