The Second Day of Leafsmas
On the second day of Leafsmas
Burkie gave to me...
Two Special Teams
and
A center for Phil Kessel
Special teams are extremely important. They make a great team unbeatable, a good team great, and competent ones would make the Maple Leafs a decent team. Right now they are sitting at 19th on the powerplay (15.8%) and 29th (77.4%) for a 93.2 combined special teams efficiency rating. That's not nearly good enough to overcome the team's 0.77 5-on-5 goals for/goals against differential.
How will Burke solve the problem? There are a few ways: bring in a coach that can teach special teams, bring in a forward to prop up the powerplay, scare the goalies into being better, or get the rules changed so that the Leafs get three minute powerplays instead of two. Can he do it?
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I’ve now heard that Richards doesn’t have much interest in playing here, although right out of his mouth last month he said he’d consider Toronto an “A-destination” if it were to come to that.
by Matt Di Franco on Dec 15, 2010 11:54 AM EST reply actions
Welcome
Thanks for joining.
Richards is all over the map on where he wants to play.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
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he comes off as overly diplomatic
makes me think he has a list of destinations already planned out and Dallas isnt on there
Rule #20
by JaredFromLondon on Dec 15, 2010 12:23 PM EST up reply actions
He does sound as if he’s hedging his bets.
by Robert James on Dec 15, 2010 5:08 PM EST up reply actions
My guess is that like many a premier UFA, he’s using the Leafs as leverage but has no intention of signing here.
"That’s why stats are so important – anecdotal evidence just doesn’t cut it when you’re talking about history." - Bower Power
by The '67 Sound on Dec 15, 2010 12:23 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah. It behooves him to make Dallas think he’s already looking at options for July, but he’s leaving behind a good situation. They should be able to give him a decent contract before then
Negative. I am a meat popsicle.
I doubt he stays in Dallas
the team’s ownership situation is far too screwed up.
"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 Dec 15, 2010 8:01 PM EST up reply actions
The Stars are already near the cap floor and will need to reach an even higher floor next year. They also lack any other major re-signings outside of Richards. With how he has performed over the past two seasons, my gut tells me that Leaf fans expecting him to make July 1 without a contract will be disappointed.
Negative. I am a meat popsicle.
Luckily disappointment is my middle name.
20 miles to Legoland!
by nhlcheapshot on Dec 15, 2010 8:33 PM EST up reply actions
They only
have 4 D men under contract for next year, but yes most of their forward corps is locked up.
They have currently spent around $38 million in cap space on 15 skaters and 2 goalies. Depending on the development of Scott Glennie coming in to play up front, he’s making $1.65 million, and they have one other prospect (Jack Campbell a G) slated to make over $1 mill next year.
Assuming the salary cap next year is set at a small increase from $59.4 million, to maybe $60 or $61 million, that means the cap floor is raised to $44 or $45 million a year. For the Stars to reach that they just have to sign 2 D men for around $2.5 million each.
Adding two guys for under $3 million that you NEED to play an NHL season, might make more sense than trying to luck up a $7 or $8 mill guy for a long term deal… at least until ownership is sorted out.
"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 Dec 16, 2010 7:48 AM EST up reply actions
lock up even.
not luck.
"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 Dec 16, 2010 7:49 AM EST up reply actions
I’m also intrigued by the idea of adding Rolston off re-entry waivers…I think he’d be a great addition of character and defensive responsibility…2.5 mill is a bit of a hit but the Leafs have no veteran leadership up front and they’re as weak on the backcheck and PK as they are offensively starved- they need more than elite top 6 talent
by Matt Di Franco on Dec 15, 2010 11:56 AM EST reply actions
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Certified Grabbo Lover
The Leafs are the youngest team in the league, and no part is more inexperienced than their forwards. One simple(ton) veteran wouldn’t hurt.
BS
by MapleLeafMole on Dec 15, 2010 12:09 PM EST up reply actions
BACK UP YOUR OPINION WITH FACTS!!!
BS
by MapleLeafMole on Dec 15, 2010 12:44 PM EST up reply actions
Fact: he is Brian Rolston and he sucks now and is on a +35 contract
Rule #20
by JaredFromLondon on Dec 15, 2010 12:47 PM EST up reply actions
Fact: He’s getting waived from a team that’s performing worse than the Maple Leafs.
