Line Combos: 2016-17 Roster: What are areas of NEED?

[TLeafsFan]

A starter, another top pairing D, 1C. The rest of the young roster is starting to come together nicely and need now to develop together.

 

[PuckMagi]

Nylander - Stamkos - Komorov
JVR - Bozak - Kapanen
Soshnikov - Kadri - Marner
Leivo - Holland - Lupul

ex: Hyman, Michalek, Laich

Gardiner - xxxxxx
Rielly - Zaitsev
Harrington - Carrick

biggest need is another defender and a goalie. maybe we can trade Kadri for a defender and then move Nylander to center

 

[Warden of the North]

Zaitsev is a UFA signing. I wouldnt count on him just yet.

Our biggest need right now is a physically imposing top 4 dman with decent mobility. We have speed and offense from the backend but no one to make anyone nervous or plow people away from the front of the net.

 

[Jerkini]

Two areas I think need improvement:

1. #1 Center -- Ideally Matthews, more realistically Stamkos. If we're dreaming, definitely both guys.

2. #1 Defender (Doughty, Subban, Weber type of player)


I think we can definitely get #1 knocked out this off-season. A true #1 defender is definitely a couple years away. Assuming we don't strike gold with one of our other picks.

 

[indigobuffalo]

Zaitsev is a UFA signing. I wouldnt count on him just yet.

Our biggest need right now is a physically imposing top 4 dman with decent mobility. We have speed and offense from the backend but no one to make anyone nervous or plow people away from the front of the net.

Not sure that a physically imposing top 4 dman is in the plans at all.

Who is that guy on the Wings? Stars? Hawks? Lightning? Those are all "Bowman" teams (Nill, Yzerman, and Shanahan are Bowman protégés). None of them really feature big imposing dman that plow players around. Maybe Hedman but that's not really what his forte is.

We're going to have guys that play tough and fight for space but not necessarily giant behemoths. We'll find Komarov-esque dmen.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Not sure that a physically imposing top 4 dman is in the plans at all.

Who is that guy on the Wings? Stars? Hawks? Lightning? Those are all "Bowman" teams (Nill, Yzerman, and Shanahan are Bowman protégés). None of them really feature big imposing dman that plow players around. Maybe Hedman but that's not really what his forte is.

We're going to have guys that play tough and fight for space but not necessarily giant behemoths. We'll find Komarov-esque dmen.

Wings? Ericsson can be nasty on the boards, Kronwall will take your head off if it is down.

Tampa - Coburn, Garrison will play you rough

Hawks - Seabrook plays a mean game

Stars - Their grit is more up front then on the back end I'd say.

 

[indigobuffalo]

Two areas I think need improvement:

1. #1 Center -- Ideally Matthews, more realistically Stamkos. If we're dreaming, definitely both guys.

2. #1 Defender (Doughty, Subban, Weber type of player)


I think we can definitely get #1 knocked out this off-season. A true #1 defender is definitely a couple years away. Assuming we don't strike gold with one of our other picks.

#1 is why I just can't understand the people who are anti-Stamkos. With our prospects and depth, a guy like Stamkos is a huge leap forward, and solves a problem we still don't have a guaranteed solution for.

You can easily flip JVR or Kadri for a top 4 dman, but getting 1Cs just isn't happening. Barring a Johansen situation and even then it's open to whether or not he's a 1C, plus look at the cost to acquire him. You'd need the perfect storm.

 

[indigobuffalo]

Wings? Ericsson can be nasty on the boards, Kronwall will take your head off if it is down.

Tampa - Coburn, Garrison will play you rough

Hawks - Seabrook plays a mean game

Stars - Their grit is more up front then on the back end I'd say.

Sure but none of those guys are imposing. They're just SOLID. Hence the Komarov comparison. They're looking for guys that skate fast, have skill, but are tough as nails and will win puck battle more than 50% of the time. They're not looking for Chara or anything like that.

 

[Faltorvo]

Zaitsev is a UFA signing. I wouldnt count on him just yet.

