Devin Setoguchi reportedly close to signing with Leafs

[bustaheims]

Except I don't think the motivation for that should be "We've got to get Matt Arcobello in the lineup".

I don't either, but I also don't see it that way. To me it's more "We have to make sure we don't put Bailey/Hyman/etc in the NHL lineup until they're more than just ready."

I think the Marlies should be run as close to a real club as you can. If a line is firing, keep them together. Give the guys you figure to be potential top 6 players in the league top 6 minutes with the Marlies.

Given how farm clubs work, I don't know how realistic that is. Guys will be shuffled up and down between the Marlies and the Leafs, and the Marlies and Orlando. Injuries, trades, etc will have cause a lot more roster shuffling for minor league clubs because they have to deal with the impact on two roster, not just their own. I think it's important to keep the Marlies as adaptable as possible.

Like you say, there's got to be room to reward performance but I don't think that should go hand in hand with burying a young guy in his first pro year because he's not showing the immediate results you want.

Unless they're only getting marginal ice time, I don't see it as burying them. I see it as making sure they're on the right development path for the individual. Start slowly, figure out where they need to work on things, where they fit in, etc. Help them to develop a more well-rounded game. These are all important things for these guy who aren't likely be more than middle-6 type guys at the NHL level.

 

[Kin]

I don't either, but I also don't see it that way. To me it's more "We have to make sure we don't put Bailey/Hyman/etc in the NHL lineup until they're more than just ready."

I don't entirely get what you mean by "just" ready but I don't think anyone is saying those guys should be in the NHL regardless of how they look, just that there should be legitimate competition for those jobs and that if a guy like Bailey or Hyman looks like he can legitimately earn a spot there it's probably better for the club as a whole then it would be to have someone like Arcobello or Spaling.

Given how farm clubs work, I don't know how realistic that is. Guys will be shuffled up and down between the Marlies and the Leafs, and the Marlies and Orlando. Injuries, trades, etc will have cause a lot more roster shuffling for minor league clubs because they have to deal with the impact on two roster, not just their own. I think it's important to keep the Marlies as adaptable as possible.

In an ordinary year, I'd probably agree but I think we both know that for instance if JVR tweaks his groin the Leafs probably aren't going to call up Nylander or Kapanen for a couple games just so they have warm bodies.

Unless they're only getting marginal ice time, I don't see it as burying them. I see it as making sure they're on the right development path for the individual. Start slowly, figure out where they need to work on things, where they fit in, etc. Help them to develop a more well-rounded game. These are all important things for these guy who aren't likely be more than middle-6 type guys at the NHL level.

Except the whole point of what I'm saying is that what they've done is limit their options by having this many guys, not expanded them. There very well might be nobody on the Marlies who's really best served by being on the 4th line but, realistically, someone has to play there. Likewise, they may have 8 or 9 guys who will be best served by getting regular PP shifts and top 6 time but, again, that's not possible.

None of the things you're advocating would be impossible if they had more genuine flexibility. It's not like if a player is on the 2nd line and not the 4th in the AHL the coaching staff will say "nah, forget about defensive play".

 

[Tigger]

I get that there's no risk here, but I guess I'm having a hard time with seeing any real upside.

I guess there could be some moves between now and season start, so whatever.

Yeah, it's a puzzle from Setoguchi's end too I think, aren't the Leafs at 50 contracts now? If he plays well, they have to make a trade just to sign him.

 

[Bullfrog]

Our team is going to be really bad!

That's what I took from it too.  or should it be  :'(?

 

[Tigger]

Meh. 

I don't even know what they do with the guy if he actually impresses...the Marlies are already pretty much full.

Rough forward line-ups so far:

Matthias-Kadri-Lupul
JVR-Bozak-Parenteau
Winnik-Holland-Panik
Komarov-Spaling-Arcobello
Beck-Frattin

Leipsic-Nylander-Brown
Kapanen-Froese-Bailey
Leivo-Gauthier-Hyman
Rupert-Carrick-Soshnikov
Extra: Verhaeghe, Clune, another 6-8 guys signed to AHL deals

Maybe, maybe Setoguchi wins the spot for the 14th forward (if the Leafs even carry one) over guys like Frattin/Bailey/Hyman, but yeah like you said another body to the Marlies isn't really a good thing right now. It's gonna be interesting to see how Keefe handles the minutes down there. I'm pretty sure a guy like Soshnikov didn't come here to play 4th line minutes in the AHL. And apparently a big reason Hyman didn't want to sign with Florida was because they couldn't give him an NHL opportunity right away. Well that probably isn't happening here either.

I wonder who will get the ECHL treatment here?

Also, considering Hyman was traded/signed after the Leafs acquired Babcock, I kind of doubt he was promised too much. It was reported that Bailey didn't sign with Buffalo because they wouldn't play him right away ( burning a contract year ) but I don't recall reading/hearing anything outrageous about Zack's demands. The Leafs will be a faster track than most teams for any new young player with talent, combined with Mike and co.'s interest in AHL seasoning, I don't think it's unreasonable to wait out a six month log jam while gaining valuable new experience.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Setoguchi was on the Fan 590 the other day and gave a pretty honest interview about where he's at both personally and professionally, you can find the audio and transcript here: https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2015/08/27/devin-setoguchi-looking-to-put-personal-problems-behind-him-with-leafs/

Here's just a couple of questions from the segment:

Walker: You?re a real good hockey player. You put up 65 points in San Jose. You scored 20 three times, you scored 30 once. You?re still a young guy. There?s a good hockey player in there. Was it a lot of success too early, was it taking it for granted, was it a certain lifestyle? Where did you find you ran into trouble a little bit?

