Confirmed with Link: Leafs sign Pacioretty to a PTO (official)

[CincoHolio]

Count me in the - hate this for the Leafs, camp

 

[Sypher04]

Barring a disastrous camp, or him getting injured again, sounds like he's already pretty much signed. Depth is good. If a kid does well, they will make it work. From his agent:

https://x.com/i/web/status/1833871534513070222

Works for me. He wasn't my first choice for additions by any means, but assuming it's a cheap contract, I don't really see any downside. Bank on him missing some games, maybe even load manage him if we can, just have him ready for the playoffs. Healthy, I think he's certainly capable of helping us.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Why Patches and not JvR?

 

[Darcy Tucker]

If we have to move someone to make room for him, that could be a cost. It could work out, I’m just not feeling it.

Just an odd choice given we have lefties Robertson and Minten on the bubble already. I really don't see the point of it.

 

[Community]

As long as our coaching staff is able to make the right decision, I'm all for it.

If healthy, Pacioretty could easily be one of our best LWers (only Knies as real competition). However, if he doesn't have anything left in the tank then I'd hate to have him block Robertson and/or Cowan from playing time they could use throughout the year to improve their NHL game and prepare for the playoffs.

 

[ponder]

As long as our coaching staff is able to make the right decision, I'm all for it.

If healthy, Pacioretty could easily be one of our best LWers (only Knies as real competition). However, if he doesn't have anything left in the tank then I'd hate to have him block Robertson and/or Cowan from playing time they could use throughout the year to improve their NHL game and prepare for the playoffs.

Cowan shoots left but mostly plays the off wing (RW), so not much conflict there.

Patches is aging, I doubt he’ll be better than Knies or McMann, and think he’ll probably be behind Robertson too. But even if he’s mostly a 4th liner for us, he could be a good one.

 

[Squiffy]

Long as it's not a 35+ contract, and there's no way it will be, and keep it at or below $1.15 million, not really any cap related risk right?

I guess who goes away to create the cap space is a question.

 

[Community]

Cowan shoots left but mostly plays the off wing (RW), so not much conflict there.

Patches is aging, I doubt he’ll be better than Knies or McMann, and think he’ll probably be behind Robertson too. But even if he’s mostly a 4th liner for us, he could be a good one.

For sure. I for some reason had him pegged as LW, but I think Pacioretty joining could still push him further down the pecking order as other players shuffle around...

If Pacioretty is clearly better, than that's an awesome pick-up for us. We definitely appear to have more scoring depth in the bottom 6 than the start of last season. I'll just trust the coaching team to make the right decision. At least playing a healthy Pacioretty over Robertson/Cowan wouldn't boil my blood as much as with Reaves who (in my opinion) should be used as a 13th forward.

 

[banks]

Why Patches and not JvR?

Ya, that's my only complaint here. I wanted JVR to return. I know it's probably just nostalgia, but I think he's still got enough in the tank to hold down a 3rd line roll and chip in a few garbage goals.

But if Patches is the direction they went with, I'm fine with it. They needed more LW options, and Pacioretty does have a slight chance at returning to a pretty high standard. I like the move overall.

 

[BobClarkesfrontteeth]

I like Kampf but I don't think you need to be paying 2.4 million to your 4th line center

Tampa paid Yanni Gourde 5.1 million to play 4th line center on their two cup teams. Vegas paid 3 million to Nic Roy to play 4th line center. Paying 2.5 mil for a 4th line center after the cap has gone up by 9 million when those deals were in play seems like a bargin to me.

 

[Suntouchable13]

Ya, that's my only complaint here. I wanted JVR to return. I know it's probably just nostalgia, but I think he's still got enough in the tank to hold down a 3rd line roll and chip in a few garbage goals.

But if Patches is the direction they went with, I'm fine with it. They needed more LW options, and Pacioretty does have a slight chance at returning to a pretty high standard. I like the move overall.

Yea, but my concern is that JvR has a higher likelihood to be available for more games. If Patches won’t be available, then he is no good. Let’s see how it plays out. By the way, they are both LW, right?

 

[Gallagbi]

Yea, but my concern is that JvR has a higher likelihood to be available for more games. If Patches won’t be available, then he is no good. Let’s see how it plays out. By the way, they are both LW, right?

I don't think they want stability, they're looking for a return to glory for Patches IMO.

Personally I don't see how they'll be able to tell in preseason for that, but we'll see

 

[weems]

I don't think they want stability, they're looking for a return to glory for Patches IMO.

