Dave Bolland

[Redleaf]

Also, Clarkson will never ever again be able to contribute anything at any point in the next 6 years. It is completely impossible. No chance whatsoever.

I've been praying to Hockey Jeebus for 3-4 months that he can empower Clarkson to overcome impossibility next season.

EDIT: No mocking here, I've literally been praying for it.

Yeah, sometimes the reality is there is no positive spin to a situation and it is only negative.  That's how this one is right now.

Well at least the cap is going up to the higher end of expectations. That should alleviate some of the hit. Clarkson can't get worse, and should get better.

Of course that's little comfort for the fans here so ingrained in the belief that he will never, ever be anything but an anchor, so.....

 

[Andy007]

Yeah, sometimes the reality is there is no positive spin to a situation and it is only negative.  That's how this one is right now.

Yes, we're stuck with him, so the only positive would be him improving his game to at least a 30-40 point forward, overpaid status won't change.

As for Bolland, am I the only one that likes him at 4-4.5 a season here? I see this as the only way we're keeping him. Somebody is going to offer more, but it at least gives Bolland the choice to stay here, or if he wants the cash, leave.

Best case scenario; 3 year deal at 4 million per, but I doubt he takes that.

45% faceoff guy, never scored 20 goals, never hit 50 points, only hit 40 points once. Coming off a very serious injury. 4-4.5 million per year is obscene, imo. 

 

[Corn Flake]

Also, Clarkson will never ever again be able to contribute anything at any point in the next 6 years. It is completely impossible. No chance whatsoever.

I've been praying to Hockey Jeebus for 3-4 months that he can empower Clarkson to overcome impossibility next season.

EDIT: No mocking here, I've literally been praying for it.

Yeah, sometimes the reality is there is no positive spin to a situation and it is only negative.  That's how this one is right now.

The only way to completely conclude that is if you have no doubt in your mind that he is "done" as a player who can produce some reasonable points and basically is what he showed us last season.

Plenty of UFA's struggle on their new team in the first year and combining it with his suspension, injuries, etc. it was as derailed a season as you can get.  So what I mean is it really couldn't have gone worse for him than it did.  So I think it's fair to conclude that he will be better next year. How much better is the question.

 

[Kin]

Also, Clarkson will never ever again be able to contribute anything at any point in the next 6 years. It is completely impossible. No chance whatsoever.

I've been praying to Hockey Jeebus for 3-4 months that he can empower Clarkson to overcome impossibility next season.

I don't think it's impossible, if it helps. The opposite really. I think the odds are in favour of Clarkson being better next year. I mean, while I'm open to the possibility that money or pressure or age got to him in a way that simply destroyed him as a hockey player the fact of the matter is that if Clarkson were genuinely as bad a player as he looked last year he'd have never made the NHL, let alone become a well regarded free agent. Some sort of leveling out seems pretty likely.

Which isn't to say he'll be good, exactly, but he should be able to contribute something.

 

[Corn Flake]

Yeah, sometimes the reality is there is no positive spin to a situation and it is only negative.  That's how this one is right now.

Yes, we're stuck with him, so the only positive would be him improving his game to at least a 30-40 point forward, overpaid status won't change.

As for Bolland, am I the only one that likes him at 4-4.5 a season here? I see this as the only way we're keeping him. Somebody is going to offer more, but it at least gives Bolland the choice to stay here, or if he wants the cash, leave.

Best case scenario; 3 year deal at 4 million per, but I doubt he takes that.

45% faceoff guy, never scored 20 goals, never hit 50 points, only hit 40 points once. Coming off a very serious injury. 4-4.5 million per year is obscene, imo.

He will get that money somewhere. I would almost guarantee it.  Only way I see him getting/taking less is to go back to CHI, which right now is what I have my money on.

 

[bustaheims]

As for Bolland, am I the only one that likes him at 4-4.5 a season here? I see this as the only way we're keeping him. Somebody is going to offer more, but it at least gives Bolland the choice to stay here, or if he wants the cash, leave.

Best case scenario; 3 year deal at 4 million per, but I doubt he takes that.

I mean, we're talking about a guy coming back from an injury he may never fully recover from - and it's an injury that impacts the most important part of the game these days. There's a significant risk attached to him. If his skating ability is still significantly impacted, then he starts to become a liability. Is that the kind of guy you want to pay $4M+ for multiple seasons? I know I don't. Honestly, right now, I wouldn't sign him for anything longer than 1 season and I wouldn't pay him any more than he earned last season - in fact, I'm not sure I'd go much more than $2M for him right now, just because of all the risk factors involved. He needs to prove he can still be an effective player, and, if he can't, the team needs to be able to cut ties with him easily and without any long-term cap repercussions.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Plenty of UFA's struggle on their new team in the first year and combining it with his suspension, injuries, etc. it was as derailed a season as you can get.  So what I mean is it really couldn't have gone worse for him than it did.  So I think it's fair to conclude that he will be better next year. How much better is the question.

This is probably the best reasoning I have for giving him the benefit of the doubt and hoping that he comes back to life. He'll never be as good as his contract assumes, but we already knew that.

I think he'll get back on track, but if he doesn't this season, I think he'll probably get bought out.

 

[Kin]

As for Bolland, am I the only one that likes him at 4-4.5 a season here? I see this as the only way we're keeping him. Somebody is going to offer more, but it at least gives Bolland the choice to stay here, or if he wants the cash, leave.

I just don't see how he's worth that kind of money to the Leafs. Realistically the Leafs need to look for areas where they can cut corners and someone like Holland on the 3rd line instead of Bolland seems like a pretty smart way to do that, especially if Bolland thinks he can get 4+ million for multiple years.

 

[bustaheims]

I think he'll get back on track, but if he doesn't this season, I think he'll probably get bought out.

Well, that just really brings up another problem with the contract. The way it's structured makes a buy out extremely unappealing.

 

[Redleaf]

Also, Clarkson will never ever again be able to contribute anything at any point in the next 6 years. It is completely impossible. No chance whatsoever.

I've been praying to Hockey Jeebus for 3-4 months that he can empower Clarkson to overcome impossibility next season.

EDIT: No mocking here, I've literally been praying for it.

Yeah, sometimes the reality is there is no positive spin to a situation and it is only negative.  That's how this one is right now.

The only way to completely conclude that is if you have no doubt in your mind that he is "done" as a player who can produce some reasonable points and basically is what he showed us last season.

Plenty of UFA's struggle on their new team in the first year and combining it with his suspension, injuries, etc. it was as derailed a season as you can get.  So what I mean is it really couldn't have gone worse for him than it did.  So I think it's fair to conclude that he will be better next year. How much better is the question.

I don't think there is any doubt that a few people here have already come to the conclusion that he is done.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Plenty of UFA's struggle on their new team in the first year and combining it with his suspension, injuries, etc. it was as derailed a season as you can get.  So what I mean is it really couldn't have gone worse for him than it did.  So I think it's fair to conclude that he will be better next year. How much better is the question.

This is probably the best reasoning I have for giving him the benefit of the doubt and hoping that he comes back to life. He'll never be as good as his contract assumes, but we already knew that.

I think he'll get back on track, but if he doesn't this season, I think he'll probably get bought out.

I think the issue is that even if he rebounds, his best is still not all that impressive and as he's now entering his 30s it is reasonable to expect his skills/numbers to begin to decline, not improve.  For me, his best doesn't justify the contract and I have my doubts that we'll ever even see that player as a Leaf.  So it's very concerning.

As for Bolland, I think I mentioned earlier my concerns over his injury and that he's probably overrated based on a 15 game stretch to the extent that we don't really know what player the Leafs will get next season.  A short deal I'd consider but I'd be very wary about giving him $4-4.5 over a number of seasons.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

I mean, we're talking about a guy coming back from an injury he may never fully recover from - and it's an injury that impacts the most important part of the game these days. There's a significant risk attached to him. If his skating ability is still significantly impacted, then he starts to become a liability. Is that the kind of guy you want to pay $4M+ for multiple seasons? I know I don't. Honestly, right now, I wouldn't sign him for anything longer than 1 season and I wouldn't pay him any more than he earned last season - in fact, I'm not sure I'd go much more than $2M for him right now, just because of all the risk factors involved. He needs to prove he can still be an effective player, and, if he can't, the team needs to be able to cut ties with him easily and without any long-term cap repercussions.

I thought about the one year deal, but thought that it wouldn't realistically happen. I mean, he is a UFA, which brings difficulty to this situation.

Some other team is going to sign him, so I guess this is all in Bolland's camp, whether he feels he has unfinished business in Toronto, but who am I kidding?

If Toronto does end up signing him, they better do one hell of a physical and risk assessment first, because you're right about that, it will all depend on his recovery.

 

[bustaheims]

I thought about the one year deal, but thought that it wouldn't realistically happen. I mean, he is a UFA, which brings difficulty to this situation.