The experiment failed: Get rid of the trapezoid.
Fact: Your facts suck, because they’re too true.
BS
by MapleLeafMole on Dec 15, 2010 1:35 PM EST up reply actions
Mmmmm uhdsss uhdsss uhdssss uhdsss. Yummy beats!
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by CanadianMaple09 on Dec 15, 2010 4:50 PM EST up reply actions
He's being waived
to clear salary to bring in YOUNGER players, not necessarily better players.
He also doesn’t “suck”.
His Corsi QoC = 1.193, and his Corsi QoT = 3.564, but his PDO is only 926, so that’ll trend upwards.
His Corsi On is 10.21, and his Corsi Rel = 6.3, he’s better than most of the Devils and his shooting percentage has been low so far.
He is far from their worst player, and has played better than Kovalchuk and Langebrunner for instance.
The team’s shooting percentage while he’s on the ice is a woeful 3.19% which is ridiculously bad. The SV% at ES is also a pretty bad .894
That wouldn’t continue in Toronto.
Put him on the ice with Kessel who has a Corsi on of -2.73, and Corsi Rel of -4.5.
"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 Dec 15, 2010 8:10 PM EST up reply actions
p.s.
his Corsi On would rank him 4th on the team behind the MGK forwards. He would definitely help the Leafs.
"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 Dec 15, 2010 8:11 PM EST up reply actions
Noooo
4 points in 15 games (the rest he was injured).
37 years old. Another year at $2.5M. Can’t bury him in the minors.
Burke please say no to Brian Rolston.
20 miles to Legoland!
by nhlcheapshot on Dec 15, 2010 12:17 PM EST up reply actions
I'm so annoyed at this sentiment
people are staring at simple stats and his age and the fact he’s under contract for a YEAR AND A HALF… are you kidding me? He comes off the books after NEXT YEAR.
I don’t think he should be “elite” at this point, and we don’t need him to be. Mark Recchi isn’t elite and he does fine mentoring the B’s players.
I don’t want him to SOLVE our problems, I just don’t think he’d make us a worse team. He would be an improvement over the likes of Tim Brent or Tyler Bozak at this point, and Nazem Kadri can go back to the AHL where he should keep developing his game.
"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 Dec 15, 2010 8:12 PM EST up reply actions
Rolston isn't Recchi, Steve.
Sorry but I’m never going to agree with you on Rolston.
I’m not sure bringing in another body would send Kadri back to the A right now… Unless he seriously regresses I gotta think he’ll stay with the big club.
20 miles to Legoland!
by nhlcheapshot on Dec 15, 2010 8:16 PM EST up reply actions
ok so it's Rosehill
either way, Rolston is defensively sound, and he isn’t a liability on the ice.
His numbers are fine. He isn’t scoring, but you don’t bring him in to score.
You bring him in to stabilize centre ice as a position. Bozak has horribly underperformed at both ends of the ice. his Corsi numbers are atrocious, and he makes too many giveaways. Rolston won’t do that.
"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 Dec 15, 2010 8:18 PM EST up reply actions
Also
you’re right.
Recchi’s Corsi On is -6.61… or 16 WORSE than Rolston, so he’s actually far MORE of a liability.
He has a Corsi Rel of -1.9… the Bruins are far better when he’s OFF the ice.
"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 Dec 15, 2010 8:20 PM EST up reply actions
Recchi's advantage
comes on the PP where he’s got 10 points. Rolston hasn’t been generating points on the PP.
"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 Dec 15, 2010 8:21 PM EST up reply actions
You bring him in to stabilize centre ice as a position.
Except that Rolston isn’t a particularly good center. His career face-off numbers since the lockout are not pretty.
05-06 – 46.4%
06-07 – 45.4%
07-08 – 40.6%
08-09 – 46.1%
09-10 – 50.8% (only took 63 face-offs)
He hasn’t averaged over 17 minutes per game since he left Minnesota, and his shooting percentage has been trending downward since then as well (under 9% for 2+ seasons in NJ). He’s an aging player who is no longer a capable center, and hasn’t been for some time. He’d have to play wing, and that would be pointless.
