Proposal: Roy for Niemelä+

[Michael HOMERUNing]

Matt Roy


Topi Niemelä
2022 2nd round pick
Justin Holl

Click to read more...

 

[Michael HOMERUNing]

I tried elaborating in the post but the stupid website kept reloading and deleting everything I wrote.

 

[I am Canadian]

There's a conversation to be had if LA really wants to move Matt Roy but the Leafs will absolutely not be including Niemela. Here's a list of the players who won top defenseman at the WJHC. He's not going to be as good as many of the guys on the list but still a valuable prospect that will not be moved.

 

[PAZ]

This thread so far has shown how criminally underrated Matt Roy is at the moment.

 

[unicornpig]

Take our garbage for your 2 pairing d. Where do the kings sign up

 

[Mats26]

No thanks. RD is so deep we don't need 2 more. But a big thanks for Durzi. The kid is a beast.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Awful for LA. Not a chance they do this. Roy is a stud.

 

[KingTech]

no need for rhd we have a prospect list full of them. Think lhd or top 6 rws prospects

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Matt Roy


Topi Niemelä
2022 2nd round pick
Justin Holl

Nah Matt Roy isn't the guy

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I LOVE Niemela but people really need to catch up on Matt Roy's value.

That being said I'd do it in general because I'm a huge Niemela homer BUT two strikes for LA:

1. their RHD organizational depth right now is Doughty-Roy-Walker-Grans-Faber-Spence and friggin Brandt Clarke. Niemela adds to that of course but it's already a position of major strength so we'd just be moving someone else to shore up other holes.

2. Roy is one of the only good vets left (ugh, Maatta) because of the season-ending loss of Walker and possibly-career-ending loss of Edler. Their lineup is currently Doughty-Anderson / Maatta-Roy / Bjornfot-Durzi / Wolanin. Losing Roy probably sinks their playoff aspirations and a run of strong play due to steady defense.

If we were truly tear-down rebuilding instead of adding on the fly, though, I'd do it in a heartbeat. But Roy really is that good. Probably the current most underrated shutdown D in the NHL.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

I LOVE Niemela but people really need to catch up on Matt Roy's value.

That being said I'd do it in general because I'm a huge Niemela homer BUT two strikes for LA:

1. their RHD organizational depth right now is Doughty-Roy-Walker-Grans-Faber-Spence and friggin Brandt Clarke. Niemela adds to that of course but it's already a position of major strength so we'd just be moving someone else to shore up other holes.

2. Roy is one of the only good vets left (ugh, Maatta) because of the season-ending loss of Walker and possibly-career-ending loss of Edler. Their lineup is currently Doughty-Anderson / Maatta-Roy / Bjornfot-Durzi / Wolanin. Losing Roy probably sinks their playoff aspirations and a run of strong play due to steady defense.

If we were truly tear-down rebuilding instead of adding on the fly, though, I'd do it in a heartbeat. But Roy really is that good. Probably the current most underrated shutdown D in the NHL.

You shouldn't do it, because you can do better in a Matt Roy auction if that's the path forward.

 

[jfhabs]

For the last 2-3 years I heard how great and underrated Holl was from Leafs fans... what happened?

 

[TheScandal89]

For the last 2-3 years I heard how great and underrated Holl was from Leafs fans... what happened?

Not me, I always said he sucked and wasn't a top 4, but he did look like he belonged last season against the Canadian teams to be fair.

On topic, I would prefer not to trade Niemela. Must be some other way to acquire Roy without him.

 

[The Moose is Loose]

There's a conversation to be had if LA really wants to move Matt Roy but the Leafs will absolutely not be including Niemela. Here's a list of the players who won top defenseman at the WJHC. He's not going to be as good as many of the guys on the list but still a valuable prospect that will not be moved.

View attachment 496915

Oh yes this picture guarantees both he and Sandin are destined to be stars…

 

[Michael HOMERUNing]

Take our garbage for your 2 pairing d. Where do the kings sign up

When did we start calling blue chip prospects and second round picks garbage?

 

[Fisticuffer]

^
I don’t think anyone believes they’re garbage.
HF posters often find it necessary to post extreme views rather than providing reasonable opinions. It just easier for them I guess.

 

[Morgs]

We aren't trading Niemela for Matt Roy, full stop. Yes, I'm aware of how good Roy is, and it seems you guys are unclear how good Niemela is.

If you want the guy who's been arguably the best U20 defenseman outside the NHL besides Owen Power and Jake Sanderson this season (maybe add Edvinsson to that list), then you gotta treat it as such. I'm also aware it was a Leaf fan who started this thread, so it's hard to blame anyone else but ourselves,

The answer is no though from this Leafs fan.

