stickty111
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- Jan 23, 2017
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They really don't have too since they already did. Get a d man and maybe another bottom 6 forward and call it a day.
Trades and Free Agency - 2022/2023 Trade Deadline Edition
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kb
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leafsfan5
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I think it's for the best, to be honest. This forward core should be enough, if you can't win with the names we have it is what it is
The defensive core likely needs one more piece, like @CantLoseWithMatthews mentioned before we need someone to replace Muzzin. That Muzz - Brodie pair was excellent against TB last series and logged the most icetime 5v5 out of our pairs. If you can get someone who can potentially replicate that we're in a great spot
Someone like a Jensen is ideal
I don't know how "handedness" is not an issue here.
I think everyone can agree RHD is our weakness, particularly when it relates to where Holl plays. Holl cannot be used in a Top 4 RHD role. Has this not been proven over and over, painfully, over the past 2 seasons?
We are seeing Liljegren firmly taking over a top 4RHD role, and we have something promising in Timmins, with Niemala in the pipeline and looking to come into the Marlies/Leafs fold next season, but as it stands now, our RHD is Brodie and Liljegren.
Brodie is going to be 33 years old this summer, earning $5m until 2024/2025, when he becomes a UFA. How much are you prepared to offer a 35 year Brodie as a UFA, and do you even want to considering the contracts we have to re-sign that summer.
With Giordano being 39 years old, we have to be thinking that next season will be his last as an every day LHD. Having Brodie slot back on LHD leaves Rielly as is, and allows Sandin more time to develop into a solid LHD player as well, so what does that leave our RHD situation looking like? Are we really going to count on Timmins to continue to stay healthy and develop and need Niemala to be ready ASAP? Are we really going to pay $4-5m to extend Holl so he can continue to be inadequate and get blown up in the playoffs?
It just boggles my mind that we are still talking about improving on Holl, but now we should be at the end of our Holl journey as he hits UFA. There is a real need to stop kicking this can down the road and bring in a legitimate improvement on RHD, ideally someone who fits the age of our group, and has term.
It is much easier to fill LHD than RHD, and with the exception of the names I listed above, our other RHD prospect is Villeneuve, who has got to be 2-3 years away, meanwhile we need to be focusing on improving our RHD now.
Jimmy Firecracker
Backcheck, Forecheck, Paycheque.
Staff and Graph Podcast is selling me on Schenn to Toronto. Most interesting nugget was Doerrie talking about how the Hughes-Schenn pairing last year was when Hughes looked his best, and I can’t help but think about how Rielly is a similar player to Hughes and how Keefe is currently trying to force Rielly-Holl as a pair. Leafs tried Rielly-Lyubushkin last year so it’s not like they’re shy about playing Rielly with a big, physical, defensive-minded defenseman.
On Hughes and Schenn as a pairing last year: Luke Schenn and Quinn Hughes are both reaping the benefits of their pairing
And of course the narrative is there that Schenn would be returning to the team that drafted him. But he’s also got intangibles having been on Cup winning teams and is well known as a good leader, things Lyubushkin doesn’t have.
I’d still prefer someone like Jensen but if the price is too high or Washington wants to hold onto him there are worse options than Schenn.
On Hughes and Schenn as a pairing last year: Luke Schenn and Quinn Hughes are both reaping the benefits of their pairing
And of course the narrative is there that Schenn would be returning to the team that drafted him. But he’s also got intangibles having been on Cup winning teams and is well known as a good leader, things Lyubushkin doesn’t have.
I’d still prefer someone like Jensen but if the price is too high or Washington wants to hold onto him there are worse options than Schenn.
What is it with people wanting dudes with terrible contracts?
That Ekholm contract blows, the amount of retention it would need to make it even close to palatable is huge, the Preds would never do it
Especially for 3 more years
That Ekholm contract blows, the amount of retention it would need to make it even close to palatable is huge, the Preds would never do it
Especially for 3 more years
Menzinger
Kessel4LadyByng
If the 3rd gets Schenn done I'd be okay with that
Brobust
Registered User
- Sep 29, 2017
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So we're talking ourselves into a Canadian Polak?
No weak links. This is the most important idea to follow.
Jimmy Firecracker
Backcheck, Forecheck, Paycheque.
Like I said, he ain’t my first choice but if the Leafs are insistent on adding to the D depth and don’t want to blow through more major assets to do so Schenn would be an ok addition. Certainly more reasonable than the overpriced Gavrikov.
Too many people only pay attention to the Leafs so all they recognize is big names, guys who have played well against us and former Leafs.
