Confirmed with Link: TOR sign RD Zach Bogosian [1 year, 1M]

[Puckstuff]

This is depth. You really need about 8 guys (maybe even 9 or 10) to get through an entire season. For example, Marincin just always finds a way to get in the lineup somehow because of injuries. I would imagine Bogosian is the #7 or 8 D who will only play some nights. He adds physicality and grit and shoots right which is nice for a depth player. He can't be any worse then Marincin and he has some great experience in that cup run which will hopefully rub off on some of the players.

This doesn't take away from the opportunity of bringing in a better RD either. It makes it even more likely. The guys who are in that 6-9 range (Lilly, Dermott, Holl) are a bit more tradeable if we needed to add them in the deal and we would still have 8 capable NHL defensmen with the addition of Bogosian.

I have no idea what could happen but any trade for a top 4 D would likely need to include Kerfoot (cap) and on D we would have to add Liliegren (our top prospect) or Holl (cap) in the same deal or a different deal for cap. So Bogosian is cover for RD depth should we have to move Lilly or Holl.

A Savard/Weegar type trade is still a possibility.

 

[PromisedLand]

Dubas realizes you need men on this team. Especially on the backend where veteran experience means so much. Men who play with some fire and compete. Balance the Leafs somewhat flyweight skill up front, and make it a bit tougher for the opposition.

If Chara retires I wouldn't mind out bruin-ing the bruins and beat them both on the ice and the scoresheet

 

[Dreakmur]

Very well said. Dubas gets A for Respect from me this off season. I am a fan of him but I like him even more now. He is adapting and changing. Won't all be good moves but he is not stuck on one aspect

This is why I was willing to give him another season, despite not liking the direction he was taking the team.

He tried something. It didn't work. That doesn't mean it wasn't worth trying, but once it doesn't work you have to move on.

 

[hamzarocks]

Defense is a lot deeper now. Props to Kyle dubas he went out and addressed the defense pretty well.

Ideally we could add still one more piece in savard/murphy/Weegar but not expecting that with limited capspace. I'll guess we make that type of move at the deadline.

LHD
Rielly
Muzzin
Dermott
Lethenon
Sandin
Rosen

RHD
Brodie
Holl
Bogosian
Lilijgren
Marincin

We are a deeper team know. The only sad thing is timmy lil and sandman probably dont have a spot on the team but hopefully they get callup chances and destroy wherever they play for a year.

I'm expecting dermott+mik signed and that's it for the offseason

If he gets them within the expected capspace I'd give Dubas a 78-82 range for the offseason (B+/A-). Now its gonna come down to how the players perform

 

[CelticDruid]

If he is good enough to play for the Stanley Cup champs he is good enough for the Leafs, I like this signing.

 

[Dayjobdave]

This is a good signing. We need toughness and another solid RD. Dermott Sandin and Lilly need to push their way into the lineup. Good to see us having a full complement of D men

 

[Morgs]

I gotta say, I really don't get it. Bogosian is bad and has been bad for a while.

We have at minimum 8 guys I'd rather in the lineup on any given day, and I can't see Bogosian wanting to come here and play ~20 games strictly as an injury replacement. That's outrageous to ask of a guy that's in his early 30's, wanting to get paid again on his next contract in a post-covid world where some dumb GM might actually pay him for his toughness.

Imagine benching one of Dermott, Holl, or Lehtonen for him? Surely we couldn't? Sure trade one of Dermott/Holl I guess, but you'd really want to give that spot to Bogosian over Sandin & Liljegren during the regular season where the games mean less & they're arguably better today?

I know it's a fully bury-able contract and we're just getting depth in case of injuries, but I just don't get Bogosian's motivation to come here unless he actually thinks/we told him he'll play often.

 

[frizzer1]

A couple of years ago Dermott looked like a good prospect......I don't know what Dubas' recent comments about him mean, going forward..
Sandin looks like he could be a terrific offensive d man...at least to me...
And I just don't see Holl as a top 4 in this league.