Setoguchi: I?d say it?s everything. It?s everything. Lifestyle ? definitely one of them. You?re a young kid making three and a half million dollars, coming from not much? things can get a little out of hand. You can get really conceited, and cocky, and overconfident in what you do. Your attitude is basically not where it should be. That was something that hit me. Then, obviously, along the way I got into bad decisions. Hanging around the wrong people; it?s something where I took the wrong turn, and once I took the wrong turn and knew it, I was in denial of it and it was everyone else?s problem. For me, I?m just so thankful I get this chance. I know it?s not going to be easy; it?s going to be tough. My expectations going into camp ? all the odds are stacked against me, I get a chance, and I?m just really excited. I really hope that things work out.

Walker: I always think it?s interesting to measure where we are in life sometimes from year to year. A year ago, you had a pretty decent opportunity with the Calgary Flames. They ended up being one of the stories of the season. Your 2014-15 year did not go at all how you hoped it would. You only played 31 games. Describe your headspace now compared to one season ago. How night and day is it?

Setoguchi: It?s night and day. First off, I have to say thanks to Calgary anyway. They gave me a chance. I told them going into camp that I was straight, I was going to stay sober for the year and not drink. That lasted all of a couple weeks. There?s a lot of things that went on there that were all me and my problems. I didn?t really take advantage of an opportunity with a team like Calgary. That was tough for me because I had a lot of expectations. I had a good summer of training but not quite as good as I have had this summer. I just went in there and had a crappy attitude. It was the coach?s fault, and then it was the guys? I was playing with fault. Once I got sent down, it was everybody else?s fault. It was never my fault, and that?s when things turned bad. There was a lot of things in my head that I just needed to clear up; personal problems. I?m far beyond that and I?m so thankful to the League for letting me go into the program and come out and still move forward. I?ve still got a lot of work to do. It starts with this camp and getting a great start there.

 

[Redleaf]

Although he's saying all the right things now, we all know that talk is cheap. Let's hope he's telling the truth and plans on turning his career back onto the right path with the Leafs. Somebody thinks he's worth a shot. Best of luck to him!

 

[Highlander]

Hope he can stay away from the bottle, it is not his friend at all.

 

[Captain Canuck]

I think Walker was sucking up to him with the "real good hockey player" bit. C'mon lets face it a lot of guys can look good playing on a line with a star like Joe Thornton.
Look at Setoguchi's numbers with and without Thornton, there is no comparison! (Same with Cheechoo)

 

[Boston Leaf]

yeah I don't have too high of expectations for him. Not because of worried about drinking partying stuff.. It is I don't think he was really anything special unless he played with Joe T

 

[Highlander]

What you don't equate Tyler Bozak with Joe T?.comeon now?

Why is that clown still a Loaf, he is taking up to much space on the couch (potato)

 

[caver]

I don't get how you can call Bozak a clown. He was a free signing out of college and a decent #2 - 3 centerman who was miscast as a number one guy in Toronto. He has been a good, honest NHL player.

 

[Kin]

Highlander's position on Bozak can be boiled down to: "He's useless, lazy and not worth anything close to what they're paying him...how come another team hasn't traded for him?"

 

[Highlander]

Nik you have hit the nail on the heed.  Actually I liked Bozak but he caught Phil disease (without the talent), so they say. I like Bozak just think he needs a new place to play, I cannot see how he fits into Leaf plans after this season.

 

[Kin]

Nik you have hit the nail on the heed.  Actually I liked Bozak but he caught Phil disease (without the talent), so they say. I like Bozak just think he needs a new place to play, I cannot see how he fits into Leaf plans after this season.

Right. But can you see the inherent catch 22 here?

 

[bustaheims]

Nik you have hit the nail on the heed.  Actually I liked Bozak but he caught Phil disease (without the talent), so they say. I like Bozak just think he needs a new place to play, I cannot see how he fits into Leaf plans after this season.

See, the problem there is that you're putting the blame for the "disease" on the wrong guy. Bozak's effort level dropped off long before Kessel's did.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

I think Walker was sucking up to him with the "real good hockey player" bit. C'mon lets face it a lot of guys can look good playing on a line with a star like Joe Thornton.
Look at Setoguchi's numbers with and without Thornton, there is no comparison! (Same with Cheechoo)

What did you expect him to say?

"You know, your numbers really aren't that great, but hey, here's to hoping you don't fall off the wagon"

 

[Highlander]

If Malkin or Crosby are injured walking down the stairs in the next few days would Bozie go to Pittsburg?

 

[Bates]

Are you planning something???

If Malkin or Crosby are injured walking down the stairs in the next few days would Bozie go to Pittsburg?

 

[bustaheims]

If Malkin or Crosby are injured walking down the stairs in the next few days would Bozie go to Pittsburg?

The more important question is whether Pittsburgh would want to add Bozak and his contract. And, the answer is almost certainly no.