Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
It makes the Knies deal a steal. Minten is a solid 3C or, at best, an average 2C. Here’s an opportunity to grab one of the top young players on a high contract cap hit. More talented than Knies, scoring-wise, for a good contract that lets them keep another young expensive player. Sure, the Leafs will have to pony up more money, but they get a better offensive player or a top-end defenseman. It allows them to move a Nylander or Matthews for a boatload going forward.
I’d rather have Minten at 7 million than be paying Sissons and Roslovic 8 million combined. Treliving absolutely fucked the Leafs with that trade.
Well? I see Rogers is going to give us a real screwing. More Leafs games are going to streaming services. Monday Nights will be on Sportsnet+. Add another $30 per month for that one. Then we have Wednesday night hockey on Prime. Add another $10 per month. Currently, you pay for Rogers Sportsnet on Cable and Satellite, plus TSN. Then you get to pay for their streaming services. Then you pay for Prime. Disgraceful. Time to get ESPN+ through a VPN to get the games we’re paying $60 a month for. Just vacuuming our pockets to watch what was once on free over-the-air television. A reckoning is coming.
IPTV and fuck them all. They increase the prices because the clueless boomers are the ones who bitch and complain but still pay for it.
It’s a shame the Leafs wasted so much money on Roslovic, who is a worthless pylon, trash defensively and disappears in the playoffs because Chris Kreider is now available and the Leafs have no means to even make a pitch for him. Kreider has a great combo of speed, size and skill. Would have looked a lot better on the top line than Roslovic is going to look.
Laine is still out there with 20-40 goal potential on a cheap PTO / bonus contract. Bunting is also out there.
Formenton was a great pick-up by the Oilers. Cheap contract for a guy who has size, can skate, kill penalties and probably capable of popping in 20 goals too. He’ll be playing with a chip on his shoulder given the number of retards still giving him shit because they can’t tell the difference between guilty and not guilty.
I don’t think that will work with both Lazy Willie and Loser Laine on the same team. It’d be a shit-show with those two guys on the ice. I think chemistry is important, and bringing in a talented malcontent is a mistake. I’d rather take Bunting instead. At least he gets dirty and will help against a team like Florida. Having ballerinas on the ice isn’t going to cut it.
It works so long as they don’t play on the same line and the minutes are limited and targeted. If Laine is playing 10 minutes 5v5, primarily in the O-Zone and 2 minutes on the PP, he scores 20-30 and he scores more than he gets scored on. It also makes the other players on the PP more dangerous because the defenders will never know when and where the shot is coming from which would be a huge difference from the current scheme which is always pass the puck to Matthews. Bunting isn’t a bad addition but his issue is that he is tiny and probably more expensive. He’s also nowhere near the offensive weapon on the PP as Laine still has a lethal shot.
The Leafs have a huge pile of guys who crash, bang, win FOs, block shots and play gritty hockey in the bottom six. What they are missing is additional offensive weapons to reap the benefits of the extra space those big boys create. There would be nothing more useless than having a bunch of guys in the bottom six with only 5 goals. The lack of depth scoring is always what bites the Leafs in the ass when their top-six gets shutdown. Having another weapon in your back pocket could be the difference between winning and losing a series. Pacioretty did nothing special until he scored a dagger vs. Ottawa. That’s what you need.
That’s why it makes sense. Columbus is in financial trouble, and signing Fantilli to a Bedard-sized contract makes it impossible for them to stay in business. But a Knies contract, under $8M for 7 more years, gives them Cap security. Yes, Knies has the size and ability to put up 70 points, but getting an actual young Centre for around the $10M number is something the Leafs could swing. The Leafs would have a very young core moving up through the ranks. It would make it easier to move Matthews after this year, knowing that you have a good young center coming in behind him. This is where you get your rebuild done quickly, with Cowan, McKenna, and Fantilli giving you a young 1st line, and the picks and prospects coming back for Matthews filling in the blanks.
It makes zero sense. If Columbus is in financial trouble, it’s directly because they are consistently missing the playoffs and trading away their best players. It nearly cost them the best D-man in the NHL and luckily for them, they walked him away from the ledge. But the Blue Jackets are not a better team or a playoff team with Knies over Fantilli.
It’s not happening.
How about a what-if for tonight? Would you trade Matthew Knies to Columbus for Adam Fantilli? If Fantilli were to sign a contract for around $10M per season, for 7 years, I’d do that trade. Take advantage of a team that needs to watch its pennies and would give up a good young center. If Fantilli wants the big money, like Gautier is after, forget about it. He gets to play in a city with a lot of good players if he takes less on his contract. He also skips the bridge deal and could sign another huge contract when he hits 28 years old. It’s a prove-it-to-me contract. The Leafs need to get a top-end young center on their roster who could replace Matthews, or play a top-end 2nd line position with really good talent on his wings. So what’ll it be?
This “what if” scenario is actually a “what if” Columbus was retarded.
He’s a two-way center, drafted 3rd overall, 21 years old and Columbus has 13 million in cap space that they’re probably going to use most of to sign.
I like Knies, he’s a big body and he’s a good player on a good contract but he’s not what Columbus wants or needs for Fantilli.
Absolutely not, with Laine. He’s a lazy player who’ll cost you goals due to poor defensive play. He’s been a cancer on every team that he’s ever played for. The Leafs look like they could have good chemistry this year. Having this millstone is something they can do without.
At least the Jays are trying to make a last-minute run for a wildcard spot. Hockey needs to come around soon.
There is zero risk for a contract that is less than 1 million. If Laine is injured, defensively shit, lazy or any other defect, he gets benched and his career is over.
If anything, you’re getting the most motivated version of that player because he’s literally playing for his NHL life unlike Nylander who plays lazy, is defensively dog shit but is getting paid big bucks and you can’t just dispose of him like you would with Laine if it doesn’t work out.
Adding a guy who can score 20-30 goals and is a weapon on the PP is never a bad addition for that low of a price.
Absolutely nothing going on with the Leafs with the remaining UFAs out there.
Leafs should consider bringing in Laine for league minimum. He missed so many games he can be given bonus money. Just gives the Leafs another PP weapon and his 5v5 time could be sheltered. If he gets hurt, it doesn’t matter. If he’s healthy, the Leafs could be adding 20-30 goals for less than 1 million. Very low risk, very high reward and the Leafs have had success with those types of signings before like when they had Pacioretty who wasn’t an MVP but provided good value.
Gausman out, Jose Soriano in
#2 prospect in the system also out.
Varsho to the Astros.
Leafs are about to clear out their athletics and conditioning department and bring in Andy O’Brien who has a fantastic track record with four Cups in the last 10 years as both a Director of Sport Science; Performance with the Penguins and a High Performance Consultant with the Panthers.
Official.