 

[BertCorbeau]

For the last 2-3 years I heard how great and underrated Holl was from Leafs fans... what happened?

He's had a slow start tot he season but he also came into the league at a late age and isn't a fast skater. In other words as strong as he has been, he could have a short peak before he falls off. He's always been a solid #5 though that could play in the top 4 with the right partner. Which he's had in Muzzin. Except Muzzin this year has also shown some decline which hurts Holl.

That being said he's picked up his play lately .. and at $2 mill AAV he's fairly paid for what he brings. But the Leafs could benefit from an upgrade on the right side.

 

[PAZ]

We aren't trading Niemela for Matt Roy, full stop. Yes, I'm aware of how good Roy is, and it seems you guys are unclear how good Niemela is.

If you want the guy who's been arguably the best U20 defenseman outside the NHL besides Owen Power and Jake Sanderson this season (maybe add Edvinsson to that list), then you gotta treat it as such. I'm also aware it was a Leaf fan who started this thread, so it's hard to blame anyone else but ourselves,

The answer is no though from this Leafs fan.

That's cool, he hasn't done jack shit in the NHL yet and isn't close to the other named defenseman. Niemela is an amazing prospect and should've gone in the last 1st, but his value is closer to a prospect like Heinola. Lundkvist won the best defenseman in the SHL and you can see how he's struggled to transition. Does Niemela have a chance to become a star? Sure. But he's not in the same league as Sanderson, Powers, or Edvinsson.

 

[jfhabs]

He's had a slow start tot he season but he also came into the league at a late age and isn't a fast skater. In other words as strong as he has been, he could have a short peak before he falls off. He's always been a solid #5 though that could play in the top 4 with the right partner. Which he's had in Muzzin. Except Muzzin this year has also shown some decline which hurts Holl.

That being said he's picked up his play lately .. and at $2 mill AAV he's fairly paid for what he brings. But the Leafs could benefit from an upgrade on the right side.

Fair, I always thought Muzzin kind of carried him. Also think Muzzin isn't appreciated enough by Leafs fan base. One of their only good playoff performers in recent past.

 

[unicornpig]

When did we start calling blue chip prospects and second round picks garbage?

LOL

 

[jfhabs]

That's cool, he hasn't done jack shit in the NHL yet and isn't close to the other named defenseman. Niemela is an amazing prospect and should've gone in the last 1st, but his value is closer to a prospect like Heinola. Lundkvist won the best defenseman in the SHL and you can see how he's struggled to transition. Does Niemela have a chance to become a star? Sure. But he's not in the same league as Sanderson, Powers, or Edvinsson.

I wouldn't trade Guhle for him either. Undersized dman with success in Europe that doesn't amount to anything are very comon. He does have potential for sure, but there are so many similar prospect that have failed... Just look at a guy like Brannstrom very recently.

 

[Morgs]

That's cool, he hasn't done jack shit in the NHL yet and isn't close to the other named defenseman. Niemela is an amazing prospect and should've gone in the last 1st, but his value is closer to a prospect like Heinola. Lundkvist won the best defenseman in the SHL and you can see how he's struggled to transition. Does Niemela have a chance to become a star? Sure. But he's not in the same league as Sanderson, Powers, or Edvinsson.

So you say Niemela should have been a 1st round pick (I agree, he was in my first round in 2020), yet he's not in the same league as two guys I said were having better seasons, and one guy who he's having arguably a better season than? Sure, Liiga is no SHL, but we're still talking about easily a top-10 defense prospect right now. Niemela at one point was having the best U20 season in like 50 years in the Liiga. His PPG has cooled slightly, but he's still dominating play playing over 20 minutes a game in the ~5th best league outside the NHL. I like Lundqvist as a prospect a lot too, but he's also a NYR prospect. Even guys who looked like locks to be stars (Laf) seem to struggle there.

Either way, it's a silly point. We currently have 3 better defenseman than Roy, and we have two guys in Sandin & Liljegren that are both more than capable of playing a top-4 role. Trading Niemela would be an insane overreaction to how bad Justin Holl is.

 

[Vachon23]

Happy to see that Habs fans are not the only one who massively overrated there prospect. Niemelä a top 10 prospect D not in the NHL, really ?? Not saying he’s not good, but they are way better prospect then him especially with his size . Remember me when Habs fans thought that Romanov would be a Calder finaliste and one of the best D not in the NHL.

 

[CupcakeSprinkles]

No thanks. RD is so deep we don't need 2 more. But a big thanks for Durzi. The kid is a beast.

Sorry to hear about Grundstrom not panning out.