IE: Ekholm/McDonagh, Josh Anderson and Schenn.
It doesn’t matter that McDonagh’s game has been slipping and his contact is terrible or that Anderson is terrible when he plays anyone else or that Schenn was never really very good. They know those names
I don't know, is he better than the 6 guys we're already icing on the backend? He's more physical but that doesn't mean he's better
Also there's no way he can play with Rielly, Tampa and Boston won't let him pass the puck to Rielly to make the vast majority of the outlet passes
Those teams are smart, that's the first thing there going to stop
BertCorbeau
F*ck cancer - RIP Fugu and Buffaloed
Brobust
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I'm not advocating for Gavrikov but he has a better chance of elevating his game in Toronto than Schenn.
Schenn is a 8th d-man on this team. I don't want him over any of Sandin, Liljegren, Holl or Timmins. At least there's an argument with Gavrikov.
Jimmy Firecracker
Backcheck, Forecheck, Paycheque.
I think you’re overestimating Gavrikov. Especially for the price the Blue Jackets are asking for him.
Just saying, a physical stay at home D who can clear the net is available for much cheaper and would likely give the same performance as Gavrikov would.
End of the day this is small potatoes. I’m advocating for adding some muscle, experience, and depth to the defence for like a 3rd, not breaking the bank on a bum on an albatross contract.
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SeaOfBlue
The Passion That Unites Us All
- Aug 1, 2013
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I am surprised people want a 32 year old defenseman with 3.5 more years on his deal at 6.4 mill.
He is still a great defenseman, but he has been showing signs of slowing down already... So I don't see that aging well and we are not a team that desperately needs a defenseman to the point where Ekholm makes sense.
Menzinger
Kessel4LadyByng
Fair question and everything you said is spot on.
I think he's better than Benn and good enough to be a teams #5/6;depending on how they want a skill set distribution amongst the pairings.
The only thing is I think we can definitely get a better option
SeaOfBlue
The Passion That Unites Us All
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We've already seen this play out with Chiarot and Savard. Neither worked out on better teams. Gavrikov almost certainly will not be any different.
Bad players on bad teams don't suddenly turn into good players. They are often a large part of the reason why the team is bad.
I think he can handle 20 minutes with the right partner, but I think I can say the same thing about Sandin. And I would rather just run with the young defenseman who is already here.
Rude Dog
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Didn’t he have domestic abuse issues recently? If so, there is a zero percent chance MLSE allows that. As a player without that… would be great for them.
SeaOfBlue
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Well Benn is our #8 and hasn't even been good in most games, so it would not be overly difficult to upgrade Benn without giving up anything of value.
I think Schenn could be a decent #6 on a competitive team, but a decent #6 isn't better than the 6 (or even 7) guys we already have and it is a total waste to give up good assets for a #8.
In the end, I would be shocked to see Schenn get more than Megna did in a trade. Maybe a motivated team would give up a 3rd, but at that point teams may try to convince the Islanders to give up Mayfield, or will turn to Jensen/TVR (if WSH is indeed selling), or even go after Gudas/Soucy/Stecher/Borgen/Foote.
If the Leafs wanted a cheap defensive upgrade for their #8 spot, then why not just go after Nick Holden from OTT? 1.3 mill cap hit may be a bit much for a depth guy but we can probably get him for a prospect we don't need. Or heck, why not Marc Staal if you wanted some more veteran experience. He is not doing great in Florida but they are also using him as a top 4 defenseman and he hasn't totally sucked.
SeaOfBlue
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Aren't we done putting Simmonds and Clifford caliber players in our lineup? Sure he plays a more defensive role and can PK, but he sucks at it so who cares?
He is maybe more willing to get into fights and throw big hits, but he is not a better player than ZAR and ZAR is already not a very good player.
The only team I think that could make sense for him are the Islanders if Clutterbuck is not going to be back by the playoffs. Watson may as well be his clone, which is not exactly a good thing. Both PK and play a defensive role, but neither are particularly good at it (Clutterbuck at least was at some point, Watson never was).
Brobust
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I'm subscribed to this.
I want to see previous seasons. My point was that that Gavrikov has a history of being a top 4 d-man. Schenn has always been a journey man, because his impacts have always been average to sub par.
Have you read Cam Charron's article on Schenn?
Rob Brown
Way She Goes
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SeaOfBlue
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Easy solution: Get neither.
Brobust
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Of course, I'd prefer McCabe who is a rich man's Holl or Ekholm.
If they're adding defencemen, I want someone to take a top 4 role from Holl or replace Sandin/Liljegren long term. That's a pretty short list.
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