Negative. I am a meat popsicle.
by birky on Dec 15, 2010 8:45 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
we should not bring in Rolston
Negative. I am a meat popsicle.
by birky on Dec 15, 2010 8:46 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I’m rec’ing both of these comments. I felt like I was taking crazy pills.
Rolston is not good, and bad value even at $2.5M
20 miles to Legoland!
by nhlcheapshot on Dec 15, 2010 8:55 PM EST up reply actions
If he wasn’t an over-35 contract I’d definitely be on board. The problem is that he is and he’s no longer elite talent. I also don’t think it’s a great idea to parachute in problems from one of the few teams worse than us.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Like reading thoughts confined to 140 characters? I'm on Twitter too.
by PPP on Dec 15, 2010 12:21 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Surely there is a meme hiding in the word “squelch” somewhere.
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by CanadianMaple09 on Dec 16, 2010 12:32 AM EST up reply actions
Agree…if his deal was up 7/1/11 it’s a short-term “pump and dump” situation but being stuck with a deal for the entire 2011-12 season…I’ll pass that Showcase to the next contestant.
The Maple Leafs- making me certifiably insane since 1985.
by torleafsfan29 on Dec 15, 2010 3:58 PM EST up reply actions
Why?
we did that with Giguere… and it was for $6 million… nobody griped then.
"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 Dec 15, 2010 8:13 PM EST up reply actions
No. He’s close to the end. What if he retires? Would rather not pay 2.5 million for a guy that isn’t playing.
Negative. I am a meat popsicle.
I’d rather try and pursue a Marco Sturm for “future considerations” deal.
Resident Capologist
Сертыфікаваны Grabbo Палюбоўнік
Or...
2.5 million, would almost get you pretty close to the Brooks Laich/Matt Moulson category in the off-season. That’s where I would rather see those dollars going. No need for that money to go to Rolston
Like sacrificial virgins, we all burn in different ways. You are a fast explosion and I am the embers.
by TheBurnward on Dec 16, 2010 12:01 AM EST up reply actions
If Semin were available in the Summer, you think Burke would make a play for him? I don’t think Burke’s self-imposed contract parameters would allow for him to be a factor in pursuing a guy like Semin.
I think Burke will have trouble taking the team to the next level if he keeps limiting himself with his hard line stances on everything from NTC’s to contract term and everything else he insists on doing differently than everyone else.
by Matt Di Franco on Dec 15, 2010 12:39 PM EST reply actions
Let’s clear up some misconceptions.
Burke doesn’t have a “hard-line” stance on NTC. He’s been quoted as saying they are “coach killers” and “they suck”, but he never said he would never give them out; he said he “hated them”. He’s given out limited NTCs to Kessel and Komisarek since joining the Leafs, so he clearly will provide one if he thinks it’s necessary.
Also, his issue with contracts isn’t the term, it’s the mainpulation of the cap hit by adding significantly lower years to the end of the contract. (An issue that has been resolved going forward)
Alex Ovechkin has a 13 year contract that pays him 8 or 9 million every year, Ilya Kovalchuk has a 15 year contract that pays him peanuts over the last 5 years. I would bet any sum of money that while Burke might not be enamoured with the length of Ovechkin’s deal, he would see nothing wrong with its format.
So this isn’t about not being willing to sign a player to a long-term contract. It’s about not wanting to sign a player to a deal that straddles the line of cap circumvention (and as we found out, the line is arbitrary and the Devils found the wrong side of it)
It bothers me when people make it out like Burke is placing all these restrictions on himself, like he’s trying to win a Cup in Toronto with an additional degree of difficulty. Let’s not forget that in his first ever draft as Maple Leafs GM he had to forfeit a 4th round pick because his predecessor botched a routine signing of an unrestricted free agent. If that doesn’t make you a little more cautious in your approach to asset management, then you’re just plain reckless (and I’d suggest that that’s worse).
i’d personally make a very strong offer were Semin to hit the market, (something in the vicinity of 7/$49M) because I subscribe to 67 Sound’s (and others’) theory that you simply must acquire elite talent when it becomes avaialble if your team is to become elite. Whether Burke gets the opportunity remains to be seen.
