Ilya Mikheyev's breakout season.

[Gallagbi]

Perhaps not the best way to judge, as sometimes that player leaving shows what is possible.

Hyman had 1 goal in 7 games as a Leaf, but in 16 games as Oiler he produced 11-5-16 points.

Would you pay $5.5 mil for a player that produces at PPG in the playoffs with 11 goals in 16 games?

Mikheyev had a breakout year scoring 21 goals in only 53 games and really starting to find his stride utilizing his speed, to created endless scoring opportunities and with 4 PPG and 4 SH goals shows he can play in all situations. If given the right opportunity he could be a real asset, He is a more effective player than Kerfoot whom the Leafs are paying $3.5 mil.

This you?

Since its all comes down to playoff performance, you wish you could almost fast forward thru the meaningless games of the regular season and get straight to the ones that count the playoffs.

 

[socko]

Not the biggest Mik fan but if he goes the team speed is going to start to be a real concern. Dubas has managed to make the team much slower over the years.

 

[ToneDog]

Not the biggest Mik fan but if he goes the team speed is going to start to be a real concern. Dubas has managed to make the team much slower over the years.

Even slower if they throw Kerfoot overboard.

 

[TeddyBare]

Pretty sure it’s not even Financially possible to pay him 4 or 5 Million per year.

 

[Menzinger]

Perhaps not the best way to judge, as sometimes that player leaving shows what is possible.

Hyman had 1 goal in 7 games as a Leaf, but in 16 games as Oiler he produced 11-5-16 points.

Would you pay $5.5 mil for a player that produces at PPG in the playoffs with 11 goals in 16 games?

Mikheyev had a breakout year scoring 21 goals in only 53 games and really starting to find his stride utilizing his speed, to created endless scoring opportunities and with 4 PPG and 4 SH goals shows he can play in all situations. If given the right opportunity he could be a real asset, He is a more effective player than Kerfoot whom the Leafs are paying $3.5 mil.

I'm not sure it's wise to give players contracts to players hoping they'll go through an unexpected Hyman like jump in playoff production based on just hope. Im not even sure if expect Hyman to be able to repeat that.


Kerfoot has managed to put up points at a secondary scoring pace for multiple playoffs in a row now. Im not sure why Mikheyev has earned the benefit of the doubt in this comparison

 

[hobarth]

He put up 2 goals, 2 assists and even +/- in our series against Tampa. He put up more points than every Leaf but Matthews, Marner, Nylander, JT and Rielly (and was tied with JT and Rielly for even strength points). Also killed penalties and was physical. He was good in that series, a strong bottom 6er, I really don’t see how he “disappeared”.

Previous playoffs, fair to say he was disappointing, but he was good for us in the playoffs this past year. IMO this was a breakout season for him in both the regular season and playoffs.

I do agree he’d be a mistake to sign around $4 mil AAV, but if we can get him at $2-2.5 mil, no brainer IMO. I’d personally go as high as $3 mil AAV.

I believe his 2 goals were empty netters.

I didn't find him very noticeable except when PKing.

Love his speed but I wonder if his year is repeatable, hands of stone except in an outlier year.

 

[ponder]

I believe his 2 goals were empty netters.

I didn't find him very noticeable except when PKing.

Love his speed but I wonder if his year is repeatable, hands of stone except in an outlier year.

Yeah, they were empty netters, but I still thought he had a good playoffs (and regular season). I thought he outplayed some highly regardless TBL 3rd-ish liners, like Hagel and Cirelli.

Re: outlier year, he’s been in the league 3 years, his finish was pretty good in both years 1 and 3, but pretty poor in year 2. So I don’t know that it was an outlier, more likely year 2 was the outlier.

With that being said, doubt we bring him back, we need bargain finds like Bunting, Mikheyev will probably be too pricey. He’s a good 3rd liner though, I’ll miss him.

 

[hobarth]

Yeah, they were empty netters, but I still thought he had a good playoffs (and regular season). I thought he outplayed some highly regardless TBL 3rd-ish liners, like Hagel and Cirelli.