Personally I don't see how they'll be able to tell in preseason for that, but we'll see

I would assume the easiest way to tell would be looking at his skating and overall speed numbers.

His skating numbers got hit the past few seasons, most likely due to being injured.

Top skating speed

2023-2024 - 21.50
2022-2023 - 21.83
2021-2022 - 22.61

You're right it's hard to tell much from preseason but how he's skating will be the big thing to watch.

 

[Fogelhund]

""

 

[tmlms13]

They learned their lesson hopefully with Marleau and Thornton

Even if he gets a deal it better be a two way min wage

 

[Roo]

They learned their lesson hopefully with Marleau and Thornton

Even if he gets a deal it better be a two way min wage

Doubt its two-way, but it will probably be like, $1M, and can be buried in the AHL if they want. Same effect. Leafs can afford it.

 

[ACC1224]

They learned their lesson hopefully with Marleau and Thornton

Even if he gets a deal it better be a two way min wage

Safe to say it's not going to be two way. Why would you expect that?

 

[tuckerintensity]

This is peak Toronto Maple Leafs right here. Convince a kid he'll get more ice time under a new coach, sign him up, then legit go get the slow, but grizzled old vet that "still has game" to block said kid from more ice time, then have all your fans says "this could work, low risk, I like it."

Peak Toronto Maple Leafs, baby.

 

[joepeps]

This is peak Toronto Maple Leafs right here. Convince a kid he'll get more ice time under a new coach, sign him up, then legit go get the slow, but grizzled old vet that "still has game" to block said kid from more ice time, then have all your fans says "this could work, low risk, I like it."

Peak Toronto Maple Leafs, baby.

Peak complainer for no reason. I mean, injuries happen and the LW is weak as hell.

Nick R is likely to get hurt like every year.

 

[notbias]

Peak complainer for no reason. I mean, injuries happen and the LW is weak as hell.

Nick R is likely to get hurt like every year.

LW currently has a bunch of guys who can play it.

Knies, McMann, Robertson, Domi, Dewar, and Holmberg.

One of those guys is likely C, but LW is not missing NHL players, it is missing a 1LW, but we make up for it with 2x 1RW.

 

[Fogelhund]

Peak complainer for no reason. I mean, injuries happen and the LW is weak as hell.

Nick R is likely to get hurt like every year.

Not as likely as Patches to get hurt though. I get signing him as depth, but this just isn't something that I like at all. He's been terrible the last couple of years, even when he's played. A defensive liability, and hasn't produced that much. The hope has to be, he's had his first healthy offseason in a few years, maybe he bounces back.. but how much bounce back is there at that age?

Guys who can play LW.

Knies
McMann
Robertson
Dewar
Jarnkrok
Holmberg
Reaves
Tavares
---
Steeves
Cowan
Abruzzese
Hirvonen
Voit

I get that there isn't known name quality there, but there is a ton of depth. Patches isn't going to provide quality, that ship has sailed in his game, unless he miraculously turns the clock back. We've got depth, and guys who should be given some games, if and when we have injuries.

Patches to me is just an unnecessary body, who won't do much, and as a veteran blocks kids from getting ice time.

 

[tuckerintensity]

Peak complainer for no reason. I mean, injuries happen and the LW is weak as hell.

Nick R is likely to get hurt like every year.

Not a complaint, just an observation that this is, in fact, peak Toronto Maple Leafs.

 

[Roo]

Not a complaint, just an observation that this is, in fact, peak Toronto Maple Leafs.

While I agree this is what they have done in the past at times, they have also tried to bring in youth. Minten last year is a perfect example. This is why you want competition in camp. Younger players need to be noticeably better than the vets. Minten wasn't that, got his look, and didn't look like much of anything.

Young players need to earn their spots and ice time.

 

[IrishInOntario]

Expecting a trade. The following 16 players are probably good enough play on opening night and, obviously, 4 of them would not be able to dress. That's too many, IMO.

Centers
Matthews
Marner
Domi
Kampf
Holmberg

Left Wings
Knies
McMann
Robertson
Pacioretty
Dewar

Right Wings
Marner
Nylander
Jarnkrok
Cowan
Reaves
Grebenkin

If Hakanpaa can play, I'd be looking to do something involving Kampf, Liljegren and or Robertson and draft picks to upgrade the 3C spot, solidifying Domi in the top 6 on the wing.

 

[GoonieFace]

Such a dumb and useless move. He’s hot garbage