Confirmed with Link: TOR re-sign D Travis Dermott [1 year, 874K]

[Chief Berube]

I don’t know about that man. Bogosian will be the guy not sitting most nights. Not sure you will like that but thats whats goung to happen

I don’t mind I actually like Bogosian. I just think Lehtonen is actually much better than we realize. I’ve never seen him play to be honest but everything I’ve been reading and how his season is going he’s going to be fit right in with this team. Only time will tell though. This is a good problem to have! I’m excited

 

[Chief Berube]

Bogo is a RHD and Lehtonen a LHD. Mikko and Travis are (the way i see it) competing for a 3rd pairing LD spot, unless Mikko has a horrible training camp.

Lehtonen plays RHD and they said Travis will he playing RHD apparently.

 

[Ciao]

Looks like we need to shed another $1,049,325 as we are at $82,549,325.

Can't complain about the Dermott contract though.

Trade Holl.

 

[kabidjan18]

An absolute steal of a deal.
Dermott will be motivated to improve his value for next season.
Leafs get to determine whether he is better than the options already with the team. At this price he's certainly an attractive part of a trade scenario.
Given the likelihood of a compacted schedule, having 6 D with NHL experience signed, Lehtonen in the wings and crushing it, and having Sandin and Lily close to graduating offers the Leafs some confidence and flexibility on the backend. It's not just going to be goalies who are flipped in b2b's this year.
Per CapFriendly:


CapFriendly
@CapFriendly
·
5h
To answer the q's wondering how the #Leafs become compliant, there are multiple options: 1. 21 player roster: 2 players clear enough cap 2. 22 player roster: bury a player with cap >= 1.05M 3. Trade 4. LTIR placement A buyout is no longer an option, their 2nd window is closed

Probably 2. Maybe 3 if a good deal comes along. There are really no solid candidates for option 1.

Sandin is almost certainly down for good. Robertson might go down at the start of the season and come up in the middle.

 

[Superstar]

Great signing...Dubas has done an amazing job this offseason!

 

[robertmac43]

What a freaking steal of a contract!

 

[TDotMassive]

And Mathews and Nylander
Enough of the Marner crap

Nylander is outplaying his contract already... looks like a bargain right now. Matthews is about on par for a top-5 player, maybe under on term... Marner is really the big outlier at about $2m above his value

 

[ponder]

STEAL. Dermott is a quality dman, a top notch bottom pairing dman, and IMO a solid 2nd pairing dman on plenty of teams. Harder for him to get those minutes as a left handed PMD on the Leafs, as we’ve always had a glut of both LHDs and PMDs, but he’s been great on the 3rd pair for us.

Rielly - Brodie
Muzzin - Holl
Dermott - Bogosian
Lehtonen

I like that D, especially with Sandin and Liljegren ready to hop up from the Marlies on any injuries.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Travis Dermott re-signs with the Maple Leafs — a short-term bargain that could pay off down the road | The Star

Travis Dermott took one for the team.

That was the general reaction Friday after the restricted free-agent defenceman re-signed with the Maple Leafs for one year at $874,125 (U.S.).

Dermott’s contract makes him the lowest-paid defenceman among eight currently listed on the Leafs’ NHL roster. No one knows what the final 23-man roster will look like on opening night, but Dermott, not yet eligible for arbitration, will have to fit under the salary cap to stay and the Leafs don’t have much room.

For now, they are $1.04 million over the $81.5-million (U.S.) cap, which is allowed in the off-season but not once the season starts.

Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas foreshadowed his approach to making up the difference when he said recently that the team might carry just 21 players and shuttle waiver-exempt players back and forth between the NHL and AHL to get under the cap.

The 23-year-old Dermott will be in a better position contract wise in the next off-season if he combines a solid year with the arrival of his arbitration rights. He is also positioned to remain on the NHL roster for all of this coming season. He is not waiver exempt, so if the Leafs wanted to move him to shed salary they would have to expose him on waivers, where he’d most likely be claimed by another team.

 

[slozo]

Good deal for the Leafs. Seems like Dermott could be moved this season or at years end. Opening night D core I think is the below.

Reilly-Brodie
Muzzin-Holl
Dermott-Bogosian

*Sandin is NHL ready, especially if he has added size since the March layoff. His IQ is higher than Dermott's.
*Lehtonen is having a great start to the KHL.

Either of Sandin or Lehtonen could push Dermott out, sooner than later.

