Confirmed with Link: Leafs sign D Jani Hakanpaa (2 years, $1.5M AAV) [in progress; medical delay?]

[Nineteen67]

Translation. He didn't sign the guys I wanted.

I didn’t see much on the FA list worth pursuing.

 

[Fogelhund]

I didn’t see much on the FA list worth pursuing.

I'm not sure how to respond to that... there were plenty of very good D, who could fit our varying needs.

 

[Nineteen67]

I'm not sure how to respond to that... there were plenty of very good D, who could fit our varying needs.

Most were either too old or not realistic options.

 

[Fogelhund]

Most were either too old or not realistic options.

and yet the "experts" called it one of the best Free Agency classes for D in many years... and it was...

 

[Nineteen67]

and yet the "experts" called it one of the best Free Agency classes for D in many years... and it was...

I think the Leafs need a legit top pair D that is young enough to grow and gel with team over the next few yrs. The problem is, they don’t have cap space.

 

[Fogelhund]

I think the Leafs need a legit top pair D that is young enough to grow and gel with team over the next few yrs. The problem is, they don’t have cap space.

You talk about things being realistic, and then say your want is a legit top pair D, that is young enough to grow and gel with the team. Please list all, or any legit young top pair D, that's ever been moved. Barring some player demanding to be moved, that almost never happens.

Your wish list isn't realistic, so all you can do, is the best you can do with what is realistically available.

 

[ToneDog]

You talk about things being realistic, and then say your want is a legit top pair D, that is young enough to grow and gel with the team. Please list all, or any legit young top pair D, that's ever been moved. Barring some player demanding to be moved, that almost never happens.

Your wish list isn't realistic, so all you can do, is the best you can do with what is realistically available.

None were available in a trade for Nylander. Doubt one is for Marner.

Jones, Sergachev (Habs), Drysdale, Provorov, Faber, Byram are the best young dmen I recall being traded.

 

[DarkKnight]

and yet the "experts" called it one of the best Free Agency classes for D in many years... and it was...

And Tanev was the top guy on those lists?

 

[Fogelhund]

And Tanev was the top guy on those lists?

and our biggest need, was to get the top guy on those lists?

 

[Its not your fault]

I think the Leafs need a legit top pair D that is young enough to grow and gel with team over the next few yrs. The problem is, they don’t have cap space.

Bigger problem they don't even have that type of player yet, how many do you believe are in the league that fit that description? I assume 27 is long in the tooth and 26 is almost to old?

 

[DarkKnight]

and our biggest need, was to get the top guy on those lists?

You said it was a great free agent D core, we got the best one.

 

[Fogelhund]

You said it was a great free agent D core, we got the best one.

I'm not really sure what you are trying to get at here.... maybe try and be direct?

 

[Ianturnedbull]

Series we lost:
1.71 GF, 2.57 GA
2.00 GF, 2.80 GA
3.43 GF, 3.29 GA
2.57 GF, 2.00 GA
2.00 GF, 2.40 GA

Series we won:
3.83 GF, 3.50 GA

Ya, we need to prevent more goals...

I keep saying it, but I think you should start watching the team more, you'd notice we need to score more, not defend better.

The best series we played (Tampa first year) and the series we won have the highest goals against.

Every single team in the National Hockey League needs to defend better.

 

[conFABulator]

You said it was a great free agent D core, we got the best one.

I am not sure we got the best one. I think most would agree that Skjei, Montour and Pesce, possibly Roy were ahead of Tanev.

However, we did get two of the top ten (ranked by the Athletic, June 6) available FA dmen. We also got Haakanpaa.

We got the three combined for less than Edmundson, Lyubushkin and Brodie (none of whom were ranked in the top 10) got on the open market this year. That's a pretty good upgrade and nice work.

We also may have got the right pieces for our puzzle:

• Tanev is exactly the type of guy we want and need. He plays that style and with the drive we need more of. He is a RD and seems to be a fit with Rielly. If he makes Rielly better that is compounding value. The term is fine, because it kept AAV down before he visits Robidas Island.
• OEL is also what we need. A guy who can play in all situations, eat minutes and be a mentor and support for Liljegren. Ekman-Larsson had a great year last year and was relied upon to carry the load with Ekblad and Montour out. We need less from him than they did (and received) last year.
• Haakanpaa is a bit of a calculated gamble. He is either healthy and a perfect bottom pairing/#7 guy, or he needs more time to recover and this is why we signed him for two years. At some point we get a deal on this guy. What if he sits out all year and we fet him for the PO? It works for Vegas. There is zero risk here.
• Keep an eye on Giordano being signed if Jani can't go, maybe even if he can.
• Rielly/Tanev and OEL/Liljegren and Benoit/McCabe is pretty good.
• Haakanpaa, Timmins, (Giordano), Niemela, Myers, and Webber provide decent depth.
• I wonder about Klingberg at league minimum too as a project, sort of like Murray?

 

[Evilhomer]

It's July 6th, is this man on the roster yet?

It's July 8th, is he officially signed?

 

[Evilhomer]

I hope this deal goes through and he's cleared to play
At $1.5M, a healthy Hakanpaa might be my favourite move of the off-season

If it's taking this long to medically clear him, how confident are we that he can play a full season healthy?

 

[RoadWarrior]

Could potentially see something like this next year:

Rielly Tanev
OEL Hakanpaa
Benoit Niemela

That's 3 fairly balanced pairs of offense and defense

Niemela isn’t better than Liljegren. If you think that he is then you’re in for some disappointment.

 

[Leafshater67]

I think the Leafs need a legit top pair D that is young enough to grow and gel with team over the next few yrs. The problem is, they don’t have cap space.

They have lots if they grow the guts to do what needs to be done next year and let Marner go, preferably through trade.

 

[acrobaticgoalie]

Niemela isn’t better than Liljegren. If you think that he is then you’re in for some disappointment.

I penciled him in to that spot for the next season because I don't see Lilly still being here by next year

 

[Nineteen67]

Bigger problem they don't even have that type of player yet, how many do you believe are in the league that fit that description? I assume 27 is long in the tooth and 26 is almost too old?

There’s not many, but 26-28 would be perfect. The core has 4 yrs left and I would consider it a success if they could compete for the Eastern conference once or twice in that time.

 

[Nineteen67]

They have lots if they grow the balls to do what needs to be done next year and let Marner go, preferably through trade.

Because they botched the rebuild they don’t have the resources to fill in the holes that are likely created when you make a Marner trade.

 

[Nineteen67]

You said it was a great free agent D core, we got the best one.

He might be the best one, but does he help a team like the Leafs that have so many holes that it’ll take at least another year to fill, maybe two?

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

I think the Leafs need a legit top pair D that is young enough to grow and gel with team over the next few yrs. The problem is, they don’t have cap space.

Me and Fogelhund don't agree on much, infact I'm fairly certain they hate me. But what you said isn't real.

A young top pair D that can grow with this team does not exist.

And even if it did it is VERY NOT available

 

[DarkKnight]

He might be the best one, but does he help a team like the Leafs that have so many holes that it’ll take at least another year to fill, maybe two?

Yes I'd say the best one helps, and he will still be in a year or two. It's the backend that's we will see him tail off badly, but we never get there anyways imho.

 

[JEI]

Sort of fishy it hasn't been 'officially' announced yet...maybe Simmonds was onto something. It'll sure look foolish on management if this deal somehow falls though after he's already talked about him in the free agency presser.