Official 2011-2012 Thread

[Cat Smasher]

Originally Posted by skacore

Haha yeah I'd say that's pretty unrealistic. We don't have enough roster spots available for everyone to sign here. Armstrong, Kadri, Lupul, Kessel, and Bozak all need to be somewhere and then the whole 2nd line. Not to mention without that #1 center we've been praying for we can't really afford to have those guys on our bottom 6, we'd get NO offense whatsoever.

Ya, but Sjostrom gone, Brent probably, and possibly MacArther, that's 3 for 3, plus you know Burke teams, top 6 scoring, bottom 6 sandpaper. But one can hope lol

[BROKEN*ORBITAL]

TORONTO SUN

TORONTO - Another member of the Frat Pack is likely packing up to depart the Maple Leafs.

Group VI free agent forward Christian Hanson is not in any contract talks with Toronto as Friday’s free agent opening bell approaches. Agent Pat Brisson indicated he will be looking elsewhere.

Hanson, who attended Notre Dame, was in a trio of college trained forwards who arrived around the summer of 2009. He, Denver’s Tyler Bozak and New Hampshire’s Viktor Stalberg all roomed together as well.

But Stalberg was traded to Chicago last year and Hanson after a two-goal game — Montreal to end the ’09-10 schedule, spent most of the past season with the AHL Marlies

Good riddance you huge f*cking vagina.

[grits207]

Originally Posted by BROKEN*ORBITAL

TORONTO SUN



Good riddance you huge f*cking vagina.

It's too bad, really. Hanson has enough size and skill that he could easily be a good 3rd line two-way center if he just had a fraction of the heart and toughness a guy like Mike Brown does.

[BROKEN*ORBITAL]

Clarke MacArthur fans better hope the arbitrator doesn't use contract comperables for the signings on july 1st. Could be bye bye time? Or would Burke, having not signed anyone have to overspend and keep him? I say he's gone. A couple of guys with similar numbers, and the deals they were given,

MacArthur had 21 goals and 62 points last year.

Ville Leino had 19 goals and 53 points - 4.5 mill

Eric Cole had 26 goals and 52 points - 4.5 mill

Brooks Laich had 16 goals and 48 points - 4.5 mill

[grits207]

Originally Posted by BROKEN*ORBITAL

Clarke MacArthur fans better hope the arbitrator doesn't use contract comperables for the signings on july 1st. Could be bye bye time? Or would Burke, having not signed anyone have to overspend and keep him? I say he's gone. A couple of guys with similar numbers, and the deals they were given,

MacArthur had 21 goals and 62 points last year.

Ville Leino had 19 goals and 53 points - 4.5 mill

Eric Cole had 26 goals and 52 points - 4.5 mill

Brooks Laich had 16 goals and 48 points - 4.5 mill

The only thing that makes me think he wont ask for that much is the fact that he is an RFA, so he wont be able to create a bidding war like Leino and Cole did. Regardless what MacArthur asks for Burke can't afford to walk. Overpaying him for one year would be better than losing him for nothing.

Looking at all of the absurd contracts yesterday I'd say the Leafs came out of it looking smarter than a lot of other teams. I just hope Burke has a trade or something up his sleeve so we don't have to watch Bozak on the top line any more.

[Cat Smasher]

Well, there goes that. There was only 1 real #1 center available, and he's gone. I'm glad we didn't over spend on useless players just to make moves. Hopefully Konopka they try to get.

Teams went nuts tossing out 3-5 million for plugs like Bergenheim, Leino, Ward, etc etc. Those guys are a dime a dozen, I think there was no one left of interest to get that could make an impact. Rupp would have been nice but not for 1.5 million, rather have Rosie.

Still need that #1 center, seems to be all that is missing...maybe he can try and make a deal for Parise or something....pfft.

[grits207]

If no #1 centers become available via trade then there is a pretty good chance we will have to settle for a guy like Arnott or Connolly as a stop-gap for a season until Burke is able to find a #1 center. Both guys would be improvements over Bozak but i can't imagine either one helping us get in the playoffs.

I can't wait until the day when Toronto is an attractive destination for top free agents again.

[I_am_Belak_2]

Originally Posted by Cat Smasher

Well, there goes that. There was only 1 real #1 center available, and he's gone. I'm glad we didn't over spend on useless players just to make moves. Hopefully Konopka they try to get.

Teams went nuts tossing out 3-5 million for plugs like Bergenheim, Leino, Ward, etc etc. Those guys are a dime a dozen, I think there was no one left of interest to get that could make an impact. Rupp would have been nice but not for 1.5 million, rather have Rosie.

Still need that #1 center, seems to be all that is missing...maybe he can try and make a deal for Parise or something....pfft.

Or sign Stamkos to an offer sheet..... Tampa already has a lot of money invested in Vinny and St. Louis.

Or just make a trade for Vinny. I'd be happy either way.

[I_am_Belak_2]

So as of right now...

