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

[HockeyVirus]

He played well for Florida. I do worry Toronto will ask for too much out of him at times.

3.5 x 4 and 4.5 x 6 for Tanev is a tad nuts though.

Take either of those over Adam Graves deal..

 

[Vilam]

Damn. Wish OEL had stayed in FLA longer than a one year layover to rehab his image. He was super solid for us.

 

[HockeyVirus]

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.

I haven't seen anything more than a 4/5 who can run a PP

 

[TheNumber4]

8M spent to upgrade the blue line and the best Tre could do was a former cap dump OEL and an always injured Tanev?

 

[Iwishihadaspacebar]

I haven't seen anything more than a 4/5 who can run a PP

That powerplay did look good against Edmonton though.... oh

 

[Puckstuff]

8M spent to upgrade the blue line and the best Tre could do was a former cap dump OEL and an always injured Tanev?

Or the best right handed shutdown defensemen in the league and a solid bottom pairing d-man who had a bounce back year.

 

[Felidae]

OEL honestly looked pretty damn good on the first pair and 1st unit PP when Ekblad and Montour were injured to start the season.

Either way, you get a pretty reliable, smart defenseman

 

[Ignatius]

OEL will teach the Leafs how to win the Cup up now, I'm going all in on Toronto bringing Lord Stanley home next season!!!

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Kypreos said on Sportsnet yesterday that he thinks OEL quarterbacks the #1PP unit and takes Rielly's spot.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

8M spent to upgrade the blue line and the best Tre could do was a former cap dump OEL and an always injured Tanev?

I think the Leafs should have targeted Brett Pesce but he now makes 5.5M and the Leafs wouldn't have enough cap space for Tanev.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

 

[TheDoldrums]

Kypreos said on Sportsnet yesterday that he thinks OEL quarterbacks the #1PP unit and takes Rielly's spot.

probably, that's what they wanted from Klingberg last year

I think the Leafs should have targeted Brett Pesce but he now makes 5.5M and the Leafs wouldn't have enough cap space for Tanev.

Pesce was always going to NJ, wanted to be close to home

 

[TD Charlie]

It's easy to laugh at Toronto, and maybe the OEL/Tanev deals aren't the smartest contract offers they've ever made, but they addressed a need. They are better with these two guys than without. As a bruins fan, I hope the infighting amongst Toronto fans starts immediately regarding their roster, but even I'll admit they are a better team today. On paper anyway.

 

[thefutures]

Player is fine salary is fine, but term is not great

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

After watching the sportsnet podcast. Sounds like the leafs are going to have OEL as their #4Dman to start the season. And it gives an opportunity for Liljegren to step up and show that he can be a top 4 dman.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

OEL needs a defensive minded partner

Which McCabe is

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

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.

Nah, that will be Lilly

 

[4thline]

I don't like the term, and it's risky with McCabe not being Montour/Forsling, but people do realize that OEL spent more total minutes with one of those 2 in the top 4 than he did with Kulikov on the bottom pair right? And that both he and the Panthers did more than fine with him in those minutes?

He's literally coming off a season as a 4/5 for a 110 point cup winning team, where he saw a lot of tough minutes. Now, there's no guarantee he can do that for 82, or see the same success with the Leafs personnel instead of Florida, but:
A- if he was a slamdunk he wouldn't have signed for 3.5
B- the whole "he only rebounded as a pure bottom pair, extremely sheltered 6" is objectively wrong

 

[Chaos2k7]

Which McCabe is

Responding to post showing Liljegren

 

[bringbacktheskate604]

Or the best right handed shutdown defensemen in the league and a solid bottom pairing d-man who had a bounce back year.

Tanev is not the best shutdown Dman in the league.
OEL had a good start but faded as the season went by.
It's a desperate contract much like the trade of him to Vancouver was.

 

[TheKrebsCycle]

Tanev is not the best shutdown Dman in the league.
OEL had a good start but faded as the season went by.
It's a desperate contract much like the trade of him to Vancouver was.

Pretty massive difference when the cap hit is less than half ^^

 

[Michoulicious]

Or the best right handed shutdown defensemen in the league and a solid bottom pairing d-man who had a bounce back year.

A bottom pairing D making 3,5 for 4 years is horrible.

 

[Ron C.]

Was Nicklas Lidstrom unavailable?

​

 

[AvroArrow]

A bottom pairing D making 3,5 for 4 years is horrible.

He's going to get PP time and move around the line up when guys inevitably get injured. I don't like the 4th year either but cap is expected to keep rising, it'll be manageable.

 

[McJedi]

This contract already feels regrettable. Definitely see the buyout coming no later than summer 2026.