2019 Toronto Maple Leafs Offseason Discussion

[herman]

https://theathletic.com/1084921/2019/07/19/how-much-has-each-team-improved-this-offseason/

Ottawa Senators

In: Connor Brown, Nikita Zaitsev, Tyler Ennis, Ron Hainsey, Artem Anisimov
Out: Oscar Lindberg, Brian Gibbons, Zack Smith, Cody Ceci, Ben Harpur
Wins Added: 1.9 wins
Salary Added: $4.5M

The Senators rummaged through their cross-province rival?s recycling bin, scooping up some of the worst pieces from last year?s roster and improved their team as a result.

Wow.

Toronto Maple Leafs

In: Tyson Barrie, Alex Kerfoot, Kevin Gravel, Kenny Agostino, Jason Spezza, Cody Ceci, Ben Harpur
Out: Jake Gardiner, Nazem Kadri, Connor Brown, Nikita Zaitsev, Tyler Ennis, Ron Hainsey, Patrick Marleau
Wins Added: -0.8 wins
Salary Added: -$12.1M

The Leafs went to work in the interest of creating space for all their RFA?s and they did a great job in that, shedding $12.1-million from the books while trimming the fat from their roster. Gone is the albatross contract for Nikita Zaitsev, the bloated final year for Patrick Marleau and the too-expensive-for-a-fourth-liner deal for Connor Brown. All necessary moves in order to make the roster more malleable to the team?s vision of skill throughout. Adding Cody Ceci to the team wasn?t ideal, but his contract is at least more manageable than Zaitsev?s.

There was also the Kadri for Barrie and Alex Kerfoot swap, one that arguably brought back some of the value lost from cutting the fat as well as losing Jake Gardiner to free agency. The Leafs are a slightly worse team as a result, but a better balanced one now and one with more flexibility to improve going forward.

Given the cap situation, the Leafs come out treading water but with significant space to work with for Marner and the deadline.

 

[Kin]

Not going to read the Article as it's in the Athletic but it seems a little misleading to just measure the team that finished the season against the team now. Ottawa isn't a better team now than they were last year.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/billmeltzer/status/1153265038368620544

Reminder that Hakstol joined the bench this season.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I figured we'd see a goalie signed to a PTO this year. My money would have been on Darling as a reclamation project. Not really expecting much from Neuvirth.

 

[Bender]

I figured we'd see a goalie signed to a PTO this year. My money would have been on Darling as a reclamation project. Not really expecting much from Neuvirth.

Wonder if he ends up in the backup role. He's had a spotty few years but looks like he might be able to handle a reduced workload. Philly didn't do him any favours last year.

 

[Zee]

I figured we'd see a goalie signed to a PTO this year. My money would have been on Darling as a reclamation project. Not really expecting much from Neuvirth.

I remember when he was an up and coming goaltending hope for the Capitals, now he's a washed up, never lived up to the hype vet.  Hoping for the best, expecting the worst.  ;D

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Wonder if he ends up in the backup role. He's had a spotty few years but looks like he might be able to handle a reduced workload. Philly didn't do him any favours last year.

He only played 7 games last season so injuries were more of the problem for him then. And unfortunately that's been a a bit of a reoccurring thing for him. He had surgery on both his hips last offseason, hurt his groin in training camp, and then went back on the IR on two different occasions later in the season.

 

[Bender]

I figured we'd see a goalie signed to a PTO this year. My money would have been on Darling as a reclamation project. Not really expecting much from Neuvirth.

I remember when he was an up and coming goaltending hope for the Capitals, now he's a washed up, never lived up to the hype vet.  Hoping for the best, expecting the worst.  ;D

Sounds a bit like Hutchinson!

 

[Bender]

Wonder if he ends up in the backup role. He's had a spotty few years but looks like he might be able to handle a reduced workload. Philly didn't do him any favours last year.

He only played 7 games last season so injuries were more of the problem for him then. And unfortunately that's been a a bit of a reoccurring thing for him. He had surgery on both his hips last offseason, hurt his groin in training camp, and then went back on the IR on two different occasions later in the season.

Woah that's bad! Didn't realize he had boneitis a la Colaiacovo.

 

[Zee]

Haven't heard a single peep about Sparks after he was banished in the spring.  I wonder if they're looking to move him or keep him for the Marlies.  Can't imagine the outlook is too rosy for him at this point.  Maybe a fresh start is what he needs.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Woah that's bad! Didn't realize he had boneitis a la Colaiacovo.

Also found this on reddit, a list of his injuries from the past few years prior to this past season:

So yeah, not good. From the sounds of it though he can be a pretty decent back-up when healthy.

 

[Bender]

Haven't heard a single peep about Sparks after he was banished in the spring.  I wonder if they're looking to move him or keep him for the Marlies.  Can't imagine the outlook is too rosy for him at this point.  Maybe a fresh start is what he needs.

He didn't help himself by going on radio talking about what the team needs to do to be more competitive when he was playing terribly.

 

[Redleaf]

Haven't heard a single peep about Sparks after he was banished in the spring.  I wonder if they're looking to move him or keep him for the Marlies.  Can't imagine the outlook is too rosy for him at this point.  Maybe a fresh start is what he needs.

Hopefully he?s back with the Marlies. He played very well in the AHL, for what we?ve reason he couldnt translate that success to the NHL.

Maybe , just Maybe another year down there works a little magic .

