Leafs regular-season MVP? And more questions for our amusement

[ZBBM]

Since we are in a gap before the playoffs, maybe we could spend a bit of time looking back at the regular season.  How about folks take a shot at the following questions:

1. Who was the Leafs MVP?
2. Tell us why in exactly 6 words.
3. Who was the biggest disappointment?
4. Who was the most underappreciated?
5. Give us your "Nobody Saw That Coming!" off-season trade involving current non-UFA Leafs roster players.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

1) Three candidates are Andersen, Matthews, and Rielly. Going Matthews.

2) He was our best player. Period.

3) Is Zaitsev a disappointment to me if I knew he was bad? If not, then Komarov. I know I seem anti-Komarov but I really did appreciate his play last season, even going as far as to say he was good enough to possibly bring back a late 1st at last years deadline or in the offseason. His play absolutely plummeted this season.

4) Gardiner and Kadri. I was surprised to find out yesterday that Kadri actually led the team in PP goals. I would have figured it was JVR (he was 1 goal behind). These guys just got overshadowed by the big 3 + Rielly.

5) I mean the only guys I'd be actually surprised to see get traded are all untouchable. Gardiner would probably be the closest to being an untouchable without being an untouchable so I guess I'd say him.

 

[Andy007]

1. Andersen.
2. He was unbeatable for three months.
3. Zaitsev. I thought he was their most consistent defenseman last season and was anticipating (if fully healthy) a 40+ point, top 3 D-man campaign. Suffice to say....didn't nearly happen!
4. I'm almost inclined to go with Rielly, based on how great he was all season, but I have to give it to Gardiner. He started well, hit a really rough patch for a bit and then just dominated the last third of the season. he nearly hit 40 points at even strength and was just a force in the offensive zone. Curious to see how that contract plays out.
5. Brown, Zaitsev and Nielson for Weber  :-X

 

[Kin]

1. Rielly.
2. Number one defenseman. Spells name wrong.
3. Lamoriello
4. Marleau
5. Gardiner + Brown + JVR negotiating rights for Dougie Hamilton

 

[Frank E]

1.  Andersen
2.  The MVP on too many nights
3.  Zaitsev, although I like the Lamoriello pick here.
4.  Kadri
5.  Gardiner + Brown for Hamilton & Brouwer.

 

[herman]

1. Frederik Andersen
2. Have you seen the Leafs defense?
3. Connor Carrick; He had ample opportunity to convince the coach we no longer needed Roman Polak and goes and does the opposite.
4. Steve Briere & Piero Greco: they've transformed our area of perennial weakness into one of strength and depth; Sparks was hit or miss last year and fell apart in the playoffs; Curtis McElhinney should not have been in the NHL by his numbers but was transformed this season (again, have you seen our defense?), and at least to my untrained eye, it doesn't look like a fluke. Andersen has been built up from part-time starter to 38-game winner with much more consistency than previous, and there were a couple of games given away so he easily could've been at 40+.
5. Gardiner + Carrick RFA rights --> Trouba

 

[dappleganger]

1. Freddie Andersen.

2. He is da man. No diggity.

3. Marner's first half of the season.

4. Marner's second half of the season.

5. Connor Brown + Calle Rosen + pick for Ryan Ellis.
 
                        or

    Connor Brown + pick for Darnell Nurse.

 

[jdh1]

I like Anderson as the MVP

My trade:  Trade two or three players that can't be saved in the Seattle draft to Ottawa for Eric Karlsson for next year while we have cap space for him.

 

[Kin]

I like Anderson as the MVP

My trade:  Trade two or three players that can't be saved in the Seattle draft to Ottawa for Eric Karlsson for next year while we have cap space for him.

So assuming the Leafs protected list will be something along the lines of Marner, Matthews, Kadri, Nylander, Kapanen, Hyman, Whoever their #3 C is, Rielly, Gardiner, Liljegren and Andersen...which 2 or 3 players not on that list do you suppose Ottawa would take for Erik Karlsson?

