deluca67 Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 I'm a bit more skeptical about the Leafs. I don't know if they really have a roster that can compete for 82 games and then for 16 more wins. The Leafs are more fun to watch than what they had on the ice for the last 9 years. As the Leafs stand now? No they're not a Cup contender. They are in better Cap position than the Sabres are. The Leafs are a team that are in a position to add a couple of players and possibly take that next step. They are going in the right direction. 2013-14 for the Leafs will rely a lot on Lupul's ability to stay healthy. He is a big difference maker for the Leafs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 I agree with this. I do, however, believe they're in better shape than the Sabres. Not on a different level better, but marginally so. hard to argue with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueBlueGED Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 As the Leafs stand now? No they're not a Cup contender. They are in better Cap position than the Sabres are. The Leafs are a team that are in a position to add a couple of players and possibly take that next step. They are going in the right direction. 2013-14 for the Leafs will rely a lot on Lupul's ability to stay healthy. He is a big difference maker for the Leafs. Relying on Lupul to stay healthy is not a smart money bet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spndnchz Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 So I guess the correct answer to this thread was, "No. It's never too early to bust on Toronto." "Or too late". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 As the Leafs stand now? No they're not a Cup contender. They are in better Cap position than the Sabres are. The Leafs are a team that are in a position to add a couple of players and possibly take that next step. They are going in the right direction. 2013-14 for the Leafs will rely a lot on Lupul's ability to stay healthy. He is a big difference maker for the Leafs. Lupul staying healthy is a huge question for that franchise. They are a different team with him off the ice. We'll see if Kadri can hold the kind of numbers he's been producing as well. He's turned into a nice player. But I expect some of those numbers will level off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deluca67 Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 Lupul staying healthy is a huge question for that franchise. They are a different team with him off the ice. We'll see if Kadri can hold the kind of numbers he's been producing as well. He's turned into a nice player. But I expect some of those numbers will level off. At 22, Kadri can take off and become a big star if he can build on this season. He really stepped up in Lupul absence. Looking at the Leafs, the need help on the right side behind Kessel. I wouldn't be surprised if the Leafs target David Clarkson in free agency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 At 22, Kadri can take off and become a big star if he can build on this season. He really stepped up in Lupul absence. Looking at the Leafs, the need help on the right side behind Kessel. I wouldn't be surprised if the Leafs target David Clarkson in free agency. Clarkson would be nice. But I think you overestimate the strength of Toronto's cap position. They have about 19 million left to bring in 11 players with Kadri, MacArthur, Bozak, Gunnerson, Fraser, Franson all unsigned. I don't think they can go to free agency and expect to bring in their regulars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deluca67 Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 Clarkson would be nice. But I think you overestimate the strength of Toronto's cap position. They have about 19 million left to bring in 11 players with Kadri, MacArthur, Bozak, Gunnerson, Fraser, Franson all unsigned. I don't think they can go to free agency and expect to bring in their regulars. I can see the Leafs letting Bozak & MacArthur walk. Kadri and the three D will be the priorities, with $19 mil available they should still be able to do some shopping this off-season. I didn't realize that Kessel is entering his final year. I wonder if the Leafs will move him or re-sign? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 I can see the Leafs letting Bozak & MacArthur walk. Kadri and the three D will be the priorities, with $19 mil available they should still be able to do some shopping this off-season. I didn't realize that Kessel is entering his final year. I wonder if the Leafs will move him or re-sign? They will have to overpay to keep Bozak and probably should. But whatever they do, the rest of the roster has to come in at less than 2M per head. They are going to have a tough time upgrading in free agency IMO. Interesting question on Kessel. I think he gets signed. (phaneuf too, btw). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueBlueGED Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 They will have to overpay to keep Bozak and probably should. But whatever they do, the rest of the roster has to come in at less than 2M per head. They are going to have a tough time upgrading in free agency IMO. Interesting question on Kessel. I think he gets signed. (phaneuf too, btw). Disagree that they should overpay Bozak. He's woefully overrated and in no way worth the $5MM per he's supposedly seeking. Somebody will give it to him due to the horrible UFA crop, but if I were a Leafs fan, I wouldn't want it to be my team. Put that money towards Kessel IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trettioåtta Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 Disagree that they should overpay Bozak. He's woefully overrated and in no way worth the $5MM per he's supposedly seeking. Somebody will give it to him due to the horrible UFA crop, but if I were a Leafs fan, I wouldn't want it to be my team. Put that money towards Kessel IMO. The issue is that the leafs have even fewer good centres than us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 Disagree that they should overpay Bozak. He's woefully overrated and in no way worth the $5MM per he's supposedly seeking. Somebody will give it to him due to the horrible UFA crop, but if I were a Leafs fan, I wouldn't want it to be my team. Put that money towards Kessel IMO. Bozak leaving would leave a hole. If I'm not mistaken he centered Lupul and Kessel most of the year. 5M would be a lot however, I didn't know he was asking that much, but he'll probably find it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueBlueGED Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 The issue is that the leafs have even fewer good centres than us Disagree. We have one, Hodgson. They have two, Kadri and Grabovski (down year, I know, but I'm betting on a return to form next season). Bozak leaving would leave a hole. If I'm not mistaken he centered Lupul and Kessel most of the year. 5M would be a lot however, I didn't know he was asking that much, but he'll probably find it. It would leave a hole, but I view Bozak as a completely replaceable player, and I don't believe in overpaying replaceable players just because their departure would create a hole. If I'm the Leafs I walk away and hope Grabovski rebounds (IMO he's a much better player than Bozak when he's on his game). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
X. Benedict Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 Disagree. We have one, Hodgson. They have two, Kadri and Grabovski (down year, I know, but I'm betting on a return to form next season). It would leave a hole, but I view Bozak as a completely replaceable player, and I don't believe in overpaying replaceable players just because their departure would create a hole. If I'm the Leafs I walk away and hope Grabovski rebounds (IMO he's a much better player than Bozak when he's on his game). The problem is they don't have that player to replace him on the roster IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueBlueGED Posted May 31, 2013 Report Share Posted May 31, 2013 The problem is they don't have that player to replace him on the roster IMO. You're definitely right, they have no immediate replacement. But I still couldn't use that as justification to pay him $2MM more annually than I think he's worth. If I could get him for around what Stoll or Gaustad signed for, that's one thing, but I get the feeling he'll be a good deal more expensive than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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