GDT: Trade and Free Agency Thread - The Madness Continues

[rumman]

If $7m gets it done, you do it yesterday as you say it is not a big step, but I am afraid the number is going to be higher. Dubas probably starts at 7 and hopes Rielly want to stay a Leaf. At this point I am not sure what the Leafs are thinking when it comes to Rielly.

Leafs are in a pickle, not good enough without Rielly, can’t afford to lose another player for nothing. Dubas needs to heat the knife up to spread the peanut butter thin enough to make the sandwich.

 

[Dreakmur]

Jury is still out. I don't think he's Jon Cooper level, but I also don't think he's Ducharme either (The Habs numbers were significantly worse than with Julien, but they couldn't score a goal for him).

The Leafs numbers since Babcock left have gotten significantly better, especially defensively almost the moment that Babcock left. I think the main thing I like about Keefe is that his system is tailored to the players instead of bringing in a system and using it whether it works for the players or not. I do have issues with his insistence on running Marner/Matthews even when they aren't working, playing Tavares/Nylander so much less. I don't always love his roster decisions, and I especially hate the powerplay.

I do think the good currently outweighs the bad and I'd have him in the top-10/15 coaches in the league but I'm not sold on him.

I guess I don't put the same amount of faith in those numbers. I think too many pure stat guys put focus what too much on what the numbers are and never really evaluate what those numbers mean.

 

[rumman]

Personally, it's for my own sanity. The amount of times I start writing almost an essay of a post to just disagree with how stupid something someone says just to have them laugh and go "dubas lover go brr". Yeah, I just find when I've noticed I almost do it a few times it's time to just hit the button.

Better to read and move on, I’ve done exactly what you described and have been punished by the powers that be for “high jacking” the conversation trying to make my point. Lesson learned.

 

[stewpac]

Rielly is going to have a 60+ point bounce back season and get over 9 as a ufa. If we don’t sign him in the next month chances are he walks. We’ll be in a tough playoff battle by trade deadline and won’t be able to afford losing him in a trade.

if 7.5 can get it done today I hope dubas pulls the trigger. Not a good situation to wait and see.

 

[PromisedLand]

That's pretty big news.

If Bergeron starts showing his age, which 95% of the players from the 2003 draft have done, and if Ulmark isnt the real deal, then they could potentially slide down quite a bit.

Taylor Hall's luck is going to strike, they'll miss the playoffs, and win the draft lottery.

Boston had three 1st round picks in 2015 and selected

13 Zboril
14 DeBrusk
15 Senyshyn

boston passed on
Barzal, Connor, Chabot, Boeser, Konecny, Aho

Their drafting is out to lunch lol

 

[johnnybbadd]

Numbers look good because we like to be a possession team but that is the exact reason why we lost to Montreal. We had a team that refused to dump the puck in and make Montreal’s D turn and skate for pucks. Also both OT goals were giveaways by players trying to make plays because they have been taught to try to hold on to the puck instead of icing it or dumping it into a corner. Analytics say that Marner and Matthews played pretty well and on par with their regular season and their expected totals were unlucky. Anyone that knows hockey and watched the games know that they both played bad hockey.

 

[ER89]

Personally, it's for my own sanity. The amount of times I start writing almost an essay of a post to just disagree with how stupid something someone says just to have them laugh and go "dubas lover go brr". Yeah, I just find when I've noticed I almost do it a few times it's time to just hit the button.

to be fair morgs i think your posts are fantastic and usually well constructed. But I notice that you try to find points as to why dubas could be right sometimes. Like he's done his fair share of shit that just has been horrible and he does deserve criticism for it.

 

[Avilaj07]

With the signing of Kase, you have to assume there's a move coming soon. Mikheyev, Engvall, and Kerfoot all seem like they're being replaced

Kampf= Kerfoot
Kase= Engvall
Robertson=Mikheyev

 

[TimeZone]

Now fit Tatar in for cheap and I'll be slightly less critical.

 

[SprDaVE]

Chris Johnston on the Steve Dangle Podcast did confirm Ritchie was in the Leafs office to get a tour and talk to the team, so there's mutual interest but price might be an issue right now.

He also mentioned Tatar as a real possibility and after a rough playoffs, maybe he settles for less to prove himself.

 

[KuleminFan41]

He was very good for us in our first two runs against Washington and Boston. Then 3 years ago he didn't look good but played on a torn knee on which he shouldn't have been playing, frankly. Then last year he had 3 points in 5 games against CBJ, looked ok. This playoff run he was invisible, which may or may not be partly attributed to his injury.

Overall, he's been solid for us in the playoffs, but hardly irreplaceable.

