Salary Cap: We are looking for nuclear Kessels. And whales. Beam me up, Scotty Bowman

[billybudd]

Leafs don't HAVE to trade Kessel, but he might eventually ask for a trade the way he gets treated there and it's more benefitual(sp?) for Leafs to trade him to help with their rebuild then to keep him around and he will be 30 when they start to compete. Makes more sense to trade him. If Kessel does not get traded and Leafs wait for his new list of 8 teams that he keeps them the same teams.

Babcock's taking veiled shots at him about how "thing that Kessel does" is officially part of the past. Trading Kessel is step 3 in their grand plan of culture change. They can't keep him any more than Ottawa could have kept Heatley.

 

[penguins2946*]

Leafs don't HAVE to trade Kessel, but he might eventually ask for a trade the way he gets treated there and it's more benefitual(sp?) for Leafs to trade him to help with their rebuild then to keep him around and he will be 30 when they start to compete. Makes more sense to trade him. If Kessel does not get traded and Leafs wait for his new list of 8 teams that he keeps them the same teams.

Posts from Billy, Jiggy and IC (there may be more, but I remember those 3 specifically) have fully convinced me that Kessel has to get moved. Going into next year with him on the roster isn't an option.

This is quite possibly the most logical Kessel-related post that I've seen on here in days. Bravo, sir.

Eh not enough PF Changs, I give it a 7/10

 

[billybudd]

Don't forget Feschuk. He was particular harsh on Kessel this past season.

Oh, **** that guy.

 

[Asuna]

It's only a matter of time now.

 

[Riptide]

It's hard to believe an organization like TOR would care about paying the 4m bonus tomorrow, but I suppose they look like a bit of a clown show if they pay the bonus and make the trade 4 hours later.

Not really. 4m is basically meaningless to them. And if that does happen and they're asked on it, I suspect you'll hear them say something like: we would have wanted to get a deal done sooner, however these things take time, and bla bla bla.

Other than as a reason to bash the Leafs, I don't think anyone would really care. Out of all the teams in the league, the Leafs literally couldn't give 2 ****s about 4m. I mean they traded for Horton solely for cap space.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I approach a trade like I do the buffet at Golden Corral. You can rush in and grab warmed over fried chicken that has been sitting there for a couple of hours. Or you can wait for them to bring out the fresh stuff.

 

[Waffle Fries]

Leafs don't HAVE to trade Kessel, but he might eventually ask for a trade the way he gets treated there and it's more benefitual(sp?) for Leafs to trade him to help with their rebuild then to keep him around and he will be 30 when they start to compete. Makes more sense to trade him. If Kessel does not get traded and Leafs wait for his new list of 8 teams that he keeps them the same teams.

I think they have to move him. Too much of a circus if they don't. The Luongo situation was embarrassing for Vancouver, they can't have anything similar. Plus with those comments from Babcock about players being fit and talking to the media, I can't see them starting the year with Kessel on the roster.

 

[Riptide]

I would definitely take a crack at Sam Gagner. I think with so many forwards potentially moving around, he would be a nice addition at wing or center if surrounded by a line he gels with. Like someone else posted, he's not going to carry a line on his own.

Just to clarify. I want nothing to do with him as a center. His defensive game and faceoff skills suck, and his offensive game isn't good enough to make up for that (like Geno's). But I'd absolutely take a shot at him to be a #2/3 RW.

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

Attn: Iced Capp.

Last thread you said there was a 101 percent chance Kessel will be a Pen.

What do you think the chance is that Maatta is a Leaf?

 

[Shady Machine]

Or that I have zero faith in someone like Frolik (or any other major FA) actually being the answer, and don't expect to see JR pull off some miracle trade.

Gagner, PAP, Hodgson, etc would all be cheap options. None would get any term. I'd play them all on the wing. Gagner especially I think could be half decent there.

Perron - Crosby - Hornqvist
Kunitz - Malkin - XXXXX
Dupuis - Sutter - Bennett
XXXXX - Spaling - XXXXX
XXXXX

That's something like what our forward group will look like. That has 4 openings, and we all want 2 more of those guys gone (Kunitz and Sutter). There's also the fact that Dupuis's health is a massive question mark. Now sure we have Plotnikov and Sundqvist, however there's no guarantee either will even be NHL ready - let alone ready to play in the top 9.

