Unofficial 2013-2014 Armchair GM Thread

[CarltonTheBear]

I guess he'll probably re-sign with the Rangers but what will he get if he tests the waters, 4, 5?

About what Jonathan Ericsson just got in his extension with Detroit. Which was 6 years, $4.25mil. Girardi might get a little more I think.

 

[Britishbulldog]

You are highly unlikely to pry him out of Florida.  But that deal might do it.

Would it? The gap between Gardiner and Gudbranson is pretty big. I don't think a team like Florida is going to be too interested in acquiring another 1st round draft pick. And their future is pretty set down the middle with Barkov, Grimaldi, Bjugstad, and Shore so I'm not sure Holland would be of much interest either.

The gap in their offensive ability and skating is probably as large though.

That is why I was wondering if a rushing defenseman that they don't have, an offensive RH shot winger they don't have (no offense to Crabb and Hayes  ) and a tough defenseman with leadership skills:

The only player I want off the Panthers is 6'5" 210 lbs RH shooting Gudbranson.  He is young and makes some mistakes like Rielly but Gudbranson is a big stay at home dman with a mean streak and a booming shot from the point.  The Leafs have young rushing dmen that haven't shown a booming shot.

The only issue is that Gudbranson is one of the names Tallon but in the 'except' column when he told the press anyone on the roster is available 'except these players'.

I was fantasizing that if Tallon was offered the trio of Gardiner (or Finn), Connor Brown (or Gauthier) and MacWilliam (or Granberg) he would change his mind.

 

[Tigger]

I guess he'll probably re-sign with the Rangers but what will he get if he tests the waters, 4, 5?

About what Jonathan Ericsson just got in his extension with Detroit. Which was 6 years, $4.25mil. Girardi might get a little more I think.

I don't hate the thought of him for 4.5, I do hate the thought of him not living up to being a top 4 shutdown dman though, the Leafs just finally got over one of those...

 

[Erndog]

The need for quality defenders was apparent last season too and the only defender with significant NHL experience who was added to the roster was Ranger, who hadn't played in the NHL in years.

Weak UFA d crop this summer.  Not sure I want to overspend on a Dan Girardi either.

I guess he'll probably re-sign with the Rangers but what will he get if he tests the waters, 4, 5?

My guess is 5.

Brooks Orpik is another interesting one, though he's well into his 30's now and likely looking at at least a 4+ year deal.  His style of play just SCREAMS "KOMISAREK, REGEHR, WITT, WARRENER, MCKEE" to me in that he will suddenly break down and wake up one day as a shadow of his former self.

 

[Jalili]

Back to Florida, Gudbranson has O'Byrne's size, Phaneuf's shot and Fraser's mean streak and ability to fight.  He isn't a rushing defenseman but that isn't really a weakness of the Leafs currently.

Plus he's a right-handed shot!  And would create the possibility of a Gudbranson--Gunnarsson combo. 

But would Florida really trade a 3rd overall pick, even for Gardiner, Holland and a 1st?

I wouldn't read too much into Gudbranson being a former 3rd overall pick. It just means that at one point 3-4 years ago he was considered a really good prospect. But he hasn't shown a whole lot since then to warrant being picked there.

I think the Leafs are giving up too much in that offer.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I don't hate the thought of him for 4.5, I do hate the thought of him not living up to being a top 4 shutdown dman though, the Leafs just finally got over one of those...

I know I said about $4.25mil but I also wouldn't be surprised (if he makes it to July 1st) if a team starts throwing $5mil around at him. He's also the type of player teams lose their minds about because of intangibles and stuff. And he'll likely be the best defenceman available if Phaneuf re-signs.

 

[bustaheims]

I wouldn't read too much into Gudbranson being a former 3rd overall pick. It just means that at one point 3-4 years ago he was considered a really good prospect. But he hasn't shown a whole lot since then to warrant being picked there.

