Leafs moves Work in progress - Depth update

[DarkKnight]

Didn’t read Mess’ update until now, forgot that two of our new forward pickups were waiver players.

 

[Havoc]

It's still not better then last year. Odds are Kerfoot is traded so adding Jarnkrok is a wash.

We're a top team so it's hard to be better every year. The Leafs don't need to be better, they can do lateral moves. What they need to do is become "different". Given our results I don't think you guys need me to elaborate.

 

[NewEraGM]

This is false. Kase started on the 3rd line last year but ended up on the 4th line last year, after his slot was upgraded by Engvall. Engvall became a fixture on the new dominant 3rd line, and Kase was relegated to the 4th line.

Mikheyev is the only top-9 forward the Leafs lost.

“Dominant 3rd line”….lol what……what?

 

[Nineteen67]

What I find interesting is that with each passing year as past contracts expire the Tavares contract takes a bigger and bigger bite out of leafs depth, not allowing the Leafs to even resign tneir own to raises.

With the departures of Kase, Mikheyev Spezza and not replaced that lets 48 goals and 86 points alone walk out the door.

If Kerfoot is the Leafs LW destined to play 2nd line LW with Tavares & Nylander then that means the highest cost bottom 6 player on the roster is checking C David Kampf at $1.5 mil and 11 goals and 26 points, All the other players in the bottom 6 forwards are destined to make < $1.5 mil with only RFA Engvall (@ $1.25 mil) a possibility to match or surpass.

Due to the salary cap Leafs likely will be filling out the bottom 6 of their forwards all making $1.5 mil or less down to league min $750k.

The gap between the Have and Have-nots has never been so great as it is now. If the opposition holds the Leafs core 4 in check in meaningfull playoff games, where will the support offense come from is a fair question to ask?

I agree the 11 million to JT hinders them, however Mik, Kase and Spezza are easily replaceable, in fact, they should be replaced based on playoff performance alone.

 

[NewEraGM]

I see us finishing up with something like this:

Bunting - Matthews - Marner
Crouse - Nylander - Tavares
Engvall - Jarnkrok - Robertson
Steeves - Kampf - Aube Kubel
Beagle

Reilly - Brodie
Giordano - Lilijgren
Sandin - Ryan Murry
Benn

Ideally would have enough space for another Dman

Maybe the softest team in the league. No one scares anyone on this team. I’m not even talking about not having a Ryan reaves type player, I’m simply talking about not having a player willing to hit anything. This is a regular season team but absolute no bite at all.


Not sure how this team gets through 4 rounds…

 

[Nineteen67]

Maybe the softest team in the league. No one scares anyone on this team. I’m not even talking about not having a Ryan reaves type player, I’m simply talking about not having a player willing to hit anything. This is a regular season team but absolute no bite at all.


Not sure how this team gets through 4 rounds…

The plan is to sign a few guys that hopefully can parlay that into something greater.

 

[NewEraGM]

The plan is to sign a few guys that hopefully can parlay that into something greater.

Lol. An absolutely ridiculous comment by dubas

 

[Mess]

The addition of Jarnkrok has damped the loss of the departing players offensively and replaces Kase offense and expected to take his spot on the 3rd line.

He likely bumps Kampf now into the #4 hole at C. with Leafs going Matthews, Tavares, Jarnkrok and Kampf down the middle next year, with the top 2 focused on offense and the bottom 2 more on defense.

 

[Macallan18]

Dylan Strome signed in Washington.

damn

 

[Mess]

Maple Leafs bet on free-agent bargains​

The Maple Leafs began reconstruction on their fourth line.

“We would like it to be a line that can be heavily relied on for us, like our others, but just more physicality, more competitiveness, and drive the play down the ice and be relied upon for Sheldon (Keefe) that way,” Dubas said.

With Jason Spezza (retired), Ondrej Kase (untendered) and Colin Blackwell (UFA) no longer on the roster, Dubas began digging through cap-friendly, bottom-six options to uncover some gems.

In come right wing Nicolas Aubé-Kubel and centre Adam Gaudette — two defensively responsible energy guys who will be depended upon to prevent more goals than they score. Speedster Aubé-Kubel is cut from the David Kämpf school of offence. Goals are gravy.

Both inked no-risk, one-year contracts. The former for $1 million, the latter for $750,000. No matter.

.......

So it appears Leafs 4th line plan appears to be unfolding based on Dubas comments above..

Adam Gaudette --- David Kämpf -- Nicolas Aubé-Kubel

 

[Mitchy]

Would love ZAR for the 4th line next. No offence and is slowish, but works his ass off, is a great forechecker and hits like crazy. Very good defensively too.

 

[LDN]

Maybe the softest team in the league. No one scares anyone on this team. I’m not even talking about not having a Ryan reaves type player, I’m simply talking about not having a player willing to hit anything. This is a regular season team but absolute no bite at all.


Not sure how this team gets through 4 rounds…

Benn is tough. If Crouse was signed he is also tough

 

[rocketman588]

The addition of Jarnkrok has damped the loss of the departing players offensively and replaces Kase offense and expected to take his spot on the 3rd line.

He likely bumps Kampf now into the #4 hole at C. with Leafs going Matthews, Tavares, Jarnkrok and Kampf down the middle next year, with the top 2 focused on offense and the bottom 2 more on defense.

It's a good signing but we either have to bounce out Holl with no one on the right side to replace him or get rid of kerfoot and find a 2LW. We have 4 NHL LHD but replacing Holl with benn is a big risk.

It's possible were betting massive on Robertson but that's still a massive gamble

Who knows what engvall gets as well it's a crap shoot.

 

[andora]

Maple Leafs bet on free-agent bargains​

The Maple Leafs began reconstruction on their fourth line.

“We would like it to be a line that can be heavily relied on for us, like our others, but just more physicality, more competitiveness, and drive the play down the ice and be relied upon for Sheldon (Keefe) that way,” Dubas said.

With Jason Spezza (retired), Ondrej Kase (untendered) and Colin Blackwell (UFA) no longer on the roster, Dubas began digging through cap-friendly, bottom-six options to uncover some gems.

In come right wing Nicolas Aubé-Kubel and centre Adam Gaudette — two defensively responsible energy guys who will be depended upon to prevent more goals than they score. Speedster Aubé-Kubel is cut from the David Kämpf school of offence. Goals are gravy.

Both inked no-risk, one-year contracts. The former for $1 million, the latter for $750,000. No matter.

.......

So it appears Leafs 4th line plan appears to be unfolding based on Dubas comments above..

Adam Gaudette --- David Kämpf -- Nicolas Aubé-Kubel

Having watched a lot of these players i wouldnt call aubekubel a speedster. He can skate but if he tries to do anything with speed it ends. Fine with the signing if he has specific role

Gaudette is slow and weak. He can have good stretches but after what we just watched in the last two rounds of the playoffs and a cpuple other series i shudder to watch him in games with that pace and weight

 

[NewEraGM]

Benn is tough. If Crouse was signed he is also tough

Yea benn is tough but if he’s playing you have bigger problems.

You do not want benn to play