So yes I would take a shot on a couple of guys who are skilled players who are not established top 6 guys. PAP is someone that despite his issues has had success with other skilled players. Gagner is a skilled guy himself - he just can't carry a line to save his life - but he is good enough to carry the puck a bit and make plays with it. Hodgson is a complete guess as to whether he's good enough to be a top 9 skilled guy... but at 25, I'd still take a shot. There's literally no downside to trying to sign someone (or 2) like this.

As for the Geno "getting mad" what a crock. He'll be happy if the team has success.

If those dudes were top 6 solutions, they wouldn't be bought out by their current teams. Montreal is the only cap team of the bunch and their contracts aren't absurd for what they were supposed to bring. If PAP, Gagner, and Hodgson are your answers, prepare to lose in the first round again. Then Geno and Sid will be mad. That was my point.

I'd take Frolik at 4.5 for 5 years over any of those dudes on 1 year 2-3mm contracts. Because say one of them does well, you have to pay them 4mm to keep them around. You can't continually fill your top 9 with 2-3 low risk medium reward guys every year. I'd take a shot at Gagner over paying Tlusty 4mm, but only as a last resort type of option.

 

[IcedCapp]

Attn: Iced Capp.

Last thread you said there was a 101 percent chance Kessel will be a Pen.

What do you think the chance is that Maatta is a Leaf?

49%%

 

[AjaxTelamon]

Not really. 4m is basically meaningless to them. And if that does happen and they're asked on it, I suspect you'll hear them say something like: we would have wanted to get a deal done sooner, however these things take time, and bla bla bla.

Other than as a reason to bash the Leafs, I don't think anyone would really care. Out of all the teams in the league, the Leafs literally couldn't give 2 ****s about 4m. I mean they traded for Horton solely for cap space.

I tend to agree, but if they get a lackluster return on Kessel, which all indications are that they will (at least according to the overhyped expectations), they pay the bonus, and god forbid they have to retain, the feeding frenzy in TOR will be pretty entertaining.

 

[66-30-33]

Babcock's taking veiled shots at him about how "thing that Kessel does" is officially part of the past. Trading Kessel is step 3 in their grand plan of culture change. They can't keep him any more than Ottawa could have kept Heatley.

There were multiple staff members taking a shot at Kessel, Kessel even said "that's his opinion" to 1 guy.

Posts from Billy, Jiggy and IC (there may be more, but I remember those 3 specifically) have fully convinced me that Kessel has to get moved. Going into next year with him on the roster isn't an option.

I'm sure he will get traded, just i dunno when. Probably see if Kessel has a new list of 8 teams to be traded to, which he wont.

I think they have to move him. Too much of a circus if they don't. The Luongo situation was embarrassing for Vancouver, they can't have anything similar. Plus with those comments from Babcock about players being fit and talking to the media, I can't see them starting the year with Kessel on the roster.

Let's hope he's a Penguin along with Frolik and maybe that TB guy who's going to be a UFA.

 

[Your Boy Troy]

I see. Signing him was predicated on trading away a defenseman anyways...such as Maatta or Pouliot.

We took a previous Lightning castoff in Chorney and turned him into a decent player. Perhaps we could do the same with Barberio. Also, having defensive depth is never a bad thing.

Barberio is a good bottom-pairing/depth defeseman. Problem is, the team has enough left-handed defensemen as it is.

Korbinian Holzer, Brett Bellemore, Bobby Sanguinetti, Matt Carkner, Tyson Strachan; these are players I'd look to for a depth/WBS role.

 

[shureshot66]

For the Gagner mentions -- the Flyers haven't actually bought him out yet, right? I guess there's still a day left to do it?

 

[66-30-33]

Attn: Iced Capp.

Last thread you said there was a 101 percent chance Kessel will be a Pen.

What do you think the chance is that Maatta is a Leaf?

New thread, it's now 102% Kessel is a Penguin.

