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Unofficial 2012/2013 Armchair GM

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OldTimeHockey said:
If anyone is looking for Strachan, judging by the size of Elliott Freidman, I'm pretty sure he ate Al
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HaHa, he heard his wife talking about his 6 pack, what he didn't realize  was she was referring to his number of chins.
 
I mentioned this in anothe rthread but, holy smokes, if Semin's $35M ($7M x 5) deal is a sign of things to come for Kessel then I think Nonis better dust off his succession plan and start deciding where this team is going to go.  While it would change the complexion of the team (maybe for better, maybe for worse), I think the Leafs would be better served taking the $7.5 they'll pay Kessel and sign David Clarkson for, what, $4.5 - $5 per year and give the rest to Kadri. 

Provided the UFA group remains unchanged, I also think Nathan Horton and Niklas Backstrom would be players of interest.  Backstrom was second star last week and will likely come in less than his current $6M and, at 35 years old, maybe on a 3 year deal?  And while Horton was fairly invisible over the last two games, he would be a pretty decent Plan B should Clarkson go somewhere else.

Lupul - Kadri - Clarkson / Horton
JVR - Grabovski - Kulemin
Frattin - Colborne - Komarov
Hamilton / (?) - McClement - McLaren
 
It was suggested by Carlton in the trade deadline thread, but I have to second it: how amazing would Joe Thornton look down the middle?

Per CtB's suggestion, just a straight up Grabbo for Thornton swap.

JVR-Thornton-Kessel
Lupul-Kadri-Frattin
Kluemin-Bozak-Mac
McLaren-McClement-Orr

It would seem to solve the problem we have now of our highest paid centre playing a third-line defensive role. Thornton is an all-world passer, and Kessel never seemed more dangerous than when he was on Marc Savard's wing in Boston. Add in one more solid defenceman, and baby, you got a stew going!

edit: I have not heard anything about SJ wanting to move Thornton, but with Couture and Pavelski both playing well, Big Joe might be a little redundant. His cap hit is a spicy 7 million for this and the next two years, but I think Nonis can justify that in light of the 5.5 he would be trading to the Sharks. It's not a perfect move for either side, but it does potentially make both rosters work a little better, which in my mind makes it all the more realistic a suggestion. Hats off again to CtB for the bright idea.
 
You're forgetting Komarov, but yeah, it may work. I think the Leafs would have to be 100% sure on Grabo and whether Kadri can be counted on. Personally, the more I watch Kadri, the more I believe he'll be a big part of our future.

Bozak or Grabo will eventually have to go in a trade for a top center-man IMO.
 
Gilmour the Great said:
It was suggested by Carlton in the trade deadline thread, but I have to second it: how amazing would Joe Thornton look down the middle?

Per CtB's suggestion, just a straight up Grabbo for Thornton swap.

JVR-Thornton-Kessel
Lupul-Kadri-Frattin
Kluemin-Bozak-Mac
McLaren-McClement-Orr

It would seem to solve the problem we have now of our highest paid centre playing a third-line defensive role. Thornton is an all-world passer, and Kessel never seemed more dangerous than when he was on Marc Savard's wing in Boston. Add in one more solid defenceman, and baby, you got a stew going!
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I agree that there hasn't been any rumours to Thornton being moved but there has been rumblings for a bit that things need to change in San Jose.  Also Thornton isn't needed as badly in SJ as you pointed out.  I would think a dman prospect not named Gardiner or Rielly would have to be included with Grabovski to complete the trade though.

The nice thing is that it would adjust the line up of the Leafs for the next 3 years for sure which would give more time for the younger centers to mature.

Should the Leafs include MacArthur and see if they can get Clowe included for the 3rd line LW with Frattin on the RW?
 
Potvin29 said:
Gilmour the Great said:
Kessel never seemed more dangerous than when he was on Marc Savard's wing in Boston.
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Well that's not true, he was clearly more dangerous last season and so far this season.
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I agree that he has scored more points the past two seasons, but his goals per game pace was better in his final year in Boston. His shooting percentage was also above 15.5%, while he has never been better than 12.5% in Toronto.

Kessel has turned into an elite passer over the past two seasons, which has made him more effective overall, but I still think he is being held back from his full potential by playing with Bozak instead of an elite passing centre.

Kessel should be scoring 40 goals every year with the speed and shot he possesses.
 
Gilmour the Great said:
Potvin29 said:
Gilmour the Great said:
Kessel never seemed more dangerous than when he was on Marc Savard's wing in Boston.
Click to expand...

Well that's not true, he was clearly more dangerous last season and so far this season.
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I agree that he has scored more points the past two seasons, but his goals per game pace was better in his final year in Boston. His shooting percentage was also above 15.5%, while he has never been better than 12.5% in Toronto.

Kessel has turned into an elite passer over the past two seasons, which has made him more effective overall, but I still think he is being held back from his full potential by playing with Bozak instead of an elite passing centre.

