So the new(ish) Leaf report is Mirtle and Siegal talking about Joe Thornton. I recommend it to anyone who has a commute or free time to listen to. Very good episode. Here are the highlights.
- Mirtle says Lebrun knows Thornton very well and Lebrun says Thornton is going to play forever, whether it be in the NHL or over in Switzerland with Davos. He's of a similar vein of Jagr, where they keep themselves in insane shape and have a passion for the game. Point being, is this may not just be a 1 and done for Thornton and the Leafs. That if things go well, he could come back next year.
- Mirtle doesn't think Thornton is coming in with an ego or anything. He knows he'll spend some games on the fourth line, and even some games not in the lineup. Both Mirtle and Siegal seem to agree he will be somewhere in the top 9 to start.
- Mirtle and Siegal both think Thornton could be a big addition to the powerplay. Siegal seems to think that they might do two balanced PP's again, versus one stacked one. Mirtle seems to think that makes sense. They seem to think Thornton-Matthews-Tavares-TBD-Rielly on one, and then Marner-Nylander-TBD-TBD-TBD on the other.
- Mirtle says the Leafs are rounding out their roster much like Dallas did last season, and hoping for similar success. Mirtle says the Leafs have the top end talent, and unfortunately Leaf fans have seen past GM's (Burke/Nonis) try and add the Simmonds/Bogosian types without that high end talent to support them.
- Mirtle also points out, that the Leafs are getting their supporting cast to come in on the cheap. Thornton and Spezza taking 700K each. Bogosian coming for 1M. Simmonds turning down less from elsewhere (MTL) to come here. Says previously, the Leafs had to overpay for it. (Clarkson, Martin).
- Mirtle says he's not sure how anyone can dislike this signing, unless they are trying to be contrarian, or have a dislike for the Leafs team, or for the General Manager, or Thornton himself. Mirtle says the worst case scenario is Thornton plays horribly, and Dubas either loans him back to Davos, or they mutually terminate the agreement, or Dubas/Keefe have to have the discussion that Thornton isn't going to be a regular anymore.
- Mirtle says he doesn't think Andersen is getting traded. He thinks other teams were coming at the Leafs asking if he was available. Mirtle says after the playoffs, the Leafs thought about "a lot of things" and that was one of the things they thought of and it didn't happen for one reason or another. (Wonders if it's because Lehner didn't get to free agency, or maybe they liked Kuemper, but didn't like Arizona's asking price).
- Mirtle says he doesn't think they will add a top 4 D at all. Dubas has said this is the group they will go in with, and it makes sense. Siegal says he thinks it's a medium-sized risk that they are trusting Andersen again. Siegal says when you look at things practically, what could you have done? Mirtle says he doesn't think Corey Crawford was doing backflips to go to New Jersey, so maybe you could've signed him. Siegal says he'd be more comfortable with Crawford than Andersen, but Crawford is also mid-30's. Mirtle points out that Crawford's numbers and analytics are really solid, and he wasn't the problem in Chicago.
- Mirtle says if Andersen struggles again, they could look for a mid-season replacement from a team that has fallen out of the playoffs.
- Mirtle says internally, the Leafs think Jack Campbell can be something, and can challenge Freddy. They've also added Dell. So the Leafs have options. Siegal says that maybe it's as simple as if Campbell plays well and Freddy doesn't, Campbell plays more. Mirtle says the intention to start is to be a tandem and see how they play rather than just anointing Freddy.
- Mirtle and Siegal agree that the Leafs 7 D will be who they go into the season with. Dermott or Holl won't be moved.
