Speculation: The Pierre Engvall Dilemma

[Duke16]

Engvall was sent down at the beginning of the year initially because he was waiver exempt, but that clock is running out soon.

Engvall, currently 6 GP on the year, will be required to clear waivers in order to come off the main roster in any fashion after his 7th game played this year (needs waivers to go to the taxi squad or AHL).

Some options:
•send him down or hold him out for a stretch to delay the 7th game played
•attempt to fit him in as a regular so it's a non-issue (seems pretty unlikely right now, and especially after Robertson/Thornton/Simmonds get healthy)
•trade him prior to the 7th game (so today basically) to avoid exposing him to waivers
•play him as needed and place him on waivers at some point (would be waiver exempt for another 30 days if he were to clear and could play with the Leafs/taxi squad/Marlies over that time)

How would you handle this?

Click to read more...

 

[SeaOfBlue]

He is listed in the lineup for tomorrow, but that may change. So he will now require waivers if he plays.

My guess is, barring an imminent trade for another bottom 6er, he is used full time until Simmonds gets back, which won't be for at least another month. So it is not an issue for a while.

I doubt the Leafs waive him. He likely gets traded if he is not in a full time spot once Simmonds returns.

 

[jaric1862]

Involve him in whatever trade deadline deal they make

 

[zeke]

Engvall is a very good player, belongs on the 3rd line, and they'll blow through his waiver eligibility without worrying too much about it.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Hyman Matthews Marner
Nylander Tavares Simmonds
Mikheyev Engvall Bennett (checking line)
Vesey Spezza Boyd
Thornton

Something like this might work

 

[Buds17]

I hope they keep him around for even a fourth line role. I like the positional versatility and his defensive ability. I'm also thinking ahead to next season when a few of the forwards are out of contract and he's still signed. The possibility does exist of Seattle picking him up in the expansion draft. I don't think he'd be their main target though.

 

[Nylander88]

Honestly he's slightly cheaper and does everything Mikheyev does. Lanky, fast skater, PK guy, who doesn't wow you or put big points on the board. However he can play center, unlike Mikheyev. I have a soft spot for Mikheyev like many here, but he's been disappointing since his wrist injury. Was good in a small NHL sample size. But I don't see a big gap between Engvall and Mikheyev, yet Engvall likely isn't on the team at full health. It's odd

 

[MapleLeafs77]

Engvall is useless but also hurts us defensively. No worries losing him.

 

[BertCorbeau]

People seem to forget Engvall has a whopping 54 NHL games under his belt. He’s shown flashes of been a quality top 9 player. He needs time to adjust and develop at the NHL level.

 

[Menzinger]

I wish he had better puck skills, but I think he makes noticeable plays when he's on the ice. And he adds a nice bit physical play to his lines

 

[TMLAM34]

Engvall should have never started the year off on the taxi squad. He’s better than players like Vesey and Barabanov who began the year in the lineup. I think it was only because of his waiver exemption.

He’s someone who should be a lock for the bottom six.

 

[RogerR]

Engvall is useless but also hurts us defensively. No worries losing him.

Really? I think he;s strong defensively

 

[Wafflewhipper]

They will play him until injuries start returning or possibly even earlier waive him and he won’t get picked up on waivers. The only think he’s good for is getting stuff off the top shelf

 

[Buds17]

They will play him until injuries start returning or possibly even earlier waive him and he won’t get picked up on waivers. The only think he’s good for is getting stuff off the top shelf

The production would average out to about 25 points over a full season. Should be a plus defensively as well. I'm not as certain that he'd clear waivers. I'd probably prefer not to find out.

 

[Stephen]

I would lose Vesey first and probably throw Barabanov out the window too before waiving Engvall. Tie goes to the younger homegrown, drafted asset vs the random UFA filler.

 

[Sypher04]

Doesn't really seem like a dilemma to me. Send him down now and don't think twice about it. He's not good enough to be a regular on this team. Maybe he will be at some point, but it's not now and we're in the business of winning now. I don't take any pleasure in saying it, but the biggest issue for Engvall, right now, is that he doesn't provide us anything we can't get from someone making 500k less than he is.

 

[Magic Man]

I think he's been a detriment to the team ever since he signed his new contract. I don't think that he doesn't have the talent to play in the NHL, but the Leafs will have better options by the deadline or when healthy. He has lost all of his offensive touch, that he only truly held briefly in both the AHL and NHL. He does not use his massive frame to punish people, he's rather soft for his size. His redeeming quality is that he is useful defensively, he's a good skater who has good defensive instincts and he can shield the puck from attackers, he's fine on the PK. He has upside, but I don't care if they get value from him in trade or waive him and eat the 125K cap penalty this year and next, he shouldn't be in the playoff lineup based on how he's playing. Not the end of the world.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

I would lose Vesey first and probably throw Barabanov out the window too before waiving Engvall. Tie goes to the younger homegrown, drafted asset vs the random UFA filler.

This i agree with. Engvall did not respond to Keefe asking him to play bigger. I think coaches draw the line when they get ignored. If he gets waived its his own fault. Gauthier done the same thing to himself. They won’t put up with it

 

[likecheese]

Third line's best game of the season was with the combo they're using on Monday, Kerf-Mik-Eng
They had one great game and got broken up, couldn't figure that.
It's not like one big game from a bottom 6 line will translate to a season (Spezz-Boyd-Petan) but hopefully, this will get all 3 guys going.

 

[LeafChief]

He's earned his spot at this point on the 4th line. He's passable on the third line as well.

If you need to expose someone to waivers, expose Vesey.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Probably part of the trade for a top-six upgrade. I'm not a fan but I'd rather not lose him on waivers for nothing with how shallow we are up front.

 

[zeke]

Third line's best game of the season was with the combo they're using on Monday, Kerf-Mik-Eng
They had one great game and got broken up, couldn't figure that.
It's not like one big game from a bottom 6 line will translate to a season (Spezz-Boyd-Petan) but hopefully, this will get all 3 guys going.

That line wasn't actually together. You might be thinking of the game Matthews missed, where the Mikheyev-Engvall-Simmonds line did a great job as 3rd line.

 

[zeke]

This thread is pretty funny tbh.

Engvall has clearly earned his spot on the roster and higher than the 4th line at that.

 

[Duke16]

This thread is pretty funny tbh.

Engvall has clearly earned his spot on the roster and higher than the 4th line at that.

Funny for addressing that he will no longer be waiver exempt and outlining options that come with that with no definitive opinion... or do you mean the wide range of different opinions in the replies?

 

[zeke]

Funny for addressing that he will no longer be waiver exempt and outlining options that come with that with no definitive opinion... or do you mean the wide range of different opinions in the replies?

What do waivers even matter? He deserves to be in the lineup.

Waive Vesey.