What's Next for The Maple Leafs?

Jordo wrote:

hemlock wrote:I really don't know. I think if he's gone to the trouble to acquire his 2nd, it's to offer a package to actually acquire Kessel, and not just hoop the Bruins. $2.6 to $3.9 means a 1st and 3rd, but he's gone out of the way to grab his 2nd back, so it leads me to believe he's looking at somewhere between $3.9 and $5.2, which requires a 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Anything more for this guy is lunacy.

Knowing Burke- he's probably looking at the heavy side of that range- maybe even 5.2... which he'll have to take- I can't see the Bruins matching that- because that's a lot of shuffling on their side to keep him... as I recall they're pressed right against the cap as is.

Just checked- they would need to clear over 4 mil to sign Kessel, AND still remain pressed right up against the cap. I can't see how they'd match anything Toronto could offer... I guess they should have taken that Kaberle deal when they could have..

No kidding. Adding Kaberle makes that defense even better, and from the sounds of it, they weren't keeping Kessel anyway. Maybe Chiarelli is sitting back hoping that Burke offers Kessel $5.3 per. That's 2 1sts, 2nd and 3rd. A massive overpayment (both picks and salary) for Kessel, in my opinion.

I just can't figure out what Burke is doing. Yes he's made the D alot tougher to play against, but he didn't upgrade the O. Sure they were the 10th (I think) highest scoring team in the league last year, but that was with Antropov for most of the season. I wonder if Burke is praying that Bozak can make up for Antropov's missing offense, which seems like a real leap of faith to me.

They were also 10th in goals for because they played without a semblance of a defensive system and with several offensive defencemen.

EDIT: Hey, 4K. cool)

hemlock wrote:[No kidding. Adding Kaberle makes that defense even better, and from the sounds of it, they weren't keeping Kessel anyway. Maybe Chiarelli is sitting back hoping that Burke offers Kessel $5.3 per. That's 2 1sts, 2nd and 3rd. A massive overpayment (both picks and salary) for Kessel, in my opinion.

I just can't figure out what Burke is doing. Yes he's made the D alot tougher to play against, but he didn't upgrade the O. Sure they were the 10th (I think) highest scoring team in the league last year, but that was with Antropov for most of the season. I wonder if Burke is praying that Bozak can make up for Antropov's missing offense, which seems like a real leap of faith to me.

The way he might be looking at it is: he's made his defence rock solid and it was woeful last year, he was in the Cammelleri hunt until the last second - and was willing to offer up to 6 million as well. He tried to get Kessel already in that nixed Kaberle deal, so now, he's going to spend 5 million dollars to get a guy who could be considered the best sniper in this class of UFAs other than the older, injury riddled Gaborik and Cammelleri. It'll cost him the picks, but I think he feels that he upgraded his D to such an extent that he can afford next year's picks for a young superstar.

Also, don't forget that Burke heads up Team USA and is very familiar with Kessel at this juncture. I'm sure they've had conversations regarding Team USA and Burke probably got a good vibe from him. And...if that's not enough, isn't Ron Wilson coach of Team USA as well? Talk about being motivated to play for your team above and beyond the call. :^^^^:

And the other obvious is that Boston chose to sign Derek Morris instead of dealing with this - which made me wonder whether or not they really care. Which...I don't understand.

NAME POS AGE TEAM CAP HIT DETAILS
Kessel, Phil » F 22 BOS $2,200,000 2009 (RFA)
Svitov, Alexander » F 26 CLB $1,125,000 2009 (RFA)
Babchuk, Anton » D 25 CAR $1,000,000 2009 (RFA)
Stafford, Drew » F 23 BUF $984,200 2009 (RFA)
Murray, Brady » F 25 LAK $942,400 2009 (RFA)
Lundin, Mike » D 24 TBL $687,500 2009 (RFA)
Ramo, Karri » G 23 TBL $658,333 2009 (RFA)
Dubinsky, Brandon » F 23 NYR $633,333 2009 (RFA)
LaVallee, Jordan » F 23 ATL $525,000 2009 (RFA)
Filewich, Jonathan » F 24 STL $522,500 2009 (RFA)
Mancari, Mark » F 24 BUF $522,500 2009 (RFA)
Karlsson, Mattias » D 24 OTT $510,000 2009 (RFA)
Wirtanen, Petteri » F 23 ANA $500,000 2009 (RFA)
Wilson, Kelsey » F 23 NAS $478,333 2009 (RFA)
Holt, Chris » G 24 STL $475,000 2009 (RFA)

Someone posted this list on HF. It's not for Stafford. Dubinsky or Kessel. Dubinsky does seem like a Burke player I'll admit. But Sather actually has cap room and a weak lineup, so he'd match I assume.

Kessel and Chiarelli are having words in the media back and forth. My opinion: Kessel's a Leaf by Monday or Tuesday latest. Unless Boston gets off their arse and does something, but an OS is orchestrated by an agent usually, so it's probably too late.

Fascinating times right now. This is a massive, massive move between two division rivals. :****:

Someone's gonna be unhappy.

asq2 wrote:They were also 10th in goals for because they played without a semblance of a defensive system and with several offensive defencemen.

