GDT: Trade and Free Agency Thread

[LeafParade]

Yeah, he, Spezza and Simmonds have formed a really nice fourth line. Simmonds & Ritchie seem to build off each other with the hits. Just because they aren't open ice, highlight reel hits, doesn't mean they aren't there.

My only issue is that Ritchie is being paid 2.5M to do what Simmonds does for 900K (or whatever the cost is).

If Ritchie was making 900k no one would care.
We get on Engvall's case for make 1.25 M and Kerfoot for making 3.5 M.

The Leafs can't have Ritchie on the 4th line making 2.5 M.
It's just a huge waste of capspace. At least Kerfoot is playing in the top 6 now, and Engvall is playing on the 3rd line.

 

[mydnyte]

You mean like he did with Sandin over Dermott last season?

Most coaches wouldn't and I agree but I do think it's likely the Leafs want to give a rest day to certain players and give a game to a call-up or two.

on paper call ups also mean more $$ regardless if they play or not ...nice pay day for the players unless they are already on a 1-way deal

 

[Leaf Rocket]

Somebody mentioned it on a previous page but Jack McBain may be an interesting NCAA free agent target in the summer.

Toronto boy. 6'4 centre playing for Boston College. Drafted 3rd round by Minnesota in 2018. Lacklustre first three years in the NCAA but now has 14 points in 10 games as a 4th year player. If Minnesota doesn't sign him he will be a UFA in August 2022.

I just want him now for his name.

 

[Menzinger]

Ritchie What’s up with this guy not fighting not hitting not scoring I was happy when he was signed not anymore did Boston no something we don’t he’s been completely useless

Ritchie actually leads the team in Hits this season

 

[stickty111]

Dubas needs to find a way to get Ritchie's cap hit off the team. Rather and I'm not kidding give even SDA a shot.

 

[dubplatepressure]

I know he’s not that bad of a player I wonder what’s going on something internally

He's a grinder playing on a team that doesn't grind. Yes hestough but his style doesn't suit the systems we play. I still say we keep him for now and see if he can elevate his game.

 

[horner]

Ritchie
For
Philip Myers

Same cap hit both struggling

Then put Myers on waivers hope he passes through so we can put him on the Marlies to get his game back together.

 

[horner]

Love to trade for either

Austin Watson from Ottawa
Or
Deslauriers from Anaheim

 

[VanW27]

Love to trade for either

Austin Watson from Ottawa
Or
Deslauriers from Anaheim

Lots of guys out there who can play 4th line minutes at an NHL level, maybe avoid the 1.5 million addict/woman beating career 4th liner

 

[hockeynorth]

Ritchie is doing almost exactly what everyone wanted him for; leading the team in hits. The only drawback is he isn’t producing. You want him to produce, you play him with players that compliment him. I think he’d be great beside Kerfoot and Kase but that’s not happening clearly. He also should be net front PP more. He’s playing well metric wise, and physicality wise, but he’s not scoring due to the wrong line mates for his play style.

 

[showtime8]

He's a grinder playing on a team that doesn't grind. Yes hestough but his style doesn't suit the systems we play. I still say we keep him for now and see if he can elevate his game.

I was considering this mentality of keeping him around. So often we get focused on the in-season stuff and forget how the game changes quickly in the playoffs.

That being said, how much is he going to change the make-up of this roster in the grand scheme of things.

Ultimately, I can't see him improving his skating enough to hang with the top line. Putting him with Tavares, who isn't a great skater to begin with, really does not improve that line at all. And having him on a 3rd checking line doesn't fit their style.

And it's pretty indicative that he was moved to the 4th line so quickly into the season.It either shows that the 4th line is being built like that or they don't have much confidence in him.

 

[LeafChief]

Ritchie needs to be scratched for a game or two. If he would just bring some intensity it would go a long way.

 

[Fogelhund]

Ritchie needs to be scratched for a game or two. If he would just bring some intensity it would go a long way.

There just doesn't seem to be any urgency to his game. He does hit.. but even then, he's just kind of rubbing people out. One of these guys who has the toolbox, but not the desire or motivation to be more.

 

[pspot]

I think he's been fine and that line in general has been one of the teams best

 

[Fogelhund]

I think he's been fine and that line in general has been one of the teams best

I don't care if you play low event hockey, as long as you are at least keeping it even... no more scored against you, then you are scoring.

But...

Ritchie 0.4 GF/60 2.1 GA/60
Simmonds 1.5 GF/60 2.5 GA/60
Spezza 1.4 GA/60 2.3 GA/60

I mean, the team itself doesn't look very good right now from these stats, but this needs to be better.

Ritchie's 0.4 GF/60 is by far the worst on the team.

 

[LaPlante94]

It's pretty simple. You literally just gotta swap the LWs around. Either swap Engvall and Ritchie or swap all of them to try and get all lines going. Move Kerfoot to the 3rd line, Bunting to the Tavares line, Ritchie to Matthews line and Engvall on the 4th.

Reasoning for me making these changes are:

Engvall isn't bad and can help on the offensive side but he hasn't done too much on the 3rd. Maybe playing with a guy like Speeza gets him going and it'll help that line because Simmonds is the net front presence and right now we have two guys on that line who are in Ritchie and Simmonds.

