Vatanen projections if he goes to the Leafs

[hockeyrobot]

Lol this thread. This could be the new style of "who to start" thread to tide us over until the new season??

[Moses]

Leafs? Wha-what?!?!?

We should start a thread for every NHL player and what their projections would be if they played for the leafs.

[Moses]

For reals though.... If I were the Ducks I would buy out Kevin Bieksa (or ask him to waive his NMC) before a panic sell-off of Vatanen (or any of the young kids).

[Jouko-Pouko]

For reals though.... If I were the Ducks I would buy out Kevin Bieksa (or ask him to waive his NMC) before a panic sell-off of Vatanen (or any of the young kids).

I'm sure they'll say to Bieksa that "We want to keep you here but we cannot protect you, so we need you to waive your NMC. Otherwise we'll have to use a buyout on you."

But they'd still lose Manson if they protect Vatanen, so that's the real problem. They can replace Vatanen with Montour quite easily but Manson is harder to replace because they don't have another physical player like him available.

Going with 8 skaters is not really an option because they don't want to lose Rakell or Silfverberg, and they could only protect one of them.

[havanablast21]

Moot point.

He won't be in a Leaf uniform next year. Maybe the better question is "how will suiting up for LV impact his production moving forward?

[Polecon]

similar to gardiner's production last season but i can't see the leafs trading for vatanen despite the need for a RD. they have enough small puck moving D in the system, they need a top 4 defensive specialist like Tanev.

This answer... (although maybe not Tanev...).

[Sulla]

40s wherever he ends up IMO. For me he won't be a Duck next season so whether it is via trade or expansion he should slip into a pp spot (otherwise the acquiring team wouldn't see the appeal of acquiring him IMO)

[cheese_cake]

Sticking with the possibility of Vatanen being with the Leafs and him being a on the #1 PP unit, where would you see Rielly? I've come to believe that he would prime for a breakout or become #1 D soon, so maybe I would side with the Leafs searching for a defensive anchor...

[Sulla]

Have to think the latest injury update scuppers the leafs taking him unless either a) they get a heavily discounted price of B) they wait until he returns

[als_revenge]

I'm sure they'll say to Bieksa that "We want to keep you here but we cannot protect you, so we need you to waive your NMC. Otherwise we'll have to use a buyout on you."

But they'd still lose Manson if they protect Vatanen, so that's the real problem. They can replace Vatanen with Montour quite easily but Manson is harder to replace because they don't have another physical player like him available.

Going with 8 skaters is not really an option because they don't want to lose Rakell or Silfverberg, and they could only protect one of them.

You just have to think that they'll trade their way out of this predicament. Presumably they can get a pick or protected asset for one of these decent players they will otherwise lose.

To OP: I don't see Vatanan making it to Toronto, injury or no injury.

[Jouko-Pouko]

You just have to think that they'll trade their way out of this predicament. Presumably they can get a pick or protected asset for one of these decent players they will otherwise lose.

To OP: I don't see Vatanan making it to Toronto, injury or no injury.

But which teams are able to acquire a D-man at this point? If they acquire a D-man, then they also need to protect him. Most teams already have too many D-men to protect to begin with, so they definitely cannot acquire another one. It's definitely possible they find a trade partner but there are a few teams looking to trade a D-man because of the expansion draft, so it's really a buyer's market right now.

[als_revenge]

But which teams are able to acquire a D-man at this point? If they acquire a D-man, then they also need to protect him. Most teams already have too many D-men to protect to begin with, so they definitely cannot acquire another one. It's definitely possible they find a trade partner but there are a few teams looking to trade a D-man because of the expansion draft, so it's really a buyer's market right now.

I agree it's a buyer's market. I just think getting something for an asset is better than nothing. And a player like Vatanen or Lindholm (or whoever) is better than a number 3 on some teams. I'd take either on Buffalo in a heartbeat.

[Jouko-Pouko]

I agree it's a buyer's market. I just think getting something for an asset is better than nothing. And a player like Vatanen or Lindholm (or whoever) is better than a number 3 on some teams. I'd take either on Buffalo in a heartbeat.

In a vacuum yes but every team is going to lose one player for nothing anyways, so is it worth it to trade Vatanen for low return and then lose a forward, or would it be better to just lose Vatanen for nothing? I don't know the answer, it depends on what that low return would be.

Fowler and Lindholm are Anaheim's best D-men, so I doubt they move either one (unless they can't meet Fowler's asking price on the new contract). It's likely Vatanen or Manson they're trading/losing. They already have Montour as in-house replacement for Vatanen, so losing him would be the easiest solution in my opinion.