 

[Leafsfan74]

Very well said. Dubas gets A for Respect from me this off season. I am a fan of him but I like him even more now. He is adapting and changing. Won't all be good moves but he is not stuck on one aspect

With the pandemic, uncertainty and glut of free agents, Dubas realizes "this is the time to go for it". He's decided, unlike my desire to have A.P, (which was a long shot possibility anyways); that he can pick off some solid, tough to play against players for short term and reasonable costs. If they work out, he can decide what to do then. In the meantime, build it and balance the young guys up front.

Players are going to want to come here this year, as they see a team developing into something other than "they are a young, speedy, talented team". They are becoming a much stronger team in the back end and one that won't be as easy to handle in a 7 game series.

 

[Leafsfan74]

If Chara retires I wouldn't mind out bruin-ing the bruins and beat them both on the ice and the scoresheet

Now wouldn't that be poetic justice, hah.

It's really tough without a Marchand and of course, a younger Chara. We certainly aren't the Leafs of 2019 anymore though.

 

[Canada4Gold]

So after RFA signings our roster probably looks something like...

Hyman Matthews Marner
Mikheyev Tavares Nylander
Robertson Kerfoot Barabanov
Engvall Spezza Simmonds

Muzzin Brodie
Rielly Dermott
Lehtonen Holl
Bogosian

Andersen
Campbell

With $2,663,967 in cap space for Mikhevey/Dermott to sign. That might be enough, but combined with a 21 man roster I wouldn't be shocked to see Kerfoot or Andersen traded and replaced with cheaper replacements like Walmark or Korpisalo.

edit: I wouldn't be shocked to see Holl move either. Though I think that's less likely.

 

[Puckstuff]

 

[Nineteen67]

Jeepers, I’ve been in the other thread and just now saw this.

 

[OVO16]

Bogosian got some serious nastiness to his game. Love this signing.

He should be a lock on the 3rd pairing.

 

[baton elevated]

We still have Muzz

And Hyman

 

[OVO16]

The thing I love most about both the Simmonds and Bogosian signing....is that not only are they just "tough" players.....but they both have serious "Jump into the scrum to protect" teammates mentality too.

 

[jaric1862]

Rotate him in when we play nastier teams.

 

[OVO16]

And Hyman

Dermott is a pretty nasty player too and if he has Bogosian by his side now....his confidence is gonna go up even more to play even more physical

 

[jaric1862]

Between Lehtonen,Dermott,Bogosian, Sandin and evening Liljergren there should be an all out competition for those 2 bottom pairing spots.

 

[Antropovsky]

Dermott is a pretty nasty player too and if he has Bogosian by his side now....his confidence is gonna go up even more to play even more physical

I know he isn't a defender... but Simmonds will help others play more physical too. It will be interesting to see if some of the guys are a little more feisty this year with the added toughness.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Dermott is a pretty nasty player too and if he has Bogosian by his side now....his confidence is gonna go up even more to play even more physical

Agreed, like the impact Clifford had on Kapanen. Nobody wants the pressure of being the team's heavyweight, but some will accept the role of middleweight.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

As long as he is utilized correctly I don't have a problem with this.

 

[qqaz]

Rielly - Brodie
Muzzin - Holl
Dermott - Bogosian

I don't see a regular place for Lehtonen, or Sandin or Liljegren.

Really happy to have Bogo. But there's a logjam now. That's surprising.

 

[OVO16]

Brian Hayes said it right....Bogosian isnt coming here to be the 7th D-Man.

He should be penciled in as a lock because his type of Player is severely lacking in our back-end.

 

[OVO16]

Rielly - Brodie
Muzzin - Holl
Dermott - Bogosian

I don't see a regular place for Lehtonen, or Sandin or Liljegren.

Really happy to have Bogo. But there's a logjam now. That's surprising.

Sandin and Liljegren both need another year in the AHL anyways. The player who I dont know about is Lehtonen.