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Nonis using depth to go shopping....

Sarrrge said:
bustaheims said:
Overall, I'd prefer it if the Leafs stayed out of the rental market completely (unless they're getting guys that are basically free) and probably out of the trade market approaching the deadline in general. It's a sellers' market right now because so many teams are still in the playoff hunt, and likely still will be when the deadline rolls around in 10 days. On top of that, the pieces that are likely available all come with some pretty big warts - too big for the price it will likely take to acquire them. The team is better off standing pat now and filling holes at the draft and over the summer. Unless a can't miss deal comes around, I'd be perfectly okay if the team did basically nothing.
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I'd be okay with that too. That said, I'd like to flip Mac and Bozak rather than lose them for nothing.
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That's where I'm at also. MacArthur needs to be traded, as much as I like what he brings to the team. Bozak, I think we hang onto, because I think he could be signed on a short deal for a little less than he looks to be getting. Maybe I'm wrong on Bozak, but I think he likes his situation in Toronto and might give up a bit to stay with the hope of solidifying the top line position.

I don't think Bozak is the answer at the 1 position, but I'm also not sold that Kadri is quite there yet either.

If we could land a defenseman on the cheap, and trade Kostka or Liles, I'd also go for that.
 
BlueWhiteBlood said:
That's where I'm at also. MacArthur needs to be traded, as much as I like what he brings to the team. Bozak, I think we hang onto, because I think he could be signed on a short deal for a little less than he looks to be getting. Maybe I'm wrong on Bozak, but I think he likes his situation in Toronto and might give up a bit to stay with the hope of solidifying the top line position.

I don't think Bozak is the answer at the 1 position, but I'm also not sold that Kadri is quite there yet either.

If we could land a defenseman on the cheap, and trade Kostka or Liles, I'd also go for that.
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I'm so on the fence in dealing any of these guys.  Going into the playoffs and losing an effective veteran winger and even if he's not a #1, one of your top 3 centres is risky and kind of sends a negative message to the team like "hey I know you guys are finally on track to make the show but we're still about 3-5 years down the road, soooo sorry about that." I get the idea of not losing assets for nothing, but you can't keep hitting the reset button every single time.

If either JVR or Lupul went down to injury again, Mac suddenly becomes invaluable. I believe Bozak is still the only Leaf centre above 50% in faceoffs.  Without that kind of an asset in the playoffs, we would be doomed.

As for Kadri.. fully agree... if he jumps to the Kessel line he suddenly starts playing against the top defenders every night.  Right now teams have been kind of slow to focus on him but at some point that will change.  Keeping Kadri and Kessel apart at even strength is a good thing.  If teams focus on Kadri, Kessel is going to explode offensively, and vice versa.
 
Corn Flake said:
As for Kadri.. fully agree... if he jumps to the Kessel line he suddenly starts playing against the top defenders every night.  Right now teams have been kind of slow to focus on him but at some point that will change.  Keeping Kadri and Kessel apart at even strength is a good thing.  If teams focus on Kadri, Kessel is going to explode offensively, and vice versa.
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I like splitting them up also, but while Kadri is not there right yet, I believe he will be demanding top line minutes, maybe sooner than I think.

I get that trading guys is risky sometimes, but on the defense at least, we could trade a body or two and be alright, especially if another one was coming in. The logic around MacArthur was that I thought we may have players in house that could potentially off-set the loss of what he brings, certainly if Lupul and Frattin pick up the slack.
 
BlueWhiteBlood said:
Corn Flake said:
As for Kadri.. fully agree... if he jumps to the Kessel line he suddenly starts playing against the top defenders every night.  Right now teams have been kind of slow to focus on him but at some point that will change.  Keeping Kadri and Kessel apart at even strength is a good thing.  If teams focus on Kadri, Kessel is going to explode offensively, and vice versa.
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I like splitting them up also, but while Kadri is not there right yet, I believe he will be demanding top line minutes, maybe sooner than I think.

I get that trading guys is risky sometimes, but on the defense at least, we could trade a body or two and be alright, especially if another one was coming in. The logic around MacArthur was that I thought we may have players in house that could potentially off-set the loss of what he brings, certainly if Lupul and Frattin pick up the slack.
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I think you can replace Mac for sure, but he would be missed if JVR or Lupul were not available for any stretch.  That to me is where the risk is.  Frattin has played more RW than LW and I guess he could flip to the other side if needed.  Bozak to me is much tougher to replace.  Kadri may end up with top line minutes and I hope that it's simply a matter of his line being played more vs. him ending up with Kessel, other than on the PP.
 
Mac will probably become the odd man out, but I am a little wary of shipping him out.

In terms of advanced shooting stats, he is actually among the best in the NHL, he is an elite shooter, something I didn't really appreciate till seeing the numbers.
 
WhatIfGodWasALeaf said:
Likewise, I suspect the knee is still an issue.
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Quite possibly. My hope is that he'll regain form for next season, but I really wouldn't look for much out of him the rest of the way this season.
 
bustaheims said:
I really wouldn't bank on Frattin picking up the slack at all. He's been pretty invisible since coming back from surgery.
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I don't know, he seems to be very involved in the play and the forecheck.

I agree that the points may not be there, but I think he's playing well and the points will come back.
 
Frank E said:
I don't know, he seems to be very involved in the play and the forecheck.

I agree that the points may not be there, but I think he's playing well and the points will come back.
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I really haven't noticed him at all in most of the games he's been back for.
 
bustaheims said:
Frank E said:
I don't know, he seems to be very involved in the play and the forecheck.

I agree that the points may not be there, but I think he's playing well and the points will come back.
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I really haven't noticed him at all in most of the games he's been back for.
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Ya, but you're usually hammered by the end of the first, and passed out by the beginning of the third.
 
bustaheims said:
Frank E said:
I don't know, he seems to be very involved in the play and the forecheck.

I agree that the points may not be there, but I think he's playing well and the points will come back.
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I really haven't noticed him at all in most of the games he's been back for.
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He made a couple of nice plays against Boston but I felt like he either didn't have the speed to continue the play or was just plain beat defensively and didn't have the time to make a play.  I'm not sure if that had more to do with the quality of the Bruins play or if Frattin is missing a gear.  Maybe both?

He's definitely not flying as much as he was with Kadri at the start of the year but I think Kadri's line is the only one that really plays with that kind of end-to-end play because he's the guy with the puck on his stick AND he's a distributor as much as a guy who can shoot.  Kessel certainly rushes the puck up the ice but he is the best passer on his line and while he puts up a lot of assists isn't really a guy who lives off his passing.
 
Frank E said:
Ya, but you're usually hammered by the end of the first, and passed out by the beginning of the third.
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Well, tonight, maybe, but only because it's the first night of Passover and I'm commanded to.
 
bustaheims said:
Frank E said:
Ya, but you're usually hammered by the end of the first, and passed out by the beginning of the third.
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Well, tonight, maybe, but only because it's the first night of Passover and I'm commanded to.
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Where can I sign up for that?
 
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