 

[66-30-33]

For the Gagner mentions -- the Flyers haven't actually bought him out yet, right? I guess there's still a day left to do it?

Talks were they were going to, would not mind him at 3C on a cheap 1 year deal. We need a 3C of his type that can bring the offense, will help with Dupuis there if he does not get changed from the long layoff and injury aswell as BB. Could be a nice 3rd line we can rely on.

 

[billybudd]

I tend to agree, but if they get a lackluster return on Kessel, which all indications are that they will (at least according to the overhyped expectations), they pay the bonus, and god forbid they have to retain, the feeding frenzy in TOR will be pretty entertaining.

I love how the guys who will be leading the charge are the reason the return will probably be lackluster.

Although, I half expect your Simmons/Coxes/Kypreoses/Feschuks to be alright with any return, no matter how meager. They may just use it to say "see, we told you Kessel sucks."

 

[penguins2946*]

For some reason, I'm getting the same vibe for Kessel to Pittsburgh that I got when Nash was rumored to be going to the Rangers. It honestly feels like it's only a matter of time until it happens. With Nash, I think the Rangers were the only serious bidder and basically everyone knew it was inevitable that he'd get traded there. I feel similar with the Pens, except that I think it's more likely that Kessel stays with the Leafs than it was for Nash to stay with the Jackets.

 

[EVGENIMERLIN]

For the Gagner mentions -- the Flyers haven't actually bought him out yet, right? I guess there's still a day left to do it?

Not yet and there was some thought that they may keep him and see what he has. Either way with Grossman and Progner off their books it put them in a better position.

I haven't seen enough of his game lately to warrant an opinion on it, but has anyone watched him and seen stretches of solid play?

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

49%%

That makes me uncomfortable.

 

[OnMyOwn]

I was thinking Toronto could wait until after July 1st, hoping the pen's options are gone...but then that would screw their FA options as well and if we sign someone else or trade for someone else, they have no one to trade with.

This is intriguing. It's nice when the other team basically needs to trade a guy because the coach doesn't want him and the media hates him.

 

[deakka]

Regarnding Gonchar. Theres no way i would want him on the pens.
MAYBE on a 2-way deal so we can send him down w/o having him count against the cap. Would be nice to have as insurance if Letang goes down.

Otherwise we would have to roll 7 defensemen every game and have him only play the PP. Hes done at the NHL level @ 5v5

 

[Riptide]

If those dudes were top 6 solutions, they wouldn't be bought out by their current teams. Montreal is the only cap team of the bunch and their contracts aren't absurd for what they were supposed to bring. If PAP, Gagner, and Hodgson are your answers, prepare to lose in the first round again. That's my point. Then Geno and Sid will be mad. That was my point.

You're still looking at the individual pieces and not how (or if) they can contribute to a larger picture. Them getting bought out is more a matter of their contracts and their respective teams then much else. Much like how Ehrhoff was bought out last summer by Buffalo.

Hodgson scored 35 goals and had 78 points over 120 games in the 2 seasons before last year in Buffalo. Gagner in a bad season on a horrible team still scored 15 goals and 41 points last year. Sure a portion of both of their production is due to being the only option on a bad team and thus they'll get some production solely due to their icetime. However these are NHL level players, and they are players who could help this team. Both are also only 25 yrs old (yes shocking when talking about Gagner). There's literally no downside here. If it doesn't pan out, bury both in the minors. But at a 1m/1yr contract, you could very easily find someone who's good enough and would mesh well with our current roster.

Would I rather have Kessel, Oshie, Skinner or whomever? Absolutely. However odds are we're not going to get someone like that. But failing that, I would absolutely take a shot at a 25 yr old who's a skilled player who hasn't had the success they would have liked while on a crappy team.

 

[Riptide]

Talks were they were going to, would not mind him at 3C on a cheap 1 year deal. We need a 3C of his type that can bring the offense, will help with Dupuis there if he does not get changed from the long layoff and injury aswell as BB. Could be a nice 3rd line we can rely on.

You do not want him as the #3C. His defensive game is meh, and he can't win a draw to save his life. 2/3 winger or pass.