I think the Leafs are giving up too much in that offer.

Yeah. I don't think Gudbranson is developing quite as well as Florida hoped, and I wouldn't give up Gardiner and a 1st for him. He looks like a slightly bigger version of Luke Schenn.

 

[moon111]

I think Gardiner could really skate with the puck.  I wouldn't hesitate to sit Frazer McLaren and use him as a 4th line LWer.  I know it's a new position, but one with less responsibilities then his natural position.

To me his biggest strength is his ability to take the puck from deep in his own end and either make a good first pass or skate it out, I think you gimp that aspect of his game somewhat if he is starting every play higher up the ice where he doesn't have as much space to get into full stride.

Jake Gardiner is showing no strengths.  He is currently producing at a .65 points per 60 minutes level.  Put into perspective, Colton Orr was at .85 points per 60 minutes last season. 

 

[Tigger]

I don't hate the thought of him for 4.5, I do hate the thought of him not living up to being a top 4 shutdown dman though, the Leafs just finally got over one of those...

I know I said about $4.25mil but I also wouldn't be surprised (if he makes it to July 1st) if a team starts throwing $5mil around at him. He's also the type of player teams lose their minds about because of intangibles and stuff. And he'll likely be the best defenceman available if Phaneuf re-signs.

Yeah, I can see that too, he's the kind of player the Leafs could really use though, hard to say.

The only other fa's I'm really interested in are, if they make it, Stastny and Steen... boatloads of coin there though.

 

[Erndog]

I think Gardiner could really skate with the puck.  I wouldn't hesitate to sit Frazer McLaren and use him as a 4th line LWer.  I know it's a new position, but one with less responsibilities then his natural position.

To me his biggest strength is his ability to take the puck from deep in his own end and either make a good first pass or skate it out, I think you gimp that aspect of his game somewhat if he is starting every play higher up the ice where he doesn't have as much space to get into full stride.

Jake Gardiner is showing no strengths.  He is currently producing at a .65 points per 60 minutes level.  Put into perspective, Colton Orr was at .85 points per 60 minutes last season.

No strengths?

The Leafs Corsi was 54% with Jake Gardiner on the ice last night and 21.8% WITHOUT HIM.

Meaning... when he was on, they were doing just fine.  When he was off they were being toiled with like children playing against men.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

The only other fa's I'm really interested in are, if they make it, Stastny and Steen... boatloads of coin there though.

I'd pursue Stastny or Thornton heavily. Steen would be nice but he's likely going to get overpaid for obvious reasons.

 

[bustaheims]

Jake Gardiner is showing no strengths.  He is currently producing at a .65 points per 60 minutes level.  Put into perspective, Colton Orr was at .85 points per 60 minutes last season.

That's all well and good until you dig just a touch deeper and realize that a single point for Orr is going to have a much more significant impact on his points/60 that it would for Gardiner. On top of that, you're comparing a forward to a defenceman, and using only a single measure while ignoring the fact that Gardiner's strengths may not always show up on the score sheet but help teams win games, whereas Orr's strengths are . . . ummm . . . what exactly are Orr's strengths?

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

You don't even need stats to see Gardiner's strengths, just watch him settle the play down in the Leafs end when other D aimlessly fire it away.

 

[Tigger]

The only other fa's I'm really interested in are, if they make it, Stastny and Steen... boatloads of coin there though.

I'd pursue Stastny or Thornton heavily. Steen would be nice but he's likely going to get overpaid for obvious reasons.

Steen is mostly a pipe dream but the Leafs could maybe use their winger depth to get some help in other areas and replace whoever with him, Steen has that 'two way' smell to boot but Stastny would be the priority ( or sure Thornton but that's even less likely to me ).

Just read this from Jovocop about Kulikov...

"Young players go through times where it feels like the world is crashing in on you," Jovanovski said. "When nothing seems to be working. I told [Kulikov] to have a good practice, make tape-to-tape passes and work hard. Sometimes skill isn't enough. It's not going to come to you, you've got to work your way out if it.

