versteeg to the leafs

Hoags wrote:Trading away the future for the present. Sounds like a classic Leafs deal.

Aren't Stalberg and Versteeg about the same age?

Versteeg is younger than Regin (EDIT: and Stalberg).

Pretty good deal for the Leafs.

I don't know the prospects involved very well at all but it sounds like a reasonable deal for the Leafs, at least a concrete improvement of firepower IMO.

Good deal for Chicago as well, as I really didn't think they would get that much return for Versteeg.

The Leafs probably identified Versteeg as being an underplayed forward rather than an overrated one in Chicago, and hope he can contribute more with more ice time. Time will tell.

Great deal for both teams in my opinion, Chicago frees up a little more cap room which they still needed, as their 3 RFA's could command some offer sheets, so a little extra cap space never hurt. They acquire two real decent prospects in Stalberg and DiDomenico, and give themselves some cap flexibility.


Toronto picks up Versteeg which will help the offensive woes, AND most importantly did not involve their best trade commoditity, Thomas Kaberle.

Nice

Hoags wrote:Trading away the future for the present. Sounds like a classic Leafs deal.

It's not exactly like Versteeg is an old man...let's not get ahead of ourselves. He's 24, kept up his production from reg to post-season, and is the best player in the deal. The Leafs win this trade until further notice....

That being said, Chicago did very well for themselves in getting rid of him and his inevitable overpayment.

If they cross him to his wrong side or force Kessel over to the left, the first line of Versteeg-Bozak-Kessel is as close to a respectable first line as the Leafs have had in YEARS (note the number of letters in "years"...)

I kind of like it from both teams perspectives, but the fact remains that Toronto didnt get a 1st line player and they gave up two o.k prospects. I like it more from Chicago's POV because of the situation they were in and what they got back but Versteeg will be o.k in Toronto, just his 45 points will seem like a huige disapointment there vs solid 3rd line scoring in Chicago. Good trade for Burke though, not a game changer or anything though.

Good trade for the Leafs... Versteeg's only 24... will be interesting to see how he does with the Leafs. Wonder where he'll be slotted?

shabbs wrote:Good trade for the Leafs... Versteeg's only 24... will be interesting to see how he does with the Leafs. Wonder where he'll be slotted?

Top line.

N4L wrote:

shabbs wrote:Good trade for the Leafs... Versteeg's only 24... will be interesting to see how he does with the Leafs. Wonder where he'll be slotted?

Top line.

Heh. Yeah, his point total would put him there with the Leafs... him and Kessel are both RW. Did he flip/flop in Chicago?

Once in a while he played with Toews and Kane, he was a good fit in Chicago. I can see this going down as another Stempniak move, a guy who has some talent and can contribute, but has no talent atound him in Toronto.

N4L wrote:

shabbs wrote:Good trade for the Leafs... Versteeg's only 24... will be interesting to see how he does with the Leafs. Wonder where he'll be slotted?

Top line.

No way that Versteeg plays on the top line in Toronto unless you think that Kessel plays on Line #2 and I don't see that happening due to the fact that they need Kessel to produce in order to make up for one of the worst trades Burke has ever made.

Kessel and Versteeg play a carbon copy game, but Kessel has more skill to back it up. These two players have to be split up.

Kessel top line, Versteeg #2.

Well Kris can play LW, C, and RW.... and why not play him with Kessel?

TSN's Dutchy loves Versteeg and says he is likely Toronto's best player, even better than Kessel

Great move by the Leafs, Versteeg's got some serious skill. Who knows if those 3 Toronto prospects will even pan out ...

Dash wrote:Well Kris can play LW, C, and RW.... and why not play him with Kessel?

They play the exact same game on the ice. You can't have 2 players that beg to have the puck on their stick and rush the puck into the offensive zone. They will not be on the same line together. No way.

That would be like taking away a bodybuilders steroids. Their game would go to Dung.

Haha, I said Dung. Too funny.

SDH89 wrote:Great move by the Leafs, Versteeg's got some serious skill. Who knows if those 3 Toronto prospects will even pan out ...

I like this deal because of Versteeg's age, but that's a dangerous attitude that has gotten the Leafs into trouble in the past:

"Who knows if our first round pick (ended up being Scott Niedermayer) will even pan out? Tom Kurvers is proven!"

"Who knows if Tuuka Rask will even pan out? Andrew Raycroft is a Calder winner!"

It's possible in a few years that we'll be saying the same thing about the Seguin deal, although Kessel is vastly better than Kurvers or Raycroft.

Some Hawks fans say Leafs need to get ready for these: