So you're in favor of stacking one position and leaving other key positions lacking? I mean, sure I guess that's worked for...well, no team...ever. But I guess that's one way to go.
- deerow84

there were no potential #1C's available at those spots.

better?

The Leafs need a #1 center NOW. Not 3 years from now.

You draft the best player available. Period. You address positional needs through trades/UFA.

your logic would have Edmonton drafting Reilly instead of Yakupov.

Komi is paid $1M less than his cap hit for the next two years. that has some value to those teams looking to get up to a now higher cap floor, and actually save $1M in cash.
- jarmstrong

They aren't saving any money by taking on a guy who they will pay $3.5 million for each of the next two years to sit in the press box for half the games, and play less than 16 minutes a game for the ones he does dress.

I wouldn't know if there was, I just got over my insomnia, thank you Euro2012, if it comes back I will look for tennis or golf for a nap.
- LeafMan

that was in response to your Cox reference...

They aren't saving any money by taking on a guy who they will pay $3.5 million for each of the next two years to sit in the press box for half the games, and play less than 16 minutes a game for the ones he does dress.
- Atomic Wedgie

what's the capfloor now anyway? $50M? It actually might come up.

Penguins won a cup...
- Atomic Wedgie

They drafted for need in Fleury at first overall, he wasn't picked to go there even remotely. If they drafted BPA they would have had E. Staal.

that was in response to your Cox reference...
- Big_Lightnin

I know, ask Huddle how many times I tweeted Cox to stick to tennis.

He's a winger ;-)

Good skater, decent pair of hands, big shot, hits everything that moves, good fighter. Lacks ability to create his own offense, so will need to be paired with a good center at NHL Level to get the best out of him.

2nd Line Power Forward in all likelihood.
- Brian Huddle

That's the big thing. What I've seen of him I love. He opens up space in the offensive zone by being a menace in front of the net, gives the skill guys a chance to get the puck to the net and then creates havoc once the puck is in the vicinity of the net.

When I think of him, I get excited about the prospect of him on a powerplay unit. The leafs really need a big bodied guy who's good at pissing off the defence and goalie on their powerplay. It'd give the skill guys more space with the puck.

I cant see ashton on the leafs...he needs at least another year in the ahl.
- Fakepartofme

probably right....but even still, it would be rosehill or gluckers choice, komarov not connolly,lombardi, macarthur filling that slot.

They drafted for need in Fleury at first overall, he wasn't picked to go there even remotely. If they drafted BPA they would have had E. Staal.
- deerow84

fine... The Leafs may have "a lot of D-men."

problem is, they don' have very many GOOD ones. Better?

Reilly was a good pick in that spot. Finn was a steal in his spot. Can't pass up on a steal at 35 - what C are you going to get there who becomes a future #1?

That's the big thing. What I've seen of him I love. He opens up space in the offensive zone by being a menace in front of the net, gives the skill guys a chance to get the puck to the net and then creates havoc once the puck is in the vicinity of the net.

When I think of him, I get excited about the prospect of him on a powerplay unit. The leafs really need a big bodied guy who's good at pissing off the defence and goalie on their powerplay. It'd give the skill guys more space with the puck.
- Scruffton

Yea, that's his game. He's good in tight. Creates a lot of crap for the opposition. And he can be a guy who can get open and be a one-time option if necessary.

As for net front presence, JVR is a good addition. I'm not a huge fan of his (never have been), but something he does very well is get in front of the net and use his size and strength. Same with down low-- which Leafs lacked for years. The ability to cycle and keep puck possession.

there were no potential #1C's available at those spots.

better?

The Leafs need a #1 center NOW. Not 3 years from now.

You draft the best player available. Period. You identify positional needs through trades/UFA.

your logic would have Edmonton drafting Reilly instead of Yakupov.
- Big_Lightnin

The only reason they need a #1 centre now is because they haven't drafted one in who knows how long. They should have been looking to draft forwards before Sundin left to have someone to take over. I don't to bring up the "we could have had Seguin" if argument but it's true.

Edmonton could have drafted Reilly, traded down and got more as well as meeting an actual need that they have. Now they have a glut of forwards and no dmen and short of trading those forwards they aren't getting on. Plus they might have to give up more than if they just drafted someone or massively overpay for dmen in free agency.

Yea, that's his game. He's good in tight. Creates a lot of crap for the opposition. And he can be a guy who can get open and be a one-time option if necessary.