Our biggest need right now is a physically imposing top 4 dman with decent mobility. We have speed and offense from the backend but no one to make anyone nervous or plow people away from the front of the net.

IDK BS, I just kinda find this to be a illogical premise to begin with.

We are being asked to "fill holes"

Players like Stammer,Zaitsev,Vesey are no more an outside possible as it is to trade a kadri/boz for a D or trade for another tender

same goes for prospects like Mathews/laine

given our league standings(for the draft position) , rumours attached to Vesey/zaitsev and stammer still unsigned and our cap flexibility

I believe any of those 5 names are somewhat attainable.

 

[AppsSyl]

I think the biggest roster needs are D. I would love to see us use JVR, Kadri, Bozak, Gardiner (I know he is D, but try to get a bit younger D of the same ilk.) to try and get some young D in the 20-24 age range.

Maybe target guys like: Vatenen, Trouba, Parayko off teams that have D depth and may be willing to move one.

Something like the options below could be the basis for deals with slight adds either way to make it work asset wise and cap wise.

TOR
Vatenen (RHD, 24 looking to make 5-6 million as an RFA)
Andersson (G, RFA)

ANA
JVR (top 6 winger is ANA need)


TOR
Parayko
Cap Dump?

STL
Kadri
Bozak or a 2nd in 2017

STL needs quality forwards and Kadri fills a void they will have if they lose Backes to free agency. Backes and Kadri's salaries would almost be a wash, and the cap dump could help cover Bozak.

TOR
Trouba (will likely want a little more than WIN wants to give him, age fits our rebuild better)

WIN
Gardiner (cost controlled LHD with similar production, and this doesn't weaken their D corps, also more age appropriate for where the Jets are)
Percy or a 2nd in 2017

 

[HarrisonFord]

Zaitsev is a UFA signing. I wouldnt count on him just yet.

Our biggest need right now is a physically imposing top 4 dman with decent mobility. We have speed and offense from the backend but no one to make anyone nervous or plow people away from the front of the net.

I think Zaitsev has a pretty good chance of happening, considering all the reports we've had about it being essentially a done deal and that he's been letting other teams know this.

Also, something that's always intrigued me as a possibility: Kadri for Dumba?

 

[Kubus]

I don't even want to get into the needs on this roster for next season. Things we might be able to get through trades or on the FA market. Top 4 D and a goalie. Right now there are lots of goalies in the backup position that would be an improvement on the current Bernier. I feel that one of the second round picks should be able to get us that. As for a legit top 4 D, I'm not sure.

I also feel like we will get a vet on a one year contract that should help.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Sure but none of those guys are imposing. They're just SOLID. Hence the Komarov comparison. They're looking for guys that skate fast, have skill, but are tough as nails and will win puck battle more than 50% of the time. They're not looking for Chara or anything like that.

Imposing?...like terrify the opposition? Make them question going into the corner?

It's hard to find those guys because they either have no skill and can't really handle a regular spot in the league, or the ones who have enough skill rarely move unless there are particular sets of circumstance (Pronger was moved due to cap issues a couple of times) and same with Chara from Ottawa to Boston (Chose Redden). Weber hasn't left Nashville.

Weber, Chara, Pronger

Any other type of crazy would be like Volchenkov (out of the league), Gudas (penalty machine), Miller and MacQuad on Boston.

 

[SprDaVE]

Zaitsev is a UFA signing. I wouldnt count on him just yet.

Our biggest need right now is a physically imposing top 4 dman with decent mobility. We have speed and offense from the backend but no one to make anyone nervous or plow people away from the front of the net.

It's been reported by a very reliable source in Friedman that Zaitsev said he's signing with the Leafs.

Can we just take that for what it is and assume he will sign with us? Why are we so negative that he won't? It's not like some are going by just sheer optimism.

He could change his mind but seems highly unlikely.

EDIT: I might have read that wrong. I think you meant that we shouldn't rely on Zaitsev being a top end player because of his small track record.