It really doesn't bring much difficulty into the situation at all. He's not an important enough player to not be able to walk away from. If he's not willing to sign at or near the terms you're comfortable with, then you let him go somewhere else.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

As for Bolland, am I the only one that likes him at 4-4.5 a season here? I see this as the only way we're keeping him. Somebody is going to offer more, but it at least gives Bolland the choice to stay here, or if he wants the cash, leave.

I just don't see how he's worth that kind of money to the Leafs. Realistically the Leafs need to look for areas where they can cut corners and someone like Holland on the 3rd line instead of Bolland seems like a pretty smart way to do that, especially if Bolland thinks he can get 4+ million for multiple years.

I want to believe that and do feel it's the best thing for the team. Where I'm hesitant, is that of Hollands ability to take that role and run with it. I like what I've seen, even in the possession/ defensive areas of his game, but I can't stop feeling like the Leafs need somebody a bit more seasoned for that role. I do want Holland to be that guy though, I really like him as a player.

 

[Redleaf]

As for Bolland, am I the only one that likes him at 4-4.5 a season here? I see this as the only way we're keeping him. Somebody is going to offer more, but it at least gives Bolland the choice to stay here, or if he wants the cash, leave.

I just don't see how he's worth that kind of money to the Leafs. Realistically the Leafs need to look for areas where they can cut corners and someone like Holland on the 3rd line instead of Bolland seems like a pretty smart way to do that, especially if Bolland thinks he can get 4+ million for multiple years.

I want to believe that and do feel it's the best thing for the team. Where I'm hesitant, is that of Hollands ability to take that role and run with it. I like what I've seen, even in the possession/ defensive areas of his game, but I can't stop feeling like the Leafs need somebody a bit more seasoned for that role. I do want Holland to be that guy though, I really like him as a player.

It appears the Leafs want to keep Bolland. I'd personally like to see him back. The ball is in his court right now. I suppose we'll soon find out how much the 'money factor' plays out in his decision to resign or go to market.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

As for Bolland, I think I mentioned earlier my concerns over his injury and that he's probably overrated based on a 15 game stretch to the extent that we don't really know what player the Leafs will get next season.  A short deal I'd consider but I'd be very wary about giving him $4-4.5 over a number of seasons.

Yes this view appears to be dominant, maybe I don't know enough about it. Karlsson seemed to do alright after a similar thing, however Bolland is older.

You'd think at some point the Leafs would say something about his health from their standpoint, we've only heard from Bolland, which has to be taken with a grain, he's a salesman right now.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

It appears the Leafs want to keep Bolland. I'd personally like to see him back. The ball is in his court right now. I suppose we'll soon find out how much the 'money factor' plays out in his decision to resign or go to market.

For the record, I don't think he should take less, only that sometimes players think that way. I mean if he wants to stay with the Leafs for the rest of his career, like he has said, you'd think that he'd bridge into that and sign after January if he proved the injury is behind him.

If healthy; I do think he could have a bigger role with the Leafs, than he did with Chicago.

 

[Kin]

I want to believe that and do feel it's the best thing for the team. Where I'm hesitant, is that of Hollands ability to take that role and run with it. I like what I've seen, even in the possession/ defensive areas of his game, but I can't stop feeling like the Leafs need somebody a bit more seasoned for that role. I do want Holland to be that guy though, I really like him as a player.

If the team does need to cut corners the result is going to have to be that they make decisions we're either not entirely comfortable with or outright think is worse than the more expensive alternative. Otherwise you're almost saying that the exact team we saw last year is the team that needs to be competitive next year which I'm far less enthusiastic about.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

As for Bolland, I think I mentioned earlier my concerns over his injury and that he's probably overrated based on a 15 game stretch to the extent that we don't really know what player the Leafs will get next season.  A short deal I'd consider but I'd be very wary about giving him $4-4.5 over a number of seasons.

Yes this view appears to be dominant, maybe I don't know enough about it. Karlsson seemed to do alright after a similar thing, however Bolland is older.

I'm not sure how comparable they are.  Karlsson was also able to come back that same season and perform at a high level, whereas Bolland was noticeably struggling when he returned.  Karlsson was out just over 2 months with that, while Bolland was out over 4 months and still had issues.

 

[Corn Flake]

It appears the Leafs want to keep Bolland. I'd personally like to see him back. The ball is in his court right now. I suppose we'll soon find out how much the 'money factor' plays out in his decision to resign or go to market.

I said it already but I'm totally betting he wants to talk to Chicago before he signs here, or anywhere else.