Re: outlier year, he’s been in the league 3 years, his finish was pretty good in both years 1 and 3, but pretty poor in year 2. So I don’t know that it was an outlier, more likely year 2 was the outlier.

With that being said, doubt we bring him back, we need bargain finds like Bunting, Mikheyev will probably be too pricey. He’s a good 3rd liner though, I’ll miss him.

In the playoffs, the Leafs’ bottom six – which included some combination of Ilya Mikheyev, Pierre Engvall, David Kampf, Ondrej Kase, Colin Blackwell, Jason Spezza, Kyle Clifford, and Wayne Simmonds – combined for three goals, and Mikheyev scored two empty netters. By comparison, Tampa Bay’s bottom six of Ross Colton, Nick Paul, Branden Hagel, Corey Perry, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, and Patrick Maroon combined for 10 goals (no empty netters). However we slice it, the gap in depth scoring was significant.

mapleleafshotstove.com/2022/06/20/maple-leafs-offseason-game-plan-part-1-the-secondary-core-and-team-depth/

Mikey was a good 3rd liner during the regular season but that he looked better than any of TB's bottom 6 forwards, outplayed them, he wasn't productive much like Kappy and Johnsson and isn't what TO needs to progress.

 

[Westlander]

I can't see him staying; What he can probably get and what we can pay are just no longer aligned, same as with Campbell.

Nice regular season contributor and often a fun (if frustrating) player to watch, it's too bad he couldn't reach his current level of play a couple of seasons ago.

Also, in the playoffs we needed him to be our Nick Paul but that didn't happen. Maybe elsewhere it will for him.

 

[hullsy47]

Pretty sure it’s not even Financially possible to pay him 4 or 5 Million per year.

It's not fiscally responsible either
He is not worth it

 

[BodaciousBeefBazooka]

get rid of him and engvall...11 assists in 53 games screams selfish which he is when he has the puck.

 

[zeke]

Not the biggest Mik fan but if he goes the team speed is going to start to be a real concern. Dubas has managed to make the team much slower over the years.

The Lesfs have one of the fastest teams in the league far faster than the team Dubas inherited.

 

[Mess]

mapleleafshotstove.com/2022/06/20/maple-leafs-offseason-game-plan-part-1-the-secondary-core-and-team-depth/

Mikey was a good 3rd liner during the regular season but that he looked better than any of TB's bottom 6 forwards, outplayed them, he wasn't productive much like Kappy and Johnsson and isn't what TO needs to progress.

He certainly showed off his wheels and had some great scoring chances in the playoffs..

His 21 goals in 53 games however would have made a good candidate to play alongside Tavares on the Leafs 2nd line, as he would compensate for JT lack of speed, but capitalize on his playmaking ability to create good scoring chances for himself. Mikheyev needs a better centre to play with.

PS. Your quote sure shows the vast gap in TB depth compared to Leafs team building depth in the bottom 6 production wise. Mikheyev needs

 

[danron1376]

we have to be focused on the post-season and there, mikheyev is extremely weak. keeping guys like him and engvall will ensure another 1st round exit.

 

[PROUD PAPA]

3 years and the man couldn't beat a goalie once in the playoffs.

Both goals this year were empty netters.

He's an interesting player but I would move on.

One of the more disappointing playoff performers we had IMO.

 

[ShaneFalco]

One of the more disappointing playoff performers we had IMO.

Yup as soon as some of our players don't have the space and time they do in the regular season, suddenly they don't look so good.

 

[justashadowof]

With no major changes at forward in the offing, it is the makeup of these secondary offensive forwards who can make perhaps the greatest difference to the team in the 2022-23 season (other than goaltending). It's my opinion that players like Mikheyev, Kerfoot and Engvall need to be replaced with harder more robust types of forwards.

 

[Mess]

we have to be focused on the post-season and there, mikheyev is extremely weak. keeping guys like him and engvall will ensure another 1st round exit.

Are you sure because the Leafs are paying so much cap for their core 4 that there really isn't any money left to fill out the roster?