 

[HarrisonFord]

Personally I really want Samsanov

 

[WTFMAN99]

It's been reported by a very reliable source in Friedman that Zaitsev said he's signing with the Leafs.

Can we just take that for what it is and assume he will sign with us? Why are we so negative that he won't? It's not like some are going by just sheer optimism.

He could change his mind but seems highly unlikely.

One of those things where you never like to assume until the name is on the dotted line.

We stole Bailey and Babcock from Buffalo seemingly last year.

 

[Faltorvo]

One of those things where you never like to assume until the name is on the dotted line.

We stole Bailey and Babcock from Buffalo seemingly last year.

assume, ah, well

are we not also making assumptions,

that we can find other GMs willing to trade us parts we need, for what we have to offer?

 

[bobermay]

JVR-UFA/Bozak-KID
Komarov-Kadri/DRAFT-KID
Michalek-Nylander-KID
Greening-Laich-KID
Holland

Rielly-TRADE
Hunwick-UFA
Loov-Carrick
Corrado, Harrington

UFA
Bernier or Sparks


JVR(4.25)-Stamkos(10)-Marner(0.925)
Ladd(6)-Mathews(0.925)-Komarov(2.95)
Michalek(4)-Nylander(0.894)-Soshnikov(0.736)
Greening(2.65)-Laich(4.5)-Hyman(0.9)
Holland(1)

Rielly(4.5)-Barrie(6)
Hunwick(1.2)-Zaitsev(0.925)
Loov(0.693)-Carrick(1)
Corrado(0.9), Harrington (0.8)

Ward(2)
Bernier(4.15)

Gleason (1.33)
Kessel (1.2)

Total Cap Hit
64.204

Gives the Leafs lots of room to pay the ELC bonuses....

 

[SprDaVE]

One of those things where you never like to assume until the name is on the dotted line.

We stole Bailey and Babcock from Buffalo seemingly last year.

But nobody said Bailey was going to sign with Buffalo though. They assumed because of school connections with the owner of the Sabres. They did try to sign him but he never committed to them.

This is a little different to me. Zaitsev apparently said he was signing with the Leafs and told other teams interested in him this. I think we can assume we will sign Zaitsev, even he doesn't actually end ups signing with us in the end. If he had an out clause in his contract he would have been with the Leafs all year.

This is all armchair GM'ing and speculation anyway... no harm done.

 

[Pyrophorus]

Personally I really want Samsanov

Draft Hart with the 1st 2nd rounder.

Despite what I hope happens I think Lou will make a move for a goaltender of the future. He does build from the G out. He did it twice with the Devs, and will want to do it here too.

 

[bobermay]

Draft Hart with the 1st 2nd rounder.

Despite what I hope happens I think Lou will make a move for a goaltender of the future. He does build from the G out. He did it twice with the Devs, and will want to do it here too.

I just don't like the idea of using a high draft pick on a goaltender... It seems like a larger crapshoot than getting an impact F or D... I hope any goaltenders we draft isn't in the 1st or early 2nd round....

 

[HarrisonFord]

Draft Hart with the 1st 2nd rounder.

Despite what I hope happens I think Lou will make a move for a goaltender of the future. He does build from the G out. He did it twice with the Devs, and will want to do it here too.

The only issue I have with that is he won't be NHL ready for at least 3-5 years. And I'm somewhat concerned about having a rookie goalie find himself with a team that's trying to come into their own

 

[thewave]

The only major move I see is JVR for a top 4D if Stamkos is brought in. That and a move on from Bozak and a Cowen and Lupul buyout.

 

[sxvnert]

Rielly Zaitsev
Gardiner Hunwick
Loov Carrick
Harrington
-------------------------
Rielly Vatanen
Gardiner Zaitsev
Loov Hunwick

 

[samwitch]

JVR - Kadri - Komarov
Michalek - Nylander - Soshnikov
Leipsic - Bozak - Leivo
Greening - Laich - Hyman

But we never know if/what signings or trades will be made between now and then soooo