I would like to see Dermott start the year at least and see how his decision making is doing. His IQ/reads/decisions make him look lost at times. He steps up into the neutral zone to lay the body and more often than not, misses his target, its just a wild approach that he has not dialed in. He can have a physical edge but he is using it wrong in that situation. He also overall, lacks engagement in the game. He can have time and space in his own zone to skate the puck out but he will freeze and appear confused on what to do. He has excellent feet but isnt using them all the time to get away from pressure or skate it out.

I agree with you that Dermott could become a mid-season deal, especially at this price point . . . but that's only if he isn't in the top 6. So I'm sure he will be well aware of that, and will be the most motivated he can be - only good for us.

I disagree with your opening night D-corps, only because I think it's very clear Lehtonen will be an opening night starter, and will be given every chance to be a top 4, top 5 defenceman. He's not coming from the KHL to sit in the press box, and he won't play with the Marlies ever . . . it's success, or back to the KHL for him.

Rielly - Brodie
Muzzin - Holl/Bogosian (whoever looks better out of camp)
Dermott - Lehtonen
Sandin (will push hard to get on this lineup)

But it's a very tough call at this point.
We actually have 3 legit top 4 d-men now, and to fill out the other half, we currently have 5, maybe 6 with Liljigren, top 6 d-men. Really really excited about our depth at D, gives us a lot of options and we can choose who is going the strongest.

 

[al secord]

I could probably write Feschuk's column for him tomorrow. I can see it now....

 

[EC]

Dubas has done an excellent job this off-season. He has signed complementary pieces and is attempting at changing the clubs overall dynamic. You don't win Stanley Cups by giving up on your core after a few seasons. He has found a way to keep all of the Leafs core 4 forwards while adding a top 2-3 D-man in Brodie. You couldn't have asked for a better off-season by Dubas.

...now up to the players to perform.

 

[HolyCrap]

I wonder if this kind of contract makes Dermott more of a candidate to stick around, or an even more attractive trade chip?

Kinda what I was thinking. I like Dermott too. But that’s a good value contract. At least in my dumb mind. Also you always seem to post exactly what I wanna say. Lol.

 

[Fogelhund]

Lehtonen plays RHD and they said Travis will he playing RHD apparently.

Lehtonen is a LHD. He can play LD, and RD. My hopes are that the "best" pairings we end up with, look like this.

Reilly Brodie
Muzzin Lehtonen
Dermott Bogo
Holl

But I fully acknowledge, that we will need some rotation, given we are likely to have more back to backs than normal. It's my hope that Lehtonen is good enough to push to second pairing, by earning it.

 

[EC]

Lehtonen is a LHD. He can play LD, and RD. My hopes are that the "best" pairings we end up with, look like this.

Reilly Brodie
Muzzin Lehtonen
Dermott Bogo
Holl

But I fully acknowledge, that we will need some rotation, given we are likely to have more back to backs than normal. It's my hope that Lehtonen is good enough to push to second pairing, by earning it.

while I am hopeful for Lehtonen to be what he is in KHL in NHL...it is unlikely he will start in the top 6. Depending on the seasons schedule (could see a bunch of 3 games in 4 nights) he will get opportunities to stick in top 6 and perhaps move up the lineup.

Realistically the D opening night will be

Rielly/Brodie
Muzzin/Holl
Dermott/Bogosian
Lehtonen

 

[cesareborgia]

And Mathews and Nylander
Enough of the Marner crap

No, not Nylander, who is on a reasonable contract. And no, not Matthews, who is a top 3 player in the league. Yes, they could have been had for cheaper deals. Especially Matthews who should have given us an extra year or two with that money. But the deals are roughly fair value.

Marner is the only outlier. It's the only deal that is straight up ridiculous.

 

[Chief Berube]

Lehtonen is a LHD. He can play LD, and RD. My hopes are that the "best" pairings we end up with, look like this.

Reilly Brodie
Muzzin Lehtonen
Dermott Bogo
Holl

But I fully acknowledge, that we will need some rotation, given we are likely to have more back to backs than normal. It's my hope that Lehtonen is good enough to push to second pairing, by earning it.

He really could be! I keep reading he’s one of if not the best D in the KHL. This guy could really be a gem for us. It doesn’t always translate but I’m sure the best D in the second best league has to have something to offer! I do want Sandin playing though. We burned a year of his contract and I truly believe he is our best home grown D in over 2 decades. I’m not including Reilly cause let’s be real we didn’t develop Reilly as much as Reilly reached his full potential. Where do you have Sandin?