Resident Capologist
Сертыфікаваны Grabbo Палюбоўнік
by clrkaitken on Dec 15, 2010 1:12 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
agreed
i was on board with Kovalchuk as long as the price was no more than $7M and there was no funny contract stuff or some exorbitant length.
I am willing to overpay for Semin. I don’t think he’s quite as good a goal scorer as Kovalchuk just yet, but only because Kovalchuk has a longer track record.
If you can get that asset and all it costs is money ($6M? $7M) then I’m fine with it.
Unabashed fan of the surprise 2012 Stanley Cup champs
The awesome thing about this is that we really wouldn’t be handcuffing ourselves in terms of the cap if we offer a guy like Semin 7mil/year. With Giggy coming off the books or signing for less, it would only be adding a few mil onto the cap, which we are already 4 or 5 mil below (too lazy to look up exact numbers).
I expect re-signing some of Bozak, Schenn, Gunnarsson, Sjostrom, MacArthur, and possibly even a few others will probably eat up a lot of that extra space.
Heck, depending on how Gustavsson and Rynnas finish the year, Burke might bring Giguere back for one more season.
Oh, you better believe that's a paddling.
The only guy on this list that will make significantly more than he is making now is MacArthur, who is only making 1.1, and he will probably get Grabovski money or slightly above.
Schenn is currently making just under 3mil with bonuses, so he might get a raise to a similar hit to Kaberle or just above.. Bozak is making north of 3mil with bonuses, and the way he’s playing he will get maybe 1.5; saving us money.
And if Giguere gets resigned I can’t see him making much more than 2mil/year for 2 years.
Capgeek says we have about 20million next year to re-sign guys, I can’t see much more than half of that being used for just re-signing. Having 6 or 7 mil to sign a UFA doesn’t seem out of the question.
Let's focus on just Giguere's $6M
Let’s say he re-signs for $2M, as you suggested.
MacArthur signs a deal for Grabbo money, and makes an additional $1.8M.
Schenn earns an extra, say, $1M in cap hit.
Suddenly, we only have $1.2M in extra space because of Giguere’s contract expiring.
Oh, you better believe that's a paddling.
Now, I always get screwed up when it comes to figuring out how bonuses affect the cap, especially in a CBA-expiring year, but bonus salary cap hits aren’t actual cap hits unless the criteria for the bonuses are met. So, even if Bozak only costs us, say, $1.8M, that may actually be higher than his actual cap hit at the end of the season.
Someone help me with this, I’m too lazy to look all this noise up right now.
Oh, you better believe that's a paddling.
Leafs have 9 players to sign with 20.6M in cap. Bonus overage is gone (yay), but bonuses count against the cap, because it’s a CBA expiration year.
- Bozak, we’ll say said, gets 2.5M – a decrease, but still paying for potential. 8 players, 18.1M
- Mac is 2.9 you said. 7 players, 15.2M.
- Mitchell gets 10% minimum, for 800k cap hit total. 6 players, 14.4M.
- Brown gets minimum, for abotu 600k total. 5 players, 13.8M.
- Sjostrom and Brent are UFA. They either take a 10% raise or we let them walk, we’ll say. 1.25M hit, 3 players left, 12.55M.
- Giguere gets re-upped at 2.25M., 2 players left 10.3M remaining.
- Schenn gets 3.5M – lofty, but this should also account for any under budgeting I’ve done.
1 player, 6.8M remaining.
I didn’t resign Kaberle in this. Rynnas has a total contract value of 2M, so even if we let Giguere walk (saving .25M), it’s really looking like our options are as follows:
Resign Kaberle for the same money, not have the cap space for Richards or Semin.
Sign Richards or Semin, and likely not have the cap space for Kaberle.
I think I just realized that we can’t afford to resign Kaberle at almost any price.
Note: We’ve got a 24 man roster on capgeek right now, and above I planned for a 22 man roster.The two slots that I’ve “sent down” are Rosehill and Gunnarsson, neither of whom should be in for a remarkable raise, but do have a combined cap hit of 1.3M.
The experiment failed: Get rid of the trapezoid.
I have a similar scenario, but instead of re-signing Giguere we roll Gus/Rynnas or Gus/Reimer (both with an assumed matching Gustavsson cap hit), cap increases by $2-$3M and we have $11M in cap space to re-sign Kaberle and/or make 1 UFA splash.
