Confirmed Signing with Link: [TOR] D Oliver Ekman-Larsson signs with the Maple Leafs (4 years, $3.5M AAV)

TimeZone

Make the pick
Sep 15, 2008
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This is worse than the Tanev contract. At least Tanev will improve the D.

You understand the Leafs have absolutely nobody capable of producing offense from the backup outside of Rielly, correct?

Contrary to popular belief, it's the lack of goals that has killed the Leafs come playoff time, they've scored 2 goals or less in 13 of their last 14 playoff games.
 
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Turin

Erik Karlsson is good
Feb 27, 2018
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This feels like OEL is gonna be the whipping boy in TO in short order. Tanev will be a godsend for a couple years, but his I fear could go south fast.
 

Patagonia

Keep Whining
Jan 6, 2017
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Leafs are spending heavily on aging DMen. Tanev is 35 for 6 seasons and OEL is 32 for 4 years . He's also often injured (except contract year) bouncing around the league. Terrible deals that would further stretch their limited cap space.
 
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Nogatco Rd

Pierre-Luc Dubas
Apr 3, 2021
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I don’t see why d-core wouldn’t also make sense

Like forward core, core 4, etc

The basic or most important part; the crucial element or essence: synonym: substance.
"a small core of dedicated supporters; the core of the problem."

A 7th defenseman is part of a team's d corps. Is he also part of their "D Core" ? No, that's why "d core" is a misnomer.
 

nbwingsfan

Registered User
Dec 13, 2009
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So Toronto really is going to go into round 6 of patching together a team through overpaid bottom 6 forwards and bottom pair UFA players to surround a core of underachieving stars?


You love to see it
 

biturbo19

Registered User
Jul 13, 2010
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4 years seems like a big gamble on a guy who just had the one "bounceback" year on a team that has a habit of rejuvenating old defencemen and hiding their skating falling off in a bit of a unique system.

Though at $3.5M in this bonkers cap world, i guess it's not really a huge deal...unless he has another absolute catastrophe season where he's clearly injured like his last in Vancouver. He would've been just fine the year before that in Vancouver, at that sort of price rather than what he was actually costing before the buyout.


Intentionally getting more old and slow overall with term locked in is certainly a choice for the Leafs blueline though, especially for the future.
 

thaman8765678

Registered User
Jun 11, 2011
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How does Treliving keep getting jobs? The only thing he has accomplished is making the Panthers a Stanley Cup contender while being GM of the Flames.
 
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DFF

Registered User
Feb 28, 2002
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Aging declining players worked great for Treliving since he found James Neal so why stop?
 

Jmo89

Registered User
Mar 21, 2010
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OEL is a #6 now but I have a feeling the Leafs are going to lean on him to be a #4.

The big reason why he was so good in Florida was because his minutes were very limited.

He will probably be the #5. You're right though, they should keep his minutes limited.

So Toronto really is going to go into round 6 of patching together a team through overpaid bottom 6 forwards and bottom pair UFA players to surround a core of underachieving stars?


You love to see it

It seems doubtful that Marner waives. This year is a bit of wasted year imo. Hopefully they get the cap space to better balance the team next year but knowing the Leafs they'll re-sign Marner to a ridiculous extension and waste the opportunity.
 

Jared Dunn

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Dec 23, 2013
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OEL is a #6 now but I have a feeling the Leafs are going to lean on him to be a #4.

The big reason why he was so good in Florida was because his minutes were very limited.
I think they'll have a clear top 3 and then Benoit, Liljegren, OEL and Hakanpaa will be in a meritocracy. He probably does start as the #4 but seeing the deal they gave Liljegren they're going to be giving him a chance to grab that as well.

He averaged 18:23 I doubt he'll be asked to shoulder much more than that
 

The Winter Soldier

Registered User
Apr 4, 2011
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Treliving sure likes locking up 30 something D men. If this were 2019, this would be a good deal. Not sure what to make of OEL who looked done after Vancouver, but was rescued by Zito. This can go either way.
 

Ratsreign

Registered User
Mar 12, 2018
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I don’t see why d-core wouldn’t also make sense

Like forward core, core 4, etc

The basic or most important part; the crucial element or essence: synonym: substance.
"a small core of dedicated supporters; the core of the problem."
“Core” works, but it actually is spelled “corps”, the French word for “body” (which I imagine is where the English word core came from). Like the US Marine Corps. Spelling Core in English works for me, though.

OEL is a #6 now but I have a feeling the Leafs are going to lean on him to be a #4.

The big reason why he was so good in Florida was because his minutes were very limited.
He started the year playing top pair with Forsling while Ekblad and Montour were out on IR.
 

MikeK

Registered User
Nov 10, 2008
11,085
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Earth
So now because he's a leaf OEL is suddenly a top 4 Dman again who can QB a #1 PP unit. Unreal. Toronto fans always taking that dbl shot of koolaid. This guy is a bottom pairing Dman at this stage of his career. Toronto thinking he's anything but are just setting themselves up for disappointment. There is a reason Vancouver bought this guy out. Toronto doesn't have the D core to shield this guy. I predict things get ugly real quick.
 
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