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

[Ciao]

Pleasantly surprised with Pacioretty in Sunday's game. I hadn't expected that much.

He might earn a roster spot, if they can make some cap space.

 

[Buds17]

Quite good for his team debut (preseason and all that). Of course, Pacioretty earning a contract here has always felt like more of a "when" and not an "if".

 

[banks]

I can't decide if I want Pacioretty to make the team or not. I like cheap vet players. Comeback and redemption stories are great. But I just don't know if he's better for the team than, say, Robertson or Grebenkin.

 

[Ciao]

I can't decide if I want Pacioretty to make the team or not. I like cheap vet players. Comeback and redemption stories are great. But I just don't know if he's better for the team than, say, Robertson or Grebenkin.

Could he be better than Jarnkrok or Kampf, it either or both could be moved? Both could be replaced from within.

 

[Ianturnedbull]

I can't decide if I want Pacioretty to make the team or not. I like cheap vet players. Comeback and redemption stories are great. But I just don't know if he's better for the team than, say, Robertson or Grebenkin.

I don't know if you have a choice. I know you have your preference. I just think that there's already a deal in place for #67.

 

[banks]

Could he be better than Jarnkrok or Kampf, it either or both could be moved? Both could be replaced from within.

Ya, that a legit point. And I'm not really a fan of either Kampf or Jarnkrok, they're pretty underwhelming. But I just haven't gotten into Patio-ready's storyline yet.

I guess it doesn't matter much, since everything says his contract is just a matter of time. So he'll be on the team almost no matter what, from the looks of it.

 

[Ciao]

Ya, that a legit point. And I'm not really a fan of either Kampf or Jarnkrok, they're pretty underwhelming. But I just haven't gotten into Patio-ready's storyline yet.

I guess it doesn't matter much, since everything says his contract is just a matter of time. So he'll be on the team almost no matter what, from the looks of it.

The only question is what moves do the Leafs do to make this happen? They must have some options in mind.

 

[Dreakmur]

Could he be better than Jarnkrok or Kampf, it either or both could be moved? Both could be replaced from within.

He's better at scoring, but they're not competing for scoring roles. Who are the internal replacements who can lead an NHL PK unit?

 

[TMLAM34]

I would easily replace Jarnkrok with Pacioretty. I wouldn’t even have to think twice about that.

I would keep Kampf however, we need his faceoff and killing penalties ability. You revisit moving him next season when we have a better idea on what we have in Minten and even Quillan.

 

[Ciao]

He's better at scoring, but they're not competing for scoring roles. Who are the internal replacements who can lead an NHL PK unit?

How would Dewar and Holmberg sound?

 

[Knies iT]

He's better at scoring, but they're not competing for scoring roles. Who are the internal replacements who can lead an NHL PK unit?

I wouldn't trade both Kampf/Jarnkrok for the reasons you mentioned, but one can go.

Unit 1:
Kampf - Marner
McCabe - Tanev

Unit 2:
Lorentz*/Dewar - Holmberg/McMann/Knies
Benoit - Hakanpaa/Liljegren

There's a ton of depth options available to flesh out a #2PK unit (with some learning on the job). Both are offensive blackholes in the playoffs, so if we're dressing this type of player for PK utility and 5on5 net zero results, it can be achieved with a 900k-1.2m player, not 2-2.4m.

 

[robertmac43]

He will be a solid depth scoring option when he is healthy. There are just so many question marks around his health. Hard to imagine he plays 40+ games this season

 

[Stephen]

Ya, that a legit point. And I'm not really a fan of either Kampf or Jarnkrok, they're pretty underwhelming. But I just haven't gotten into Patio-ready's storyline yet.

I guess it doesn't matter much, since everything says his contract is just a matter of time. So he'll be on the team almost no matter what, from the looks of it.

Pacioretty looked healthy last night and his instinct and touches around the net looked like an impact player. Versus a guy like Jarnkrok who can do a bit of this and that and provide versatility and smarts but won’t have that nose for offense.