Kessel should be scoring 40 goals every year with the speed and shot he possesses.
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Fair enough on those points, I agree.
 
I think his passiveness is what's holding him back. In my opinion, he's otherwise got the tools to be a top 5 scorer every year.
 
Bullfrog said:
I think his passiveness is what's holding him back. In my opinion, he's otherwise got the tools to be a top 5 scorer every year.
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Some players just can't do it all. Kessel's passing and playmaking skills have really excelled and he has been playing more of a two-way game (all the while maintaining a point per game pace). And he was a top 6 scorer last year, despite his 'passiveness.' If anything is holding him back it's playing with 3rd and 4th line centres for the last 4 years.
 
I was bored and couldn't sleep so I made my ideal vision of the 2013-2014 Leafs on capgeek. Basically here is what the story is...

-Buy out/Trade Grabovski, he just isn't worth the money

-Resign Bozak (5 year/5 mill), as much as people like to hate on him he has become an effective top six centre for the Leafs and proven to be very versatile.

-Resign Kadri (2 year/3.5 mill) short term contract with decent money to prove his production wasn't a fluke

-Sign Nathan Horton (5 year/4.75 mill) I think with Bozak/Kadri playing center the Leafs are one winger away from having a true top six. Nathan Horton is the ideal UFA I would target but if not him than sign ex leaf Brad Boyes to a short term deal.

-Resign Clarke Macarthur (3 years/3 mil) I debated this given in 2014 Leafs will have to resign Kessel, Phaneuf, and Reimer but with Lupul it is a question of when he is going to be injured not if so we need a depth forward. He gets a paycut because time has proven him to be a depth forward but not a 62 point player. If he wants more money he can walk.

-Sign Maxim Lapierre (1 year/1.5 mil) High value bottom six player, he makes 1 million in Vancouver I figure 1.5 would entice him to join the Leafs.
 
-Keep the defence status quo, resign the RFA's and give Rielly a chance to make the team.

FORWARDS

James Van Riemsdyk ($4.250m) / Tyler Bozak ($5.000m) / Phil Kessel ($5.400m)
Joffrey Lupul ($5.250m) / Nazem Kadri ($3.500m) / Nathan Horton ($4.750m)
Clarke MacArthur ($3.000m) / Jay McClement ($1.500m) / Nikolai Kulemin ($2.800m)
Leo Komarov ($0.700m) / Maxim Lapierre ($1.500m) / Frazer McLaren ($0.700m)

DEFENSEMEN

Dion Phaneuf ($6.500m) / John-Michael Liles ($3.875m)
Jake Gardiner ($1.117m) / Carl Gunnarsson ($2.500m)
Mark Fraser ($1.500m) / Cody Franson ($2.000m)
Morgan Rielly ($1.775m) /

GOALTENDERS

James Reimer ($1.800m)
Ben Scrivens ($0.613m)
OTHER
Buyout: Darcy Tucker ($1.000m)
Buyout: Colby Armstrong ($1.000m)
Buyout: Mikhail Grabovski ($0.000m)
Buyout: Mike Komisarek ($0.000m)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $62,029,167; BONUSES: $1,150,000
CAP SPACE (21-man roster): $3,420,833
 
Hey Coach, that's a pretty good analysis and plan.  I don't like the idea of Lapierre joining and I think that David Clarkson is a better choice than Nathan Horton if either make it to UFA.  I think $5M for Bozak is a bit high and if there's a deal for Grabo to be made I think the Leafs have to consider it.  Although, I will say that health might be playing a big part of his decline in play.
 
Champ Kind said:
I don't like the idea of Lapierre joining and I think that David Clarkson is a better choice than Nathan Horton if either make it to UFA.  I think $5M for Bozak is a bit high and if there's a deal for Grabo to be made I think the Leafs have to consider it. 
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I agree with these 3 points.
 
If it looks like Clarkson is going to make it to UFA, I say trade Grabovski for his rights and use the money on Bozak and Clarkson. Re-sign O'Byrne, and look for one of the many pending UFA centres for the 4th line and Bob's yer uncle.

van Riemsdyk - Bozak - Kessel
Lupul - Kadri - Clarkson
Kulemin - McClement - Frattin
Komarov - * - McLaren

Gunnarsson - Phaneuf
Gardiner - O'Byrne
Liles - Franson

* there are a couple of interesting players who will likely make it to free agency. Mike Zigomanis, Boyd Gordon, Jerred Smithson, Craig Adams, Tim Brent, Scott Nichol, Jeff Halpern, or Marty Reasoner. The Leafs can also look from within.

If the Leafs sign Bozak for 5 years, that'll give them a less than ideal but adequate option at centre while they wait for Colborne. If Colborne is ready for top 6 duties in a year or two, they can bump Kadri up to the top line and move Bozak out to make room for Colborne.

 
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