EDIT: Hey, 4K. cool)

A well earned 4000 posts. Nice work.

Damnit, why can't we have any RFAs that someone wanted to poach for $6 million per.

hemlock wrote:

asq2 wrote:They were also 10th in goals for because they played without a semblance of a defensive system and with several offensive defencemen.

EDIT: Hey, 4K. cool)

A well earned 4000 posts. Nice work.

I don't know about that. I'd say 2000 of them are well-earned. :^^^^:

SpezDispenser wrote:Fascinating times right now. This is a massive, massive move between two division rivals. :****:

Someone's gonna be unhappy.

I suppose if you want to alienate a GM, it'd be one in your division you wouldn't trade with anyway.

Unless he moves to another team afterwards. :??:

hemlock wrote:Damnit, why can't we have any RFAs that someone wanted to poach for $6 million per.

:^^^^: Don't wish that. Cowen, Wiercioch and Karlsson all look like they may be potential targets in the future.

SpezDispenser wrote:

hemlock wrote:Damnit, why can't we have any RFAs that someone wanted to poach for $6 million per.

:^^^^: Don't wish that. Cowen, Wiercioch and Karlsson all look like they may be potential targets in the future.

I know, I know...it's just that all those high picks. :drooling:

If only Lawton had reacquired his 3rd for an offer sheet on Mez. We'd literally talking about a Hedman-Karlsson pairing for the next decade and a half.

hemlock wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

hemlock wrote:Damnit, why can't we have any RFAs that someone wanted to poach for $6 million per.

:^^^^: Don't wish that. Cowen, Wiercioch and Karlsson all look like they may be potential targets in the future.

I know, I know...it's just that all those high picks. :drooling:

If only Lawton had reacquired his 3rd for an offer sheet on Mez. We'd literally talking about a Hedman-Karlsson pairing for the next decade and a half.

Hedman - Karlsson
Cowen - Wiercioch

Oh man.

And people thought I was crazy to complain about that.

GRANTED, so as not to pull a Neely ( ), I think I was wrong to be so harsh about the Campoli deal.

yeah but if Kuba stayed there, they may have had a better result, and we may have had a worse one. Hedman and Cowen might have very well been Kane and Schenn.

asq2 wrote:

hemlock wrote:

SpezDispenser wrote:

hemlock wrote:Damnit, why can't we have any RFAs that someone wanted to poach for $6 million per.

:^^^^: Don't wish that. Cowen, Wiercioch and Karlsson all look like they may be potential targets in the future.

I know, I know...it's just that all those high picks. :drooling:

If only Lawton had reacquired his 3rd for an offer sheet on Mez. We'd literally talking about a Hedman-Karlsson pairing for the next decade and a half.

Hedman - Karlsson
Cowen - Wiercioch

Oh man.

And people thought I was crazy to complain about that.

GRANTED, so as not to pull a Neely ( ), I think I was wrong to be so harsh about the Campoli deal.

Nah man, you and I were on the same page during last season, and I remember being in the minority that's for sure. :^^^^:

Burke would literally have to be an idiot to offer Phil Kessel that much money this early on in his career. Just doesn't make sense for a Toronto. It would well make sense for a San Jose who have the picks, the money available and a team so good that the picks are going to be negligible anyways. But for Toronto, a team that might possibly finish in a lottery position again, to gift wrap a lottery pick for the Bruins would be very dumb. I guess we'll find out soon enough with training camp almost here.

Or is Burke doing this to put pressure on Boston do actually do a deal? Burke: "Hey, let's make a deal but if I need to, I'll make an offer sheet to get him... I'm ready with my picks." I'm sure Burke would rather hold onto the picks and not have to make extend and offer sheet. I'm sure Boston wouldn't blink though. "We'll take those picks thank you." Heh heh.

PKC wrote:Burke would literally have to be an idiot to offer Phil Kessel that much money this early on in his career. Just doesn't make sense for a Toronto. It would well make sense for a San Jose who have the picks, the money available and a team so good that the picks are going to be negligible anyways. But for Toronto, a team that might possibly finish in a lottery position again, to gift wrap a lottery pick for the Bruins would be very dumb. I guess we'll find out soon enough with training camp almost here.

CapGeek has SJ sitting with 857k available. I agree with the other points, but SJ isn't in a position to sign ANYONE right now, particularly someone that should get a nice raise on this contract.

spader wrote:

PKC wrote:Burke would literally have to be an idiot to offer Phil Kessel that much money this early on in his career. Just doesn't make sense for a Toronto. It would well make sense for a San Jose who have the picks, the money available and a team so good that the picks are going to be negligible anyways. But for Toronto, a team that might possibly finish in a lottery position again, to gift wrap a lottery pick for the Bruins would be very dumb. I guess we'll find out soon enough with training camp almost here.

CapGeek has SJ sitting with 857k available. I agree with the other points, but SJ isn't in a position to sign ANYONE right now, particularly someone that should get a nice raise on this contract.

They could move some money if they absolutely had to. I mean they could clear Cheechoo's money off the decks if they absolutely wanted to.