C,mon Leafs...Please
Rejoint: juin 2015
Messages: 836
Mentions "j'aime": 329
I have been concerned of this for 45 years BUT this year I think they actually have balance.
My spin on your lineup would be:
Martin couldn't keep up with the 4th liners on the Leafs years ago and basically got benched the remainder of the year. He is older and just as slow now and the Leafs are flying. I would leave Hyman up there as they aren't playing against goon lines of other teams and when a 4th line is caught out there against them...well... Matthews, Marner and Hyman eat them for lunch speed/skill-wise.
I love Nick Foligno and all but if the Leafs are trading Rielly and Kerfoot for assets then I think you are going after the wrong Foligno. Although Sandin can't touch Rielly's skill and offence at this point, I can see Sandin growing into that role in the next couple of years. 30 year old 6'3" 223 LBS Marcus Foligno is the guy you overpay for to play with Tavares and Nylander. He can fight as well as any in the league like Tom Wilson, can score like Tom Wilson but isn't a selfish hothead like Tom Wilson. Oh and he is signed for $3.1 MIL instead of almost $5.2 MIL.
Looking for 3rd line toughness ? 6'2" Barclay Goodrow will be hitting the UFA market and as a depth player scoring between 6-8 goals per regular season, a little over 50% at the faceoff dot but only 1-2 goals per year in over 20+ playoff games the last 2 playoffs he should be worth around an Engvall salary-wise but might hit Mikheyev numbers. Any contract much more than that is hitting David Clarkson levels of salary stupidity. He might get it but it would be a HUGE overpay that could be more effectively allocated elsewhere.
4th line had you remove Simmonds 7 goals for Reaves 1 goal and Khaira's 3 goals. You also removed Spezza's 10 goals, 30 points and phenomenal faceoff % to make room. Since Simmonds will probably sign for almost a 1/3 of what Reaves and Khaira make for less offensive production I think I would leave that 4th line as status quo.
On defence I would stay clear of Gudas and his bloated contract versus his level of talent. I do agree that he hits but Bogosian is a better fighter and comparable skill-wise but would make less than HALF of Gudas.
Love Oleksiak and would sign him longer than 2 years if we get a chance to actually pull him away from Dallas.
So my fantasy lines would be:
Hyman / Matthews / Marner
M Foligno (TRADE) / Tavares / Nyander (Try a 3 way with another team and trade ANYONE not in this lineup including top prospect Robertson, Rielly, etc)
Mikheyev / Goodrow (UFA) / Nash
Brooks / Spezza / Simmonds
Muzzin / Brodie
Oleksiak (UFA) / Holl
Sandin / Bogosian
Keeping all the skilled forwards and defence but replacing depth players with toughness with 1 trade and 2 UFA signings.