 

[cesareborgia]

Dubas gets bent over by another RFA!

*incoherent yelling*

One good move, or one hundred good moves, will never erase a disastrous move made prior.

 

[SoftDumpNtheCorner88]

Can someone list all of Dubas's off season moves with contract numbers?

I think he's got pretty close to an A in my books... B+ for finding the pieces to fill the gaps that imo on paper is pretty solid and if reached to full potential a dynamite team... That and getting bargain prices on almost all players he's signed ... Very impressed considering his circumstances.

 

[Gabriel426]

Lol give me a break TSN.

Yep, Leafs have a logjam in Defence now. With two guys coming off their ELCs, one unproven KHLer in the NHL, one guy who is trying to resurrect his career and Marincin. That’s certainly a logjam on D, lol.

 

[PromisedLand]

I'll help you out by saying the purpose of GAR is to not make Leafs players look as good as possible, so your criticism makes no sense.

great lets use "GAR" to trade Dermott for Hedman afterall it is THE GAR; at least Slavin, he is not even top 5 in GAR dermott is. Gar ftw....

 

[Damisoph]

 

[hamzarocks]

No, not Nylander, who is on a reasonable contract. And no, not Matthews, who is a top 3 player in the league. Yes, they could have been had for cheaper deals. Especially Matthews who should have given us an extra year or two with that money. But the deals are roughly fair value.

Marner is the only outlier. It's the only deal that is straight up ridiculous.

Matthews isn't top 3 in the league yet. 11.634x5 is definite overpayment for where hes at right now. He should be worth it soon but the lack of term makes it a very hard contract to live up to.

Nylander was also overpaid quite decently, held put on the team for 2 months and played 1 year of his deal at a 3rd line level. His deal looks good in year 2.

Marners deal will look fair next year. Hes gonna be a 105-115 pt pace player. I seriously see him as a top 5 contender for the ross. Marner+Matthews are gonna terrorize the league

 

[cipher]

Marner is the only outlier. It's the only deal that is straight up ridiculous.

You're not the only Leaf fan posting this over the top nonsense, but it really is telling that there are so few informed fans among our fanbase.

Players, especially forwards, get paid largely based on points. Given one of the best metrics of a "point getter" is PPG, since it eliminates any discrepancy due to injuries etc, here is Marner's rank in the NHL for PPG over the past two years...

2019-2020 - 14th (tied with Auston Matthews)
2018-2019 - 15th (ahead of Auston Matthews)

As well, for 2019-2020, only McDavid and Matthews were in that top 14 PPG and younger than Marner. For 2018-2019, only McDavid, Rantanen, Barkov were in that top 15 PPG and younger than Marner.

What this tells you, and this is something every Leaf fan should know, is that Marner is one of the elite playmakers in the game and one of the youngest to boot. This type of young, top end talent costs money, even if he can't crash through people like Wendel Clark and rip a wrister over the shoulder of a goalie (only mentioning this since it's the implied subtext when various mouth breathers in our fanbase negatively mention Marner and Nylander).

Now, I've said this many times before, I do believe that we slightly overpaid for Mitch and it's probably in the 1-2M range or we should have had an extra year on term. Do I think that "overage" will significantly impact us over the 6 years he's signed for? Definitely not. If you overpay for anyone, it's for your top end talent. He will continue to be a top 10-15 PPG player in the NHL, and if he resigns with us in 2025-2026 will end his career 1st or 2nd overall in points as a Maple Leaf alongside Auston Matthews. To incessantly complain over 1-2M for this type of historical talent, especially after all the crap years we've had to deal with since the Ballard days is both sad and self-defeatist. We finally have some top-end talent that we drafted and yet so many in this fanbase want to drag them down instead of enjoying the ups and downs of their 10-15 year ride.

 

[moon111]

No, not Nylander, who is on a reasonable contract. And no, not Matthews, who is a top 3 player in the league. Yes, they could have been had for cheaper deals. Especially Matthews who should have given us an extra year or two with that money. But the deals are roughly fair value.

Marner is the only outlier. It's the only deal that is straight up ridiculous.

What I'm curious is, has Marner been taking the foot off the 'offensive' gas-pedal because he couldn't trust the rest of his team? He can make some outstanding plays and scoring chances, but even he knows it can back-fire. And when that back-fire has to be covered by Ceci or Barrie for example... that's not a good situation.