He hasn't been solid for us, he's been down right bad because of how much premium ice time he gets. If he was a 3rd liner, I'd give him more of a pass, but this guy was glued to Matthews since they started playing together and all he can muster up is 13 points in 32 games. 8 of those points came in the first 2 playoff series which was 13 games, which is good but what you did half a decade ago, doesn't mean anything today

 

[BertCorbeau]

Now fit Tatar in for cheap and I'll be slightly less critical.

Yeah I’d gamble on Tatar for cheap

 

[SeaOfBlue]

With the signing of Kase, you have to assume there's a move coming soon. Mikheyev, Engvall, and Kerfoot all seem like they're being replaced

Kampf= Kerfoot
Kase= Engvall
Robertson=Mikheyev

Engvall is the only one on that list who looks like he is being replaced, and that happened before this move.

 

[SprDaVE]

With the signing of Kase, you have to assume there's a move coming soon. Mikheyev, Engvall, and Kerfoot all seem like they're being replaced

Kampf= Kerfoot
Kase= Engvall
Robertson=Mikheyev

Dubas has liked Kase for a long-time per the rumours and the Bruins traded a 1st round pick for him last year... he's that good. But with his health, there's no way you can commit a permanent spot in the top 9 for him.

So I don't think changes much. I do think it's a little more likely Engvall is traded though.

 

[CelticDruid]

I would rather have Ritchie than Tatar.
Why has he been benched in so many playoffs?

Would be nice to have Ritchie riding shotgun on Matthews wing.

 

[BertCorbeau]

I’d also give Ritchie a shot

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Dubas has liked Kase for a long-time per the rumours and the Bruins traded a 1st round pick for him last year... he's that good. But with his health, there's no way you can commit a permanent spot in the top 9 for him.

So I don't think changes much. I do think it's a little more likely Engvall is traded though.

Well, he was the return to Boston for Backes and a first. I think the first was more the price of dumping Backes than Kase's value.

Agreed with your other point though. He's a guy who might be a pleasant surprise, but he's not a reliable bet at all

 

[Morgs]

to be fair morgs i think your posts are fantastic and usually well constructed. But I notice that you try to find points as to why dubas could be right sometimes. Like he's done his fair share of shit that just has been horrible and he does deserve criticism for it.

I've had some real issues with his moves as of late (Foligno/Expansion draft/Letting Hyman walk for nothing), but for the most part I do believe the good heavily outweighs the bad.

 

[rumman]

I would rather have Ritchie than Tatar.
Why has he been benched in so many playoffs?

Would be nice to have Ritchie riding shotgun on Matthews wing.

Consensus here is that both the Habs and Knights coaching staff’s are stupid, I think it has more to do with the player myself.

 

[Dreakmur]

Engvall is the only one on that list who looks like he is being replaced, and that happened before this move.

I'm all for replacing Engvall, but his replacement has to be a PKer.

We have Kampf, Mikheyev, Kerfoot, and who? I really don't think Marner should be PKing regularly, but he might have to.

 

[htpwn]

Now fit Tatar in for cheap and I'll be slightly less critical.

Agreed - I still want Tatar.

 

[Dreakmur]

I've had some real issues with his moves as of late (Foligno/Expansion draft/Letting Hyman walk for nothing), but for the most part I do believe the good heavily outweighs the bad.

He's probably done more good than bad. I used to think a lot more good than bad, but it's slowly moving closer to 50/50.

 

[jaric1862]

Sign a few of these guys and have them compete for spots

 

[ULF_55]

Liked the off season this year.

Going for longshots rather than entitled vets.

Not everyone is Spezza, productive at age ancient.

And the kids are going to have an opportunity to complete for jobs.

 

[ER89]

I've had some real issues with his moves as of late (Foligno/Expansion draft/Letting Hyman walk for nothing), but for the most part I do believe the good heavily outweighs the bad.

See I use to agree but now its evening out. Hear me out.

1) The rfa signings... enough said
2) He's consistently chasing- we need skill was his mo, then he realized he needed toughness so he made questionable moves in acquiring foligno over a guy like hall. In previous years he would have never done that. Due to the leadership needed he added the father type players. That didn't work so now he's chasing players in their prime.
Now it can be argued that he's learning from his mistakes.. and fine. But where is the foresight? He let hyman go (not talking about acccepting the oilers offer) for free, and he couldn't read the market and waited to negotiate with rielly which will likely cost him a mill or two in the aav due to the contracts given out to morgan's contemporaries.
3) Our forward group is f***ing ass
4) We can't score in the playoffs and he has done nothing to address that
5) Trading first rounders and losing trades like its his job.

I like dubas. I think he's smart. But he's been godawful in some areas and I think his insistence with sticking with mitch is absolutely asinine.

I do like his drafting, development, creativity, and FA signings when he has cap. But the lack of foresight and him losing like every f***ing negotiation is killing the team. JMO.

Also f*** ryan . But no seriously, I think we have the same qualms. I'm just getting more upset with his lack of negotiating skills and foresight.