Confirmed with Link: Leafs sign Alexander Barabanov to 1 year ELC

[ToMaLe]

Welcome to the Leafs Alex! And for people saying to trade AJ, well you do not sell low. Coming off a bad injury, you will not get much for him, Kerfoot on the other hand, I would trade for defensive help.

 

[Kiwi]

This is nonsensical.

There's a multi month offseason ahead of us for the front office to sort out the other areas of the team. Just beacuse the defense is a need, doesnt mean that other moves cant also happen....

Quick Menzinger, you need to get through to Dubas and let him know his off-season isn't over with this one UFA signing

And people wonder why I'm down on humanity

 

[Gabriel426]

I don’t think AJ is gone this summer due to his injuries unless there is a desperate GM who believes in AJ.
I think Kerfoot will most likely be traded but Leafs would
need another C.

 

[Al14]

I'll have a Barabonov on ice, crushed not cubed.

 

[Stephen]

I am steadfastly get rid of Kerfoot. Johnsson might become a cap casualty but he has played good for us. No problem with him. I would keep Kapanen over AJ ifit bacame a cap decision. I likehim

Kerfoot came in basically earmarked as a cap casualty for me, but had a nice first couple of months and really grew on me. Then he got shifted mostly to wing and proved his ultimate uselessness. Like okay little player with good fundamental skills but not seriously effective and definitely overpaid at $3.0 whatever it is.

 

[baton elevated]

His frame reminds me of Steve Thomas. Let's hope he follows his legacy...

Tie Domi, Stan Johnathon, Theo Fleury a mini Tarasenko. solid smaller men can thrive quite well. More so in todays NHL than in the recent past.

 

[Amadeus]

Is Barabanov playing with the Leafs this year if the season resumes ? Or does his 1 year contract kicks in from next year?

 

[Antropovsky]

Exactly. Crosby is 5'11 and 200 lbs.

Im 5'11 200 lbs and have been called "big guy" surprisingly often over the years. Now... on a pro basketball team i would be unlikely to be called that.

 

[BrainyBomber]

Sounds like Barabanov is near the level of Soupy so should be another great cheap Dubas signing. Building a nice Russian pipeline. Hopefully we can that record breaking tiny goalie too.

Not tall but very strong, can PK, very hard worker and serial winner (2 Gagarin Cups and an Olympics Gold) which this team is in desperate short supply of. Makes AJ expendable to package for a RD to also help solve that need.

Don't see how anyone sensible could not like this signing. Especially after Soupy already proved the same doubters wrong last year.

 

[saltming]

Is Barabanov playing with the Leafs this year if the season resumes ? Or does his 1 year contract kicks in from next year?

Next year

 

[Bluelines]

Welcome to the Leafs Alex! And for people saying to trade AJ, well you do not sell low. Coming off a bad injury, you will not get much for him, Kerfoot on the other hand, I would trade for defensive help.

AJ is a common player, shows up for 15 to 20 games every year, the league is full of those type of players, those type of bottom of the line up players don't get much in trades at the best of times.

 

[ottomaddox]

I listened to KD talk on TSN Overdrive yesterday about Barabanov. I fell asleep. He has this way of saying things and giving us fans nothing. Sort of like a politician.

 

[ACC1224]

Welcome to the Leafs Alex! And for people saying to trade AJ, well you do not sell low. Coming off a bad injury, you will not get much for him, Kerfoot on the other hand, I would trade for defensive help.

True selling low isn’t preferable but moving for a pick does free up some cap space. The time to move him was last off season.
Not a Kerfoot fan but being able to play center makes him a more of a need to retain.

 

[al secord]

I listened to KD talk on TSN Overdrive yesterday about Barabanov. I fell asleep. He has this way of saying things and giving us fans nothing. Sort of like a politician.

We don't get the same riveting revelations from him that we get from you.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

True selling low isn’t preferable but moving for a pick does free up some cap space. The time to move him was last off season.
Not a Kerfoot fan but being able to play center makes him a more of a need to retain.

Agreed. If we got a 2nd or 3rd rounder in 2020 draft then I would do it.
I hear Kerfoot did start year off well but I missed most of it in Europe. But I always worry about players who look good at start of season when game is more a speed game with a ton less grit. Then again he got his jaw broken so maybe he was adjusting to it and we did not see his best. And then he did get shifted to da wing from centre on a dime so lots of change for him and a new city too boot. Kerfoot my gut tells me no but lots of real circumstances last year which were abnormal. But totally agree unless we get a different kinda 3rd line centre I would hold him. No matter what he is better than Goat and Spezza. Neither of those guys are 3rd line centres on a Cup contender.