As for net front presence, JVR is a good addition. I'm not a huge fan of his (never have been), but something he does very well is get in front of the net and use his size and strength. Same with down low-- which Leafs lacked for years. The ability to cycle and keep puck possession.
- Brian Huddle

biggest hole Sundin left right there...

probably right....but even still, it would be rosehill or gluckers choice, komarov not connolly,lombardi, macarthur filling that slot.
- Barx

I have Komarov likely coming in on the 4th line.

Essentially Ashton becomes the callup when size needed on wings, and pushes for a job by the deadline, IMO.

what's the capfloor now anyway? $50M? It actually might come up.
- Big_Lightnin

For the bajillionth time:

Komisarek isn't attractive to other teams because he sucks. No other teams want him on their roster - at any price, and at any cap hit.

If Komisarek was able to take a regular shift, he might be attractive to other teams.

He was a healthy scratch 15 times last year. That number would have been higher if he wasn't hurt so much.

He's so effing bad right now, people are embarrassed to even look at him.

You aren't saving any money if the guy makes no contributions to the team, or worse, has a negative effect.

Liles has a cap hit of $3.875 million, but only makes $2.750 million in his last year. If he is still playing at a reasonable level, he may have some attraction to teams looking to make the salary floor.

Komisarek isn't like that.

Nobody wants him - at any price.

there were no potential #1C's available at those spots.

better?

The Leafs need a #1 center NOW. Not 3 years from now.

You draft the best player available. Period. You address positional needs through trades/UFA.

your logic would have Edmonton drafting Reilly instead of Yakupov.
- Big_Lightnin

Reilly was a good pick, I agree.
The leafs need a #1 center now...not 3- 4 years from now.
But I'm sure they could use on in 3 - 4 years as well.

what's the capfloor now anyway? $50M? It actually might come up.
- Big_Lightnin

iirc, cap floor increases by the same amount as the cap ceiling. I think it is set at $18M less than the ceiling, so it would be 52.2M

or an increase of 5.9M over last year. many teams were struggling to get to the floor last year and stay within their budget.

and as for Komi on the bench, that is a fair assessment, but the bench still counts towards the salary floor. so would they rather have a new UFA getting paid as much as their cap hit, or a free $1M of cap floor allocation to get revenue sharing.

If he gets traded, it will be a business trade, not a hockey trade.

The only reason they need a #1 centre now is because they haven't drafted one in who knows how long. They should have been looking to draft forwards before Sundin left to have someone to take over. I don't to bring up the "we could have had Seguin" if argument but it's true.

Edmonton could have drafted Reilly, traded down and got more as well as meeting an actual need that they have. Now they have a glut of forwards and no dmen and short of trading those forwards they aren't getting on. Plus they might have to give up more than if they just drafted someone or massively overpay for dmen in free agency.
- deerow84

Edmonton Signed Shultz

So... you mean like when the drafted Steen and Stajan with their 1st 2 picks in 2002? how'd that work out?

you take the best player available.

fine... The Leafs may have "a lot of D-men."

problem is, they don' have very many GOOD ones. Better?

Reilly was a good pick in that spot. Finn was a steal in his spot. Can't pass up on a steal at 35 - what C are you going to get there who becomes a future #1?
- Big_Lightnin

This isn't a "one draft" critique, it's their approach as a whole. We've needed a centre for years, we shouldn't be in a position where we need a centre but that's where we are because of a complete disregard for one (if not the) most important position in the sport. Sure those guys were great where we got them, as individual picks in a vacuum I have no issues with those picks...but there's more to it than that and more to it than just one year.

One of Burke's biggest (of many) failures as a GM has been an inability to bring us a #1 centre to carry this team like most Championship or, hell, just playoff bound teams have. I hope he can do it this season but I don't see how, people aren't lining up to trade first line centres.

For the bajillionth time:

Komisarek isn't attractive to other teams because he sucks. No other teams want him on their roster - at any price, and at any cap hit.

If Komisarek was able to take a regular shift, he might be attractive to other teams.

He was a healthy scratch 15 times last year. That number would have been higher if he wasn't hurt so much.

He's so effing bad right now, people are embarrassed to even look at him.

You aren't saving any money if the guy makes no contributions to the team, or worse, has a negative effect.

Liles has a cap hit of $3.875 million, but only makes $2.750 million in his last year. If he is still playing at a reasonable level, he may have some attraction to teams looking to make the salary floor.

Komisarek isn't like that.