Kerfoot moving to the 3rd line wing is just to give Kase some help offensively while also keeping the line as a good shutdown line. Every game Kase has looked pretty damn good but he is basically a 1 person line on the offensive side atm. This way Kampf can do what he does best and keep his offensive game simple.

Bunting to the 2nd line because he compliments this line just as well as he does the 1st line but I just think Ritchie is a better fit on the other line.

Ritchie on the Matthews line because Matthews and Nylander are our 2 best players when it comes to controlling the puck imo. I know some will say Marner is but I think Marner is just behind these 2 but if you think Marner is better then that's your opinion. Anyways, Ritchie would barely have to touch the puck because Matthews and Nylander like to play a 2 man game and Ritchie could play to his strengths which is by being in front of the net.

 

[LaPlante94]

I don't care if you play low event hockey, as long as you are at least keeping it even... no more scored against you, then you are scoring.

But...

Ritchie 0.4 GF/60 2.1 GA/60
Simmonds 1.5 GF/60 2.5 GA/60
Spezza 1.4 GA/60 2.3 GA/60

I mean, the team itself doesn't look very good right now from these stats, but this needs to be better.

Ritchie's 0.4 GF/60 is by far the worst on the team.

It would be concerning if this line didn't get any chances but they're getting many chances every game.

 

[mydnyte]

Ritchie is doing almost exactly what everyone wanted him for; leading the team in hits. The only drawback is he isn’t producing. You want him to produce, you play him with players that compliment him. I think he’d be great beside Kerfoot and Kase but that’s not happening clearly. He also should be net front PP more. He’s playing well metric wise, and physicality wise, but he’s not scoring due to the wrong line mates for his play style.

Kase to me has been a disappointment...he's Mik, while Mik's been hurt, all over the place, and tons of chances and no finish at all.
He leads Ritchie by a whopping 1 point on the season, with a total of 2 points, except that Kase is getting a ton more ice time.
Ritchie is redundant on the 4th as he and Simmonds do exactly the same thing, except Simmonds has 'looked' better, and he does have one whole point more than Kase.
Our bottom 6 have just sucked in producing anything

 

[horner]

Ritchie
For
Philip Myers

Same cap hit both struggling

Then put Myers on waivers hope he passes through so we can put him on the Marlies to get his game back together.

Add Engvall to sweeten the offer.
Love to see if Myers can get his game together with our development team.

 

[dubplatepressure]

Kase to me has been a disappointment...he's Mik, while Mik's been hurt, all over the place, and tons of chances and no finish at all.
He leads Ritchie by a whopping 1 point on the season, with a total of 2 points, except that Kase is getting a ton more ice time.
Ritchie is redundant on the 4th as he and Simmonds do exactly the same thing, except Simmonds has 'looked' better, and he does have one whole point more than Kase.
Our bottom 6 have just sucked in producing anything

i would recommend being patient with Kase. Dude basically missed 2 seasons. He needs a good 20-30 games to regain form, and from what I have seen he is taking strides and looking better, quicker, faster. I would suspect in another 15-20 games or less he will start driving line production.

 

[SHANNYPLAN]

Mitch Marner
for
Matthew Tkachuk & 2nd

Nick Robertson, Justin Holl/Travis Dermott & Alex Kerfoot
for
Josh Anderson

Tkachuk - Matthews - Nylander
Bunting - - Tavares - - Anderson
Mikheyev - - - Kampf - - - Kase
Ritchie - - Spezza - - Simmonds

 

[Holls Blackmail]

I just want him now for his name.

What happens if the other team's goalie is named Mendoza?

 

[Leaf Rocket]

What happens if the other team's goalie is named Mendoza?

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I think Keefe is pretty much done with Engvall. He will keep giving him chances because he is still a solid player with some speed, but I have a feeling Dubas is going to quietly feel out the market for him alongside the defenseman and will evaluate Semyonov as a 13th forward.

Mikheyev is coming back into the top 12, and the Leafs probably don't want a guy like Engvall in the press box.

Could end up being Engvall and Holl/Dermott out, with a pick and a 7th defenseman in. Maybe in one deal, or maybe in two. Could also see Kivihalme get moved (finally) to add a top 9 veteran for the Marlies if Brooks and Amadio are not coming back. Kivihalme sucks and he is blocking opportunities for Hoefenmayer and Hellickson at this point.

 

[SprDaVE]

Ritchie is doing almost exactly what everyone wanted him for; leading the team in hits. The only drawback is he isn’t producing. You want him to produce, you play him with players that compliment him. I think he’d be great beside Kerfoot and Kase but that’s not happening clearly. He also should be net front PP more. He’s playing well metric wise, and physicality wise, but he’s not scoring due to the wrong line mates for his play style.

Is he playing well metric wise? I'd love to see these metrics. The issue is similar to most players his ilk when they aren't producing. Leading in hits is great and all but Kurtis Gabriel could do that for a fraction of the price. Ritchie doesn't kill penalties and certainly hasn't been good offensively. He doesn't push puck possession or generate chances. He hasn't provided any sort of energy plays either... at least give us a big hit or fights or rat plays or something to give the team energy... something. So this is where we are. A useless player taking cap space and roster spots.

He was given a spot with some of our most talented players and he was awful. He's also been on the PP since the start of the season.