 

[The Podium]

Welcome to the Leafs Alex! And for people saying to trade AJ, well you do not sell low. Coming off a bad injury, you will not get much for him, Kerfoot on the other hand, I would trade for defensive help.

I agree that Kerfoot should be the one to go, but we dont really have a C replacement unless the Thornton rumours are true and he takes a Spezza 700k.

Hyman - Matthews - Nylander
Mikheyev - Tavares - Marner
Johnsson - Thornton - Kapanen
Korshkov - Engvall - Barabanov

Other FA C targets:
Lewis
Girgensons

 

[ottomaddox]

We don't get the same riveting revelations from him that we get from you.

Listen to yesterday's podcast and tell me what you think. Do you have something better to do right now?

 

[Mess]

Mikheyev was a pleasant surprise and lets hope Barabanov can also be an effective depth NHLer.

 

[Todd03]

Any news on if Konstantin Okulov is close to signing with the maple leafs?
Or anybody else hopefully some good solid big stay at home defense men.

 

[Ciao]

I listened to KD talk on TSN Overdrive yesterday about Barabanov. I fell asleep. He has this way of saying things and giving us fans nothing. Sort of like a politician.

Lou taught him something there.

 

[Gabriel426]

Sometime I wonder if Barabanov, and the other two UFAs that the Leafs signed would get this much attentions if they were signed by other non Canadians Teams.
I am excited about the signings as to me they are extra draft picks. Hope they can all turn out to be good.

 

[Menzinger]

Kerfoot came in basically earmarked as a cap casualty for me, but had a nice first couple of months and really grew on me. Then he got shifted mostly to wing and proved his ultimate uselessness. Like okay little player with good fundamental skills but not seriously effective and definitely overpaid at $3.0 whatever it is.

Potentially 2/3 3 million guys may be out this summer depending on how radically the front office wants to remake the D.

Kap has thr highest trade value but hes also the best of thr bunch so may not want to move him.

AJs value is at an all time low, and likely could rebound if given a chance.

And Kerfoot had an uneven ywar in part due to injuries but can also play centre in a pinch which is always a need.

Not an easy call to make either way. But imo at least one is gone by September

 

[Menzinger]

Agreed. If we got a 2nd or 3rd rounder in 2020 draft then I would do it.
I hear Kerfoot did start year off well but I missed most of it in Europe. But I always worry about players who look good at start of season when game is more a speed game with a ton less grit. Then again he got his jaw broken so maybe he was adjusting to it and we did not see his best. And then he did get shifted to da wing from centre on a dime so lots of change for him and a new city too boot. Kerfoot my gut tells me no but lots of real circumstances last year which were abnormal. But totally agree unless we get a different kinda 3rd line centre I would hold him. No matter what he is better than Goat and Spezza. Neither of those guys are 3rd line centres on a Cup contender.

Agreed on the Goat but i think Spezza, if hes at least able to play like he did this past season could be that on a Leafs team that has Matthews and JT ahesd on the depth chart where each of them is playing 18-20ish min a night. Spezza can be stable at 12-15 min a night and pot some offense on a team structure like the Leafs

But again, depends on if his age catches up

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Kerfoot came in basically earmarked as a cap casualty for me, but had a nice first couple of months and really grew on me. Then he got shifted mostly to wing and proved his ultimate uselessness. Like okay little player with good fundamental skills but not seriously effective and definitely overpaid at $3.0 whatever it is.

I don't think a stint after being injured and leaving his natural position proves he's useless. His play at center is pretty good and encouraging, and the Leafs should keep him around. He did end up having just 4 fewer points at 5v5 than Tavares in like 130 fewer minutes

 

[Menzinger]

I don't think a stint after being injured and leaving his natural position proves he's useless. His play at center is pretty good and encouraging, and the Leafs should keep him around. He did end up having just 4 fewer points at 5v5 than Tavares in like 130 fewer minutes

Few playere in thr league are going to come back from having their face shattered in an injury and be back at normal.

I think assuming hes still with the team folks will be surpesied at his play next season