Nobody wants him - at any price.
- Atomic Wedgie

This sounds like the rant I had about Redden when he left Ottawa. So many people were trying to tell me that if he came at a cheaper price tag, I'd happily have taken him. I always said no.

There comes a point where a player just isn't useful anymore. Redden couldn't do the PP or the pK and was slow and weak. He offered nothing to the on ice product at any cost. I'd rather play someone from our farm, anyone, than pay Redden any cash to play back in Ottawa. I feel komisarek has become that as well. He's done, he's not a useful player any longer.

If Burke trades him for anything, i'll nominate him for GM of the year based on that.

iirc, cap floor increases by the same amount as the cap ceiling. I think it is set at $18M less than the ceiling, so it would be 52.2M

or an increase of 5.9M over last year. many teams were struggling to get to the floor last year and stay within their budget.

and as for Komi on the bench, that is a fair assessment, but the bench still counts towards the salary floor. so would they rather have a new UFA getting paid as much as their cap hit, or a free $1M of cap floor allocation to get revenue sharing.

If he gets traded, it will be a business trade, not a hockey trade.
- jarmstrong

I think it's $16 million below cap, but not sure.

And I think they will be looking to push that lower in the current CBA.

Should be an interesting fight.

C'mon, soft cap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For the bajillionth time:

Komisarek isn't attractive to other teams because he sucks. No other teams want him on their roster - at any price, and at any cap hit.

If Komisarek was able to take a regular shift, he might be attractive to other teams.

He was a healthy scratch 15 times last year. That number would have been higher if he wasn't hurt so much.

He's so effing bad right now, people are embarrassed to even look at him.

You aren't saving any money if the guy makes no contributions to the team, or worse, has a negative effect.

Liles has a cap hit of $3.875 million, but only makes $2.750 million in his last year. If he is still playing at a reasonable level, he may have some attraction to teams looking to make the salary floor.

Komisarek isn't like that.

Nobody wants him - at any price.
- Atomic Wedgie

The Liles signing sucks. What should have been done in my opinion: Liles traded at deadline instead of being resigned, Aulie kept, Schenn traded in a package for a first line centre. Easier said than done on the last idea, but I really think Schenn should've been in a package for a better player but most importantly a centre.

Reilly was a good pick, I agree.
The leafs need a #1 center now...not 3- 4 years from now.
But I'm sure they could use on in 3 - 4 years as well.
- Fakepartofme

naturally. My point was more that there wasn't anybody "projected" to be a #1 C at that point anyway. Hell there was really only 1 in the entire draft, and Habs got him.

Larger point was Leafs D stable isn't good enough to pass on Reilly. Logic dictates they likely take a center at 35 had Finn not been available, but that's a pick you have to make as well.

This sounds like the rant I had about Redden when he left Ottawa. So many people were trying to tell me that if he came at a cheaper price tag, I'd happily have taken him. I always said no.

There comes a point where a player just isn't useful anymore. Redden couldn't do the PP or the pK and was slow and weak. He offered nothing to the on ice product at any cost. I'd rather play someone from our farm, anyone, than pay Redden any cash to play back in Ottawa. I feel komisarek has become that as well. He's done, he's not a useful player any longer.

If Burke trades him for anything, i'll nominate him for GM of the year based on that.
- Lohaus

David Duval was the best golfer in the world.

And then, all of a sudden, he really, really sucked.

It happens.

This sounds like the rant I had about Redden when he left Ottawa. So many people were trying to tell me that if he came at a cheaper price tag, I'd happily have taken him. I always said no.

There comes a point where a player just isn't useful anymore. Redden couldn't do the PP or the pK and was slow and weak. He offered nothing to the on ice product at any cost. I'd rather play someone from our farm, anyone, than pay Redden any cash to play back in Ottawa. I feel komisarek has become that as well. He's done, he's not a useful player any longer.

If Burke trades him for anything, i'll nominate him for GM of the year based on that.
- Lohaus

agree.
can't fight, doesn't clear the net, makes asinine giveaways, brutal defensively and has zero skill to add offensively....what the hell does he offer?

David Duval was the best golfer in the world.

And then, all of a sudden, he really, really sucked.

It happens.
- Atomic Wedgie

Ever read the SI article about that? They essentially blamed it on his GF/wife. They also had numerous examples of other golfers who were at the top of their games and then the woman factor entered, and poof, like a cloud of dust. Weird that years later, Tiger Woods followed the same theme.