WhatIfGodWasALeaf
Active member
Polak signed to a PTO.
Polak signed to PTO
- Thread starter WhatIfGodWasALeaf
- Start date
Yeah, knew that this was going to happen.
WhatIfGodWasALeaf
Active member
What was the pitch to Rosen and Borgman?
I know you're both stars in the SHL, but let us tell you about the beautiful bus rides in the AHL!
I know you're both stars in the SHL, but let us tell you about the beautiful bus rides in the AHL!
WhatIfGodWasALeaf said:
I don't think that this really changes anything for those two. The AHL was always a very real and likely possibility for both of them.
WhatIfGodWasALeaf
Active member
I think it was definitely an option, but Babcock was giving them the big sell earlier in the off season, told Dreger how excited he was by them and Aaltonen.
If you agree that Polak is likely to get a contract, do you think they both signed with the knowledge that they'd be at best 8/9/10 on the depth chart coming into camp?
Seems off to me.
EDIT: Thanks for moving this to its own thread.
If you agree that Polak is likely to get a contract, do you think they both signed with the knowledge that they'd be at best 8/9/10 on the depth chart coming into camp?
Seems off to me.
EDIT: Thanks for moving this to its own thread.
WhatIfGodWasALeaf said:
You mentioned Aaltonen as well and that's another guy with basically a 0% chance of making the team out of camp. I think all 3 Euros signed knowing full well that they weren't the type of impact players that would get a NHL spot right away from any team other than someone like Colorado. Even when you go back to when they were signed nobody talked about these guys like we talked about Zaitsev. None of them were considered locks for the team. They were going to require AHL seasoning from any team that was courting them, and the Marlies being a pretty high-end AHL team was probably a big selling point.
WhatIfGodWasALeaf
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CarltonTheBear said:
I hope you're right.
WhatIfGodWasALeaf
Active member
Arn said:
That's the best case scenario.
Knowing Babcock though, he gave him increased minutes last year, if the leg break hasn't killed his skating completely, I'd bet money on him getting a contract.
Coco-puffs
New member
I doubt Polak gets a contract right out of camp. He's probably going to continue to practice with the team beyond camp (ala Prust and Ramo last year) though until he's 100% healthy- at which point the Leafs may have a need due to injury or he can explore other options.
Zee
Active member
disco said:
Polak grew on me as the season went on, and as you mention, it's always good to have more NHL capable defensemen on hand than less. I don't mind healthy competition among the Dermott, Polak, Borgam, Rosen and Marincins of the world. If the Leafs can come out of camp with 7-8 viable options on D, it's a good thing.
That being said, I don't know how fleet of foot Polak will be after that injury, he wasn't the fastest of guys to begin with. I wish him well.
bustaheims
Active member
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
At his age? He's 31. He's not exactly old.
As a 6/7 defenceman . . . I think there are better options, but not so drastically so that I'm concerned about him getting a contract. With the addition of Hainsey, he's not getting anything more than 3rd pairing minutes when the team is healthy.
If a) Polak proves he's healthy, b) the Leafs sign him to a contract, and c) Babcock wants to play him for the same reasons he played him last season, then the worst case scenario here is that he takes playing time away from Carrick.
Babcock made it fairly clear that he didn't exactly have much trust in Carrick at 5-on-5 last season and particularly in the playoffs. He isn't someone who is going to play on the powerplay, or on the penalty kill. He's probably not going to play with Gardiner again since Zaitsev and Hainsey seem to have locks on the 1RD and 2RD spots.
And if Dermott or one of the Swedes win the battle for the 3LD spot, then I'd imagine Babcock would want to pair them with a more veteran presence so I could see Polak going in there. And since I doubt Babs would want to throw any of those 3 into heavy penalty killing roles, he'll also need someone else to take that job. That would essentially mean the defence looks like this:
Gardiner-Zaitsev
Rielly-Hainsey
Dermott-Polak
Marincin-Carrick
With the two bottom pairs shuffling in and out, Polak and Marincin both taking on heavy PK minutes when they're playing.
Babcock made it fairly clear that he didn't exactly have much trust in Carrick at 5-on-5 last season and particularly in the playoffs. He isn't someone who is going to play on the powerplay, or on the penalty kill. He's probably not going to play with Gardiner again since Zaitsev and Hainsey seem to have locks on the 1RD and 2RD spots.
And if Dermott or one of the Swedes win the battle for the 3LD spot, then I'd imagine Babcock would want to pair them with a more veteran presence so I could see Polak going in there. And since I doubt Babs would want to throw any of those 3 into heavy penalty killing roles, he'll also need someone else to take that job. That would essentially mean the defence looks like this:
Gardiner-Zaitsev
Rielly-Hainsey
Dermott-Polak
Marincin-Carrick
With the two bottom pairs shuffling in and out, Polak and Marincin both taking on heavy PK minutes when they're playing.
https://twitter.com/kristen_shilton/status/908769726955950081
https://twitter.com/DaveAMcCarthy/status/908769366422032385
The way Babs is talking about this is somewhat promising.
https://twitter.com/DaveAMcCarthy/status/908769366422032385
The way Babs is talking about this is somewhat promising.