When you have a

3rd line of Mikheyev (1.64 mil) -- Kampf ($1.5 mil) & Engvall (1.25 mil)
&
4th line of Simmonds ($900k) -- Spezza ($900k) -- Clifford ($800k)

You get what you pay for $$$

Even if you let Mikheyev walk and Spezza retires you really have little to no real cap space to sign their replacements to really create change to address your concern of bottom 6 offense particularly in the playoffs.

" Play the Kids" and promote

3rd - Nick Robertson ($800k) --- Kampf (1.5 mil) ------------- Kase ($1.25 mil)
4th - Simmonds ---------------- Nick Abruzzese ($850k ) ---- Clifford

 

[DraftSchmaft]

Not the biggest Mik fan but if he goes the team speed is going to start to be a real concern. Dubas has managed to make the team much slower over the years.

If there is an increase in IQ and drop in speed the team got better. Smart teams > Fast teams.

 

[hobarth]

Is filling up the lower lines with cheaper defense centric players not an option? Seems to me putting that money into a killer goalie and then playing defense on the lower lines might be the best move for the Leafs at this point. They don't have the money for depth offense.

That has been TO's MO going into the last 3 playoffs and it hasn't worked, the amount paid for TO's 3rd line is similar to TB's so the money excuse isn't the issue, it's how the $s are spent.

Engvall isn't a player worth a lot of money but I think he's a very valuable 4th liner, I felt his ability to move the puck out of TO's end when he was on the 4th line was something no other 4th liner TO had could duplicate.

 

[Hoglund4MvP]

That has been TO's MO going into the last 3 playoffs and it hasn't worked, the amount paid for TO's 3rd line is similar to TB's so the money excuse isn't the issue, it's how the $s are spent.

Engvall isn't a player worth a lot of money but I think he's a very valuable 4th liner, I felt his ability to move the puck out of TO's end when he was on the 4th line was something no other 4th liner TO had could duplicate.

yes i said yesterday 33% of tampas playoff goals came at a MASSIVE cap hit of...........less than 5 mil. And the place went silent.

 

[Menzinger]

Worth noting Mik almost doubled his previous career high sh%. Odds are he's not going to be as productive in terms of goal scoring next season

 

[hobarth]

I liked Mikhey for a brief time during the regular season, he was scoring at a decent pace and being physical in puck pursuit none of which showed up in the playoffs.

If there is an increase in IQ and drop in speed the team got better. Smart teams > Fast teams.

Can't say I agree with this, it doesn't matter how smart you are if you can't keep up, Marleau is a perfect example, 20 years of smarts but the wheels went.

 

[DraftSchmaft]

I liked Mikhey for a brief time during the regular season, he was scoring at a decent pace and being physical in puck pursuit none of which showed up in the playoffs.


Can't say I agree with this, it doesn't matter how smart you are if you can't keep up, Marleau is a perfect example, 20 years of smarts but the wheels went.

Smart teams with the physical health / age to do what their head tells them to do > fast teams **

If you read between the lines I'm saying Mik doesn't bring much besides his legs to make me give him a pay day (key here is the pay raise)

 

[danron1376]

Are you sure because the Leafs are paying so much cap for their core 4 that there really isn't any money left to fill out the roster?

When you have a

3rd line of Mikheyev (1.64 mil) -- Kampf ($1.5 mil) & Engvall (1.25 mil)
&
4th line of Simmonds ($900k) -- Spezza ($900k) -- Clifford ($800k)

You get what you pay for $$$

Even if you let Mikheyev walk and Spezza retires you really have little to no real cap space to sign their replacements to really create change to address your concern of bottom 6 offense particularly in the playoffs.

" Play the Kids" and promote

3rd - Nick Robertson ($800k) --- Kampf (1.5 mil) ------------- Kase ($1.25 mil)
4th - Simmonds ---------------- Nick Abruzzese ($850k ) ---- Clifford

Yes, I'm not expecting anything amazing or even good with the amount of cap space we have left. But specifically for Engvall and Mikheyev, anything should be better than the 0 non empty-net goals they collectively had over multiple playoffs seasons. To be fair to Mikheyev, he is a good penalty killer and when the opposition has an empty net, but he and Engvall aren't dangerous otherwise. It's possible they should have been playing on different lines, though.