The biggest lesson is less is more. A young defenseman has the tendency to do a little bit extra and it backfires. Get the puck moving, make your first pass, get it out of the zone and let someone else worry about what happens next.

He'll come out of it. He's too good a player."

Also, seems his health isn't really a question either, his offseason shoulder surgery is leaving no lingering effects and I can't find anything negative about his previous knee injury/recovery.

 

[Redleaf]

You don't even need stats to see Gardiner's strengths, just watch him settle the play down in the Leafs end when other D aimlessly fire it away.

Yep. And he's having what many describe as a sophomore slump. Add that to the fact that he's working more on his defensive game under Carlyle instead of showing off more of his natural offensive flair (because of the fact the Leafs are sorely lacking in that area) and I think Gardiner will be just fine. If they package him up in a trade, it would be a text book example of selling LOW.

 

[Corn Flake]

I think Gardiner could really skate with the puck.  I wouldn't hesitate to sit Frazer McLaren and use him as a 4th line LWer.  I know it's a new position, but one with less responsibilities then his natural position.

To me his biggest strength is his ability to take the puck from deep in his own end and either make a good first pass or skate it out, I think you gimp that aspect of his game somewhat if he is starting every play higher up the ice where he doesn't have as much space to get into full stride.

Jake Gardiner is showing no strengths.  He is currently producing at a .65 points per 60 minutes level.  Put into perspective, Colton Orr was at .85 points per 60 minutes last season.

No strengths?

The Leafs Corsi was 54% with Jake Gardiner on the ice last night and 21.8% WITHOUT HIM.

Meaning... when he was on, they were doing just fine.  When he was off they were being toiled with like children playing against men.

What is the tmlfans.ca Corsi when Frank comes on here? like -3% or what?

 

[Highlander]

I'd go after Yandle with the Yotes in a heartbeat, he scored a highlight reel last night against the Oilers, check it out.
I have seen him play many time in my time in AZ and he is what we hope Gardiner will turn out to be.

 

[Britishbulldog]

Back to Florida, Gudbranson has O'Byrne's size, Phaneuf's shot and Fraser's mean streak and ability to fight.  He isn't a rushing defenseman but that isn't really a weakness of the Leafs currently.

Plus he's a right-handed shot!  And would create the possibility of a Gudbranson--Gunnarsson combo. 

But would Florida really trade a 3rd overall pick, even for Gardiner, Holland and a 1st?

I wouldn't read too much into Gudbranson being a former 3rd overall pick. It just means that at one point 3-4 years ago he was considered a really good prospect. But he hasn't shown a whole lot since then to warrant being picked there.

I think the Leafs are giving up too much in that offer.

Aki Berg, my friends, was a 3rd overall pick and a defense man the Leafs previously received in a trade.  All I can say is Gudbranson is no Berg!

 

[Britishbulldog]

I wouldn't read too much into Gudbranson being a former 3rd overall pick. It just means that at one point 3-4 years ago he was considered a really good prospect. But he hasn't shown a whole lot since then to warrant being picked there.

I think the Leafs are giving up too much in that offer.

Yeah. I don't think Gudbranson is developing quite as well as Florida hoped, and I wouldn't give up Gardiner and a 1st for him. He looks like a slightly bigger version of Luke Schenn.

If that is the case, I trade Gardiner and Granberg.  I was hoping to save the Leafs 1st in 2014 for the package for Shea Weber anyway.

 

[bustaheims]

If that is the case, I trade Gardiner and Granberg.  I was hoping to save the Leafs 1st in 2014 for the package for Shea Weber anyway.

I'm not sure I make that deal, either - nor do I think Florida would accept it. They likely still think very highly of Gudbranson. At this point, I wouldn't trade Gardiner in a deal for anything other than a clear #1 C or a clear top pairing D.