Plenty of room.
20 miles to Legoland!
by nhlcheapshot on Dec 15, 2010 4:47 PM EST up reply actions
I posted the same thing up on the FTB, as not to deride Leafsmas.
The experiment failed: Get rid of the trapezoid.
Leafsmas is ruined.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
Like reading thoughts confined to 140 characters? I'm on Twitter too.
Not to be a nazi
But since I was the victim of one in the other thread, I will exact my vengeance here, on someone completely unrelated…like Oilers fans think Colton Orr should have done last night.
Deride means e.g. to mock, to scoff at, to laugh at.
Maybe you meant derail? Or something along the lines of not wanting to dampen our Leafsmas cheer.
Not to be a nazi
Too late.
20 miles to Legoland!
by nhlcheapshot on Dec 15, 2010 6:55 PM EST up reply actions
Why on god’s green earth would you re-sign Mitchell?
Also, I don’t think Bozak makes 2.5mil, especially if we sign another centre.
I see what you are saying but I agree with nhlcheapshot in that Burke will make his signings in a way to have that cap space. I think letting Sjostrom or Kaberle walk is worth it to sign an elite forward.
My points was more that, with the cap space we will have (not including Giggy’s hit), we will be able to re-sign the guys we want. Giggy’s hit is kind of like a bonus we can use to sign a UFA once those others are re-signed.
There’s lots of room to sign Semin. The problem is I don’t think we’ll get the chance.
FORWARDS
Phil Kessel ($5.400m) / Nazem Kadri ($1.720m) / Alexander Semin ($7.000m)
Nikolai Kulemin ($2.350m) / Mikhail Grabovski ($2.900m) / Clarke MacArthur ($3.000m)
Kris Versteeg ($3.083m) / Tyler Bozak ($1.500m) / Colby Armstrong ($3.000m)
Colton Orr ($1.000m) / Christian Hanson ($0.700m) / Mike Brown ($0.600m)
Fredrik Sjostrom ($0.750m)
DEFENSEMEN
Dion Phaneuf ($6.500m) / Francois Beauchemin ($3.800m)
Carl Gunnarsson ($0.840m) / Luke Schenn ($3.500m)
Keith Aulie ($0.733m) / Mike Komisarek ($4.500m)
/ Brett Lebda ($1.450m)
GOALTENDERS
Jonas Gustavsson ($1.350m) /James Reimer ($0.660m)
BUYOUTS: Darcy Tucker ($1.000m)
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled using the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $59,400,000; CAP PAYROLL: $57,336,666; BONUSES: $1,000,000
CAP SPACE (22-man roster): $3,063,334
"That’s why stats are so important – anecdotal evidence just doesn’t cut it when you’re talking about history." - Bower Power
by The '67 Sound on Dec 15, 2010 5:50 PM EST up reply actions
Yup, my post just ended up highlighting that neither Kaberle nor Giguere should not be expected back at the end of this year.
The experiment failed: Get rid of the trapezoid.
Hopefully there won’t be a resigning of Kaberle.
by Robert James on Dec 15, 2010 5:11 PM EST up reply actions
how long is Mike Brown signed for?
Rule #20
by JaredFromLondon on Dec 15, 2010 4:13 PM EST up reply actions
give him 110 percent of what he makes now for 20 years
Rule #20
by JaredFromLondon on Dec 15, 2010 4:16 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah, that may well be, I was just listing the most significant roster players that are currently on expiring contracts.
Oh, you better believe that's a paddling.
Move Komisarek...
For anything! Then, the free agent world becomes the Leafs oyster.