Kadri-Connolly-Kessel
Kulemin-Grabovski-Lupul (assuming MacArthur walks)
free agent-Bozak-Armstrong
Brown-Boyce-Orr
Rosehill

Schenn-Phaneuf
Aulie-Liles
Komi-Gunnarsson
Lashoff

Reimer
Scrivens/Gustavsson

[BROKEN*ORBITAL]

Originally Posted by grits207

The only thing that makes me think he wont ask for that much is the fact that he is an RFA, so he wont be able to create a bidding war like Leino and Cole did. Regardless what MacArthur asks for Burke can't afford to walk. Overpaying him for one year would be better than losing him for nothing.

Looking at all of the absurd contracts yesterday I'd say the Leafs came out of it looking smarter than a lot of other teams. I just hope Burke has a trade or something up his sleeve so we don't have to watch Bozak on the top line any more.

I don't think there is any "asking" during arbitration. The arbitrator makes a decision based on the numbers comperable players put up, and then bases the contract on what those players make.

[grits207]

Originally Posted by BROKEN*ORBITAL

I don't think there is any "asking" during arbitration. The arbitrator makes a decision based on the numbers comperable players put up, and then bases the contract on what those players make.

I could be wrong but I thought I heard before that each side makes their argument about why the player should make a certain amount of money before the arbitrator decides.

[grits207]

My guess on the lines for next season after the Franson/Lombardi trade, assuming MacArthur, Schenn and Bozak are re-signed and Lombardi is healthy:

Lupul - Connolly - Kessel
MacArthur - Grabovski - Kulemin
Kadri - Lombardi - Armstrong
Brown - Bozak - Orr

Spare: Rosehill

Phaneuf - Aulie
Schenn - Liles
Gunnarsson - Franson

Spare: Komisarek

Reimer
Gustavsson

As disappointing as it is that we still don't have a star center, I think even the most pessimistic of Leaf fans would admit this team looks better than the team we had at the start of last season. Now we have three lines that should be able to put up points instead of just two. Certainly not a team that is ready to be put in the upper echelon of the Eastern conference, but a young, fast, well-rounded team.

[Cat Smasher]

Lombardi isn't even symptom free yet, and he "hopes" to be ready for camp. I think he was the throw in.

[Cat Smasher]

saw this on PPP.

[BROKEN*ORBITAL]

As mentioned in another thread these are the lines I'd like to see Wilson roll this year,

Lupul............Connolly.............Kessel
Kulemin.........Grabovski...........MacArthur
Brown............Kadri.................Armstrong
Orr................Bozak................Rosehill

Lupul played really well down the stretch. He seemed to click wih Fat Phil. Slipping Connolly in makes the line stronger than it was with Bozak. Connolly's health is going to be the biggest question mark.

The Kulemin - Grabovski - MacArthur line was (next to Reimer) our brightest light last year. The 3 had fantastic chemistry. I think we can expect at least the same production.

For the last several years our 3rd line basically always been a collection of Euros, soft North Americans, or a combination of both. I say no more. The 2 most effective 3rd lines we've had in ages were Osborne - Zezel - Berg, and Tucker - Green - Corson. Both lines were solid defensively, and chipped in some dirty goals down low.

We lose the defensive specialist by having Kadri at center instead of Zezel and Green, but he brings a ton more offensive upside. Brown and Colby are both really good 2 way players who like to crash the net. Similarily to the 3rd lines I mentioned, I think there's plenty of garbage goals to be had. On top of that, Kadri will be putting up numbers on his own. I think there's a decent mix of defensive and offensive potential.

And the 4th line is a 4th line again. Jay Rosehill is a hell of a lot better #2 than Mike Brown. It would also mean Orr isn't the only one taking on the heavyweights. I think Bozak was a -29 last year. Having him on the 4th line as the defensively reliable guy worries me a bit. He shouldn't always be out there with the other team's best players though, so that should help.

I don't have Matthew Lombardi in there anywhere because he's hurt and I don't know what his status is. It wouldn't surprise me if the Leafs "bought" Cody Franson by taking Lombardi's contract knowing his fate was completely up in the air, and don't really care if he plays or not.

On the back end I'd like to see,

Phaneuf.........Aulie
Liles.............Schenn
Franson.........Komisarek

A lot of people point to Kaberle leaving town as the time when Dion Phaneuf turned his game around late last year. It was also when they paired him up with Keith Aulie. Aulie was a huge surprise last year, and he when played with Phaneuf he got even better. I expect them to return as our top pair.

Liles and Schenn is just the classic offensive defenseman paired with the defensive d-man. With Schenn being the stud he is, Liles should be able take all the extra chances he wants to try to help the offense. Being that we got sh1t all from our D last year, it would help.

Franson and Komisarek are going to have to play positionally sound, or their mobility could haunt us. Komisarek is reliable, only being a liability when he gets running around and does stupid things. Don't know enough about Franson, but at his size agility can't be a strong point. He's been talked up, but I don't see him taking a top 4 spot from the guys prviously mentioned.

Which leaves Carl Gunnarsson in the press box. If you believe the Franson "hype" Gunnarsson ends up bringing less to the show than the guys I have in the top 6. Komisarek's name might be brought up, but I don't see Burke sitting his 4 1/2 million dollar man.