Toronto Maple Leafs

[2014olympicgold]

So help me if they lose a guy they wanted to keep because they signed Reaves to $1.35m and not $1.1m...I'll be mad. Or because they signed Klingberg to a $4.15m deal and not $4m...

[Axeman33]

So help me if they lose a guy they wanted to keep because they signed Reaves to $1.35m and not $1.1m...I'll be mad. Or because they signed Klingberg to a $4.15m deal and not $4m...

Not sure either guy was worth signing at all.

[tweetdrivr]

Not sure either guy was worth signing at all.

I’m sure they weren’t. Terrible deals.

[2014olympicgold]

They definitely weren't worth the deals they got in the early days of FA when they knew they had cap gymnastics to deal with.

If Reaves signed his deal today, after things got dealt with I'd be way more happy about it. Same with Klingberg. It's like "oh ok, they have this space, might as well use it". But to sign Reaves July 1st to a 3yr deal...wow. Same with Klingberg with rumours of Karlsson still around (I 100% doubt it especially with Kling). The deals didn't make sense for when they signed.

Whatevvaa.

[Daydream Nation]

Not sure either guy was worth signing at all.

I agree. Reaves is a complete waste and it would be surprising is Klingberg is worth the cap hit. Toronto got a whole lot worse defensively offseason. With the contract questions, lame duck coach, aging defense, and an already mentally fragile core, I can easily foresee this season going south for Toronto.

[Feenom]

I agree. Reaves is a complete waste and it would be surprising is Klingberg is worth the cap hit. Toronto got a whole lot worse defensively offseason. With the contract questions, lame duck coach, aging defense, and an already mentally fragile core, I can easily foresee this season going south for Toronto.

Yep, but the weather will be good and the golfing early. The only thing I like is the Samsonov signing. But like Domi and Bert he will be gone next year.

[BloodSport]

When do we know if Matt Murray is being bought out or not?

[Pengwin7]

When do we know if Matt Murray is being bought out or not?

The buyout window opens 3-days after (a team's) last arbitration case.
Since Samsonov was settled on July23... I'd assume the window for buyout is open July26-28.

[Pengwin7]

When do we know if Matt Murray is being bought out or not?

The buyout window opens 3-days after (a team's) last arbitration case and is open for 48 hours.
Since Samsonov was settled on July23... I'd assume the window for buyout is open July26-28.

I'm not sure if there is a "time of day" when it opens... but I'd guess noon or 2pm Eastern.
Those have been historical times for waivers processing - so maybe they apply for things like buyout windows too.

For PHI, Noah Cates signed as their arb-RFA on July 10.
DeAngelo was bought out for PHI on July 14.

[lucafen4]

Samsonov should never have made it to arbitration. Not for 3.55m.
I think everyone expected 3.9-4.4m x2yrs
At least it sounds like it wasn't an ugly arbitration case & Samsonov isn't sour about anything that was said by the Leafs.
The window will be open to re-sign him this season if he puts on a repeat performance.

As an aside
I really like the Leafs goalie pipeline right now
Woll might steal the net if Samsonov slips to start
Hildeby, Peksa & Ahktiamov all have really good upside - even though most don't have them ranked as top G prospects
In 3yrs I can see a Woll - Ahktiamov tandem; if Sammy doesn't sign longer term


3yrs for Reaves was dumb.
it's a signing of need - bottom 6 toughness.
That type of player at that age - should be a 1yr deal and for less.
Dubas laid the blueprint pretty clearly of how to build a bottom six on a budget. Treleving didn't read the handbook.

Klingberg is another signing of need.
They weren't getting him cheaper.
Other teams believe he can still move the puck and provide offense.
1yr deal makes this a much easier pill to swallow.
If they use him appropriately, I don't mind it.

My #1 choice was Dubas' guy. Graves on a multi-year deal.

Let's be real though, Leafs for 2-rounds could not clear the puck from their zone.
When the opposing team can target one Dman to clear the zone and force 5 others to fulfill Rielly's primary role - a second puck moving Dman was the clear primary need of this team in the off-season.
Holl was arguably the 2nd best at clearing the zone vs. Fla (queue Holl hate) - that says a lot.

Now, they need Timmins & Liljigren to take another step and give them more puck moving options.

Bertuzzi is easily the best signing.
It gives them a real top 6F option since Hyman's last year
& provides some insulation for Knies to develop off the top line.
At least for 10 games... until Bertuzzi gets hurt.

[Dennis]

https://twitter.com/LeafsPR/status/1684232270704414720?s=20

Murray to LTIR/Robidas Island, will not be bought out according to this account

[Pengwin7]

Congrats to all our Leaf fans!
You've won this year's "TBL/VGK-style stash whatever future LTIR player you get into the playoffs" contest!

[lucafen4]

Congrats to all our Leaf fans!
You've won this year's "TBL/VGK-style stash whatever future LTIR player you get into the playoffs" contest!

Sadly... Murray won't bring the playoff impact of Stone or Kucherov.
In fact, could be a negative impact.

Be really interesting how this plays out..
queue the independent medical review - ala Joffrey Lupul.

They're still 2m over the cap... more to come.

[Pengwin7]

re: Murray. No, he's not positive impact.
But there's a great thing when you have 2+ players on LTIR... one can come back healthy and your team is still LTIR.
And re: Murray - assuming it's his head - you've basically got Nolan Patrick-style LTIR insurance for your team's year.

So... this is what happened with VGK last year.
They had a couple players (Patrick & Weber as "locks" + Lehner) on LTIR - they were never in jeopardy of coming OUT of LTIR.

So.. when Mark Stone goes injured... they just add him into their LTIR... replace his salary with somebody else...
And the STONE comes back in playoffs.

Leafs could have Tavares or AM34 or Marner or Willie all go down... send player to LTIR... replace player with healthy high-cap-hit...
And wait for playoffs to bring player off.

It's not about who is on LTIR right now...
It's about knowing that you have enough safeguard injury to your LTIR that one player can come off... and your team is STILL at LTIR status.
That's critical. So having two (Muzzin AND Murray) will help the Leafs have better shot at maintaining that LTIR all year.
They could have ANY of their important roster players go down with injury... send them to LTIR... replace their cap hit... and then bring the player back in playoffs.
They can do this / plan for this / because they have multiple players helping to assure them LTIR status for entire season.

That's more of my point.

[Axeman33]

*cough* Bull$hit *cough*

One way ticket to Robidas Island.