Like sacrificial virgins, we all burn in different ways. You are a fast explosion and I am the embers.
by TheBurnward on Dec 16, 2010 12:02 AM EST up reply actions
CAPGEEK.COM CAP CALCULATOR
FORWARDS
Alexander Semin ($7.000m) / Brad Richards ($6.800m) / Phil Kessel ($5.400m)
Nikolai Kulemin ($2.350m) / Mikhail Grabovski ($2.900m) / Clarke MacArthur ($2.700m)
Kris Versteeg ($3.083m) / Nazem Kadri ($1.720m) / Colby Armstrong ($3.000m)
Mike Brown ($0.637m) / Tyler Bozak ($1.725m) / Colton Orr ($1.000m)
/ / Fredrik Sjostrom ($0.750m)
DEFENSEMEN
Dion Phaneuf ($6.500m) / Francois Beauchemin ($3.800m)
Carl Gunnarsson ($0.800m) / Luke Schenn ($3.575m)
Keith Aulie ($0.733m) / Jeff Woywitka ($0.750m)
/ Brett Lebda ($1.450m)
GOALTENDERS
Jonas Gustavsson ($1.350m) /James Reimer ($0.596m)
BUYOUTS: Darcy Tucker ($1.000m)
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled using the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $59,400,000; CAP PAYROLL: $59,620,832; BONUSES: $1,000,000
CAP SPACE (22-man roster): $779,168
Like sacrificial virgins, we all burn in different ways. You are a fast explosion and I am the embers.
by TheBurnward on Dec 16, 2010 12:11 AM EST up reply actions
Who the he’ll us Jeff woywika?
Rule #20
by JaredFromLondon on Dec 16, 2010 12:28 AM EST up reply actions
HA!
He’s one of my underrated bottom pairing d-guys. Really like his game, was defensive partner with Phaneuf at Red Deer. A defenseman of that ilk anyhoo to round things out.
Like sacrificial virgins, we all burn in different ways. You are a fast explosion and I am the embers.
by TheBurnward on Dec 16, 2010 12:40 AM EST up reply actions
I agree and understand the point you’re reinforcing as far as the NTC…I was looking at it from the other end that will probably allow Kaberle to walk for nothing at season’s end. Burke inherited a bunch of no trades and in attempts to assure people league wide that the Leafs are a stand up organization he’s repeatedly stated that he would never approach a veteran with a request to waive a NTC…the offers in the Summer may have been pathetic, but the trade deadline opportunities that may have existed are a moot point.
I don’t necessarily disagree with Burke’s stance on term or cap manipulation, and if there is ever a future CBA ratification it will more than likely favor Burke and his preferences/desires as far as contracts. But, in the interim he has repeatedly gone on record as saying that he’d max out at a 5 year term for anyone “not named Crosby or Ovechkin”. Agents inform players of stuff like this, and the prevailing attitude seems to be that players don’t necessarily want to come to Toronto in the first place (I assume due to pressure and exposure) I just feel that anything else to put on a potential FA’s plate may hinder Burke in attracting the big fish.
by Matt Di Franco on Dec 15, 2010 1:51 PM EST up reply actions
Unless they couldn’t do a deal, the Kaberle-for-Semin deal I harped on all summer makes too much sense. Both guys are UFA’s after the season and WSH would have gained cap space out of it. I know Semin isn’t a “Burke-esque” player and he’s a milk carton after April but I thought it was worth a roll of the dice.
The Maple Leafs- making me certifiably insane since 1985.
by torleafsfan29 on Dec 15, 2010 4:01 PM EST up reply actions
If we trade Kaberle for Semin, anytime, including right before their contracts are up, I will eat my hat, shirt, and pants.
Oh, you better believe that's a paddling.
“Hey washington, you know what you need? A puck moving defenseman! He’s not great on D, but he’s quite good at passing! What’s that, you have 6 of those already?”
The experiment failed: Get rid of the trapezoid.
Well slow down on the ‘in his own end’ thing, he’s been much better this year, but yeah, they don’t need Kaberle.
Oh, you better believe that's a paddling.
Well then
Beauchemin would probably be a more suitable fit, he plays a hybrid style and eats up the tough minutes.
The only thing is that due to his improved play this year and the fact that he is a Burke signing, i think he’s here to stay.
+ next year there is a strong possibility that we will be an even younger team and he would be a needed veteran presence.
by the great 88 on Dec 15, 2010 6:56 PM EST up reply actions
I remember
when people used to say that the Leaf’s solid PK system should just be called “Ed Belfour”
We didn’t appreciate the Potvin-to-Cujo-to-Belfour years nearly enough.
Unabashed fan of the surprise 2012 Stanley Cup champs
We appreciated the Cujo/Belfour years because those teams didn’t give a fuck about defence.
If we weren’t getting that level of goaltending those Quinn teams weren’t going anywhere.