 

[Guilt Trip]

Haven't heard a single peep about Sparks after he was banished in the spring.  I wonder if they're looking to move him or keep him for the Marlies.  Can't imagine the outlook is too rosy for him at this point.  Maybe a fresh start is what he needs.

Hopefully he?s back with the Marlies. He played very well in the AHL, for what we?ve reason he couldnt translate that success to the NHL.

Maybe , just Maybe another year down there works a little magic .

I think he's done as a Leaf. There's more to the finding his game crap they spewed when they cleaned out his locker with the Leafs. Scott and Woll are the future for now. Sparks is not an NHL caliber goalie so there's no point keeping him.

 

[Zee]

Haven't heard a single peep about Sparks after he was banished in the spring.  I wonder if they're looking to move him or keep him for the Marlies.  Can't imagine the outlook is too rosy for him at this point.  Maybe a fresh start is what he needs.

Hopefully he?s back with the Marlies. He played very well in the AHL, for what we?ve reason he couldnt translate that success to the NHL.

Maybe , just Maybe another year down there works a little magic .

I think he's done as a Leaf. There's more to the finding his game crap they spewed when they cleaned out his locker with the Leafs. Scott and Woll are the future for now. Sparks is not an NHL caliber goalie so there's no point keeping him.

It appears so, but done as a Leaf doesn't necessarily mean he would be out of the organization.  There are many guys on the Marlies who will never be Leafs, but provide value down there in helping out the development of other players.  If Sparks can be a great AHL goalie and provide mentorship/leadership to younger goalies breaking in like Scott or Woll that could provide value as well.

 

[Guilt Trip]

Haven't heard a single peep about Sparks after he was banished in the spring.  I wonder if they're looking to move him or keep him for the Marlies.  Can't imagine the outlook is too rosy for him at this point.  Maybe a fresh start is what he needs.

Hopefully he?s back with the Marlies. He played very well in the AHL, for what we?ve reason he couldnt translate that success to the NHL.

Maybe , just Maybe another year down there works a little magic .

I think he's done as a Leaf. There's more to the finding his game crap they spewed when they cleaned out his locker with the Leafs. Scott and Woll are the future for now. Sparks is not an NHL caliber goalie so there's no point keeping him.

It appears so, but done as a Leaf doesn't necessarily mean he would be out of the organization.  There are many guys on the Marlies who will never be Leafs, but provide value down there in helping out the development of other players.  If Sparks can be a great AHL goalie and provide mentorship/leadership to younger goalies breaking in like Scott or Woll that could provide value as well.

True enough but there are also many guys, that didn't speak out of turn and seemingly piss off the other players, that were removed from the team either.

 

[Zee]

Haven't heard a single peep about Sparks after he was banished in the spring.  I wonder if they're looking to move him or keep him for the Marlies.  Can't imagine the outlook is too rosy for him at this point.  Maybe a fresh start is what he needs.

Hopefully he?s back with the Marlies. He played very well in the AHL, for what we?ve reason he couldnt translate that success to the NHL.

Maybe , just Maybe another year down there works a little magic .

I think he's done as a Leaf. There's more to the finding his game crap they spewed when they cleaned out his locker with the Leafs. Scott and Woll are the future for now. Sparks is not an NHL caliber goalie so there's no point keeping him.

It appears so, but done as a Leaf doesn't necessarily mean he would be out of the organization.  There are many guys on the Marlies who will never be Leafs, but provide value down there in helping out the development of other players.  If Sparks can be a great AHL goalie and provide mentorship/leadership to younger goalies breaking in like Scott or Woll that could provide value as well.

True enough but there are also many guys, that didn't speak out of turn and seemingly piss off the other players, that were removed from the team either.

He didn't do himself any favours that's for sure.  ;D

 

[Guilt Trip]

Haven't heard a single peep about Sparks after he was banished in the spring.  I wonder if they're looking to move him or keep him for the Marlies.  Can't imagine the outlook is too rosy for him at this point.  Maybe a fresh start is what he needs.

Hopefully he?s back with the Marlies. He played very well in the AHL, for what we?ve reason he couldnt translate that success to the NHL.

Maybe , just Maybe another year down there works a little magic .

I think he's done as a Leaf. There's more to the finding his game crap they spewed when they cleaned out his locker with the Leafs. Scott and Woll are the future for now. Sparks is not an NHL caliber goalie so there's no point keeping him.

It appears so, but done as a Leaf doesn't necessarily mean he would be out of the organization.  There are many guys on the Marlies who will never be Leafs, but provide value down there in helping out the development of other players.  If Sparks can be a great AHL goalie and provide mentorship/leadership to younger goalies breaking in like Scott or Woll that could provide value as well.

True enough but there are also many guys, that didn't speak out of turn and seemingly piss off the other players, that were removed from the team either.

He didn't do himself any favours that's for sure.  ;D

Definitely not!

 

[disco]

Rask and Bennington got stronger and stronger as the playoffs went on. No coincidence they had what amounted to load management during the season, around 50 games played I believe. If you can get 30 from your backup that really sets up your starter for playoff success. The Leafs should be good enough that they don't have to ride Freddie for 65.

Overdrive:
Should there be greater concern about the Leafs' backup goalie position?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae45OyzTs3w

 

[Redleaf]

Garrett Wilson signing ....

https://www.tsn.ca/report-toronto-maple-leafs-add-ex-penguins-f-garrett-wilson-1.1340985

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/editorinleaf.com/2019/07/22/toronto-maple-leafs-reportedly-add-wilson/amp/

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=110217