 

[jdh1]

I like Anderson as the MVP

My trade:  Trade two or three players that can't be saved in the Seattle draft to Ottawa for Eric Karlsson for next year while we have cap space for him.

So assuming the Leafs protected list will be something along the lines of Marner, Matthews, Kadri, Nylander, Kapanen, Hyman, Whoever their #3 C is, Rielly, Gardiner, Liljegren and Andersen...which 2 or 3 players not on that list do you suppose Ottawa would take for Erik Karlsson?

I made that comment without knowing  how many players can be protected. I,m assuming that a couple of core players would have to be exposed.

 

[Kin]

I made that comment without knowing  how many players can be protected. I,m assuming that a couple of core players would have to be exposed.

I think they've effectively confirmed that the rules for Seattles draft will be the same as Vegas'.

 

[jdh1]

I made that comment without knowing  how many players can be protected. I,m assuming that a couple of core players would have to be exposed.

I think they've effectively confirmed that the rules for Seattles draft will be the same as Vegas'.

Looking at your list:  Zaitsev,Dermott,Brown would be left unprotected  .That's a lot to give Ottawa for 1 year of service in Karlsson.  I wouldn't give them that much.

 

[herman]

Outside of a side deal (which we should use if possible), and if I?m reading the rules properly (loosey goosey because I didn?t actually read them again) we stand to lose one of Kapanen, Hyman, Brown, Johnsson, Dermott, Bracco, Brooks, Timashov, maybe Liljegren by the time the expansion rolls around again.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

One thing to keep in mind, I believe if the Leafs keep Liljegren out of the NHL next season then he'll be exempt from the expansion draft. For that reason alone I'd keep him in the AHL (most Marlies observers say he could use another year anyway).

 

[herman]

One thing to keep in mind, I believe if the Leafs keep Liljegren out of the NHL next season then he'll be exempt from the expansion draft. For that reason alone I'd keep him in the AHL (most Marlies observers say he could use another year anyway).

I expected to keep him down there anyway. I wasn?t sure about the AHL professional seasons count and that mechanic.

 

[sickbeast]

1. Andersen.
2. Does not get concussed very much.
3. Zeitsev.
4. Hyman.
5. The Leafs will sign JVR long term and will eventually trade Nylander to give them room under the cap.

 

[Bullfrog]

1. Who was the Leafs MVP? Auston Matthews
2. Tell us why in exactly 6 words. Same reason as Carlton the Bear.
3. Who was the biggest disappointment? Zaitsev, no question. I really thought he was better than this. I still think he's better than this year's version.
4. Who was the most underappreciated? Hainsey
5. Give us your "Nobody Saw That Coming!" off-season trade involving current non-UFA Leafs roster players. Nazem Kadri + Zaitsev to Ari for Jason Demers + picks/prospects

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Just a counter-point to the Andersen-for-MVP talk, because why not:

Andersen finished with a .918 save percentage in 66 games, which ties him for 11th among starters. Since December 27th his save percentage was .912 in 36 games, which puts him 21st among goalies with 20+ games in that span. That's a league average save percentage for the 2nd half of his season. Yes, he played a lot of games. Yes, he faced a lot of shots. Yes, the Leafs defence isn't one of the best in the league. But to me those numbers just don't justify putting him ahead of Matthews, who as I explained earlier was probably the best 5-on-5 goal scorer in the league this season.

I said I had Matthews, Andersen, and Rielly as my top-3 candidates, but if I could name the Leafs PP as the runner-up for the MVP I'd do it.

 

[Kin]

Looking at your list:  Zaitsev,Dermott,Brown would be left unprotected  .That's a lot to give Ottawa for 1 year of service in Karlsson.  I wouldn't give them that much.

That's probably for the best as there's no way they'd accept that trade in a billion years.

 

[Bullfrog]

That's probably for the best as there's no way they'd accept that trade in a billion years.

Dude, Brown scored 20 goals last year and out-scored Connor McDavid on his OHL team one year.