Resident Capologist
Сертыфікаваны Grabbo Палюбоўнік
Lumme/Berg…..
/shudder…
There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E"
by Matt_Roberts on Dec 15, 2010 1:50 PM EST up reply actions
I’m going to need you to go ahead and rec that.
Unabashed fan of the surprise 2012 Stanley Cup champs
by pevans on Dec 15, 2010 2:53 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
If someone else could go ahead and make this green, that would be great, thanks a bunch Peter.
by Shield on Dec 15, 2010 3:47 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
although… Markov/Yushkevich
Fuck yes.
There is no "I" in team, but there is an "M" and an "E"
by Matt_Roberts on Dec 15, 2010 1:50 PM EST up reply actions
Kessel Trade won.
/Turns and shouts expletives through TSN message boards
by the great 88 on Dec 16, 2010 5:53 PM EST up reply actions
The reply button, it’s a wonderful thing -——^
PPP's resident pencil artist.
My Portfolio
by CanadianMaple09 on Dec 16, 2010 12:36 AM EST up reply actions
Ok we've obviously got an issue with
CENTRE ICE… and yet a C becomes available with veteran experience and we run for the hills because of a $2.5 million cap hit for one more year?
"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.
There's no way
we bring Bozak back at his current cost. He’s making like $1.5 mill next year max.
MacArthur gets a raise if we keep him, but that won’t be far north of $3 mill… that exchange of Bozak money to MacArthur means the salaries are a wash.
Rosehill or Kadri goes back in the minors, so really that’s an increase of $2 mill over the current salaries on the team – at most… if Kadri goes back it’s more like a $1.4 mill increase? This isn’t a huge increase in salary.
Schenn and Gunnarsson can have their raise, and if we want Kaberle to stay we just have to move Beauchemin … it’s not that complicated, and I don’t see a huge issue with it… particularly if we’ve got Aulie, Gunnarsson, and Holzer developing.
"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 Dec 15, 2010 8:17 PM EST up reply actions
oh
and Giguere is gone… so that’s $6 mill in cap space next year.. immediately.
We can still bring back another player if you want.
"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 Dec 15, 2010 8:17 PM EST up reply actions
He can play all 3 forward positions. He just sucks miserably at all three though.
In Lou We Trust/Twitter
This season is all a terrible dream brought on by too much Penne a la Pesto.
by Kevin Sellathamby on Dec 15, 2010 9:00 PM EST up reply actions
We don’t have an issue with bottom six centers. Mitchell, Bozak, Brent – hell, Zigo and Hanson are options as well. Our top six centers…aren’t. Literally; one of them is a winger playing as a center.
So is Rolston a top six center? He’s averaged about 16 minutes ATOI a night over the last three years. Despite 80 games last year, he put up 37 points. 32 in 64 the year before. His faceoff percentage, as birky mentioned above, has been abysmal. At best these are the markings of a 3rd line center (especially when combined with his one strength you mentioned above – his defensive stats). He may not have the endurance to play a 1st line role. He’s not a strong puck mover. He’s not a great faceoff guy.
All this, and he’s over 35, so if a better option presents itself, we’re sending down one of the kids. Just so that he can teach players about the “good ol’ days?”
Veteran presence is supposed to teach younger players by playing well, making good decisions under pressure, and prepping players mentally. You know what you call a “mentor” player that doesn’t produce on ice? Coach.
The experiment failed: Get rid of the trapezoid.
Richards and The Stars
I like Brad Richards as a person and player, he had a great year when TB won the cup and has tons of natural talent at a place where the Leafs have their biggest hole.
As much as I’d be okay with signing Richards July 1st, it would be a big cap hit and i don’t like our chances of signing him anyways. I think Dallas has a great team, they play a hard nose style game with lots of forecheck, kinda the way I think Burke wants the Leafs to play but will never under softy Wilson. Thank god we have Colby doing the dirty work again!
What’s the chances Burke is looking at a struggling franchise in Dallas and trying to steal a player like James Neal, Jamie Benn or Steve Ott?
Welcome
Thanks for joining.
Burke may be looking at getting James Neal or Jamie Benn but certainly not Ott but Dallas doesn’t want to move those guys. They are cornerstone pieces.
Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.
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