 

[TMLAM34]

He will be a solid depth scoring option when he is healthy. There are just so many question marks around his health. Hard to imagine he plays 40+ games this season

He played 47 games last season after returning from his injury.

I don’t expect Pacioretty to play a full 82 game season but I wouldn’t be surprised if he played around 65 games. He finally looks healthy.

Pacioretty looked healthy last night and his instinct and touches around the net looked like an impact player. Versus a guy like Jarnkrok who can do a bit of this and that and provide versatility and smarts but won’t have that nose for offense.

I’d be looking at Pittsburgh to see if we can grab a 3rd for Jarnkrok from Dubbie.

 

[Dreakmur]

How would Dewar and Holmberg sound?

Sounds bad.

Significantly worse defensively. Significantly worse on the PK specifically. Likely even worse offensively...... maybe even at best....

 

[robertmac43]

I don’t expect Pacioretty to play a full 82 game season but I wouldn’t be surprised if he played around 65 games. He finally looks healthy.

the added benefit for him is the leafs medical staff. We are widely considered the best of the best, hopefully they can keep him going for the entire year.

 

[Kurtz]

He's better at scoring, but they're not competing for scoring roles. Who are the internal replacements who can lead an NHL PK unit?

Genuine question, but how hard is it to be a decent penalty killer? If you're a winger, isn't it just a matter of being able to skate well and put it an effort? What other unique qualities separate a good penalty killing wing from a bad penalty killing wing? You're telling me a guy like Robertson can't be a solid PK guy once he gets enough reps?

 

[Ciao]

I think Kampf's defensive prowess at 5-on-5 is overstated.

Two years ago he centred a lined that regularly cleared the Leafs' d-zone like clockwork. I really can't remember off the top of my head who were his line mates, but just that it was impressive how they would take the defensive-zone faceoffs and clear the zone with ease. That lead to good line changes and a better use of the top two lines.

Last season I saw Kampf's line getting trapped in their own zone for extended periods of time. If they were able to get a whistle, Matthews' line would often be called on to bail them out. It was not a good look.

As to the PK, I think he was fine but nothing special.

Kampf did well to sign his contract when he did. Timing is everything.

 

[seanlinden]

Objectively... one of the Leafs big weaknesses come playoff time has not only been the big 3/4 drying up offensively, but the rest of the lineup failing to come through with a goal. You think back to what Nick Paul did to us a couple of years ago, or what Corey Perry seems to have done multiple times in absolutely backbreaking goals.

The Leafs might view Pacioretty as somebody that they can put on a 3rd line, and come through on a nothing play to change the pace of the game.

As for what the Leafs do to fit him in -- I'm not neccessarily sure they have to do anything assuming he's signing league minimum without bonuses. Ryan Reaves would presumably clear waivers. Conor Dewar and Jani Hakanpaa presumably starting on LTIR.

That being said, I'd believe that the primary option for making space for him would be Nick Robertson, given that they kind of occupy a similar role as a depth scorer, along with Easton Cowan.

Barring that, Calle Jarnkrok would seemingly be the right guy, as Holmberg does a lot of things similar to him.

 

[TMLAM34]

I think Kampf's defensive prowess at 5-on-5 is overstated.

Two years ago he centred a lined that regularly cleared the Leafs' d-zone like clockwork. I really can't remember off the top of my head who were his line mates, but just that it was impressive how they would take the defensive-zone faceoffs and clear the zone with ease. That lead to good line changes and a better use of the top two lines.

Last season I saw Kampf's line getting trapped in their own zone for extended periods of time. If they were able to get a whistle, Matthews' line would often be called on to bail them out. It was not a good look.

As to the PK, I think he was fine but nothing special.

Kampf did well to sign his contract when he did. Timing is everything.

Engvall - Kampf - Mikheyev line probably. Those three were good together, very underrated.

the added benefit for him is the leafs medical staff. We are widely considered the best of the best, hopefully they can keep him going for the entire year.

That on top of being not being so heavily relied upon considering we have Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Tavares, Knies, etc. You can lessen his workload. Similar to what we did with Bogosian a few years back.