2019 Toronto Maple Leafs Offseason Discussion

[Kin]

I'm just hoping Ceci's deal is mostly signing bonuses. That should tell us a lot about their intent with him.

I think it will provide flexibility but his play will ultimately decide if he stays with the Leafs for the whole season.

I agree with the slight caveat that if one of Sandin-Liljegren really look like they're knocking on the door at mid-season the smart move may be to deal Ceci for a pick and let one of the young guys come up to serve as a mid-season upgrade for a cap scraping team.

 

[lc9]

Dreger reporting that Ceci's 1 year 4.5M contract will be announced.

I don't really get why we are choosing to sign a dreadful defenceman for $4.5 million in the middle of a cap crunch with Gardiner still available.

Because Gardiner time with the leafs is over. It?s time to move on. 

 

[Kessel Run]

Sign and trade Ceci, re-sign Gardiner for 1 year at 4.5M?

Allows Gardiner to potentially bounce back after an off year with a good team and maybe get a huge deal next year.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

https://twitter.com/CapFriendly/status/1146802521169641474

Well poop. I don't get why they didn't force him to sign his QO, or try their hand at arbitration to even maybe get a lower deal. Oh well, neither other option would have made much of a difference I guess.

 

[Kin]

I guess we just have to figure that Dubas sees something there.

 

[bustaheims]

I don't really get why we are choosing to sign a dreadful defenceman for $4.5 million in the middle of a cap crunch with Gardiner still available.

You kinda answered your own question. Gardiner would almost certainly come at a higher AAV - I can't see him signing for less than $5M, and will likely come in higher than that. The Leafs don't really have the cap space to make it work anymore - at least, not without trading away a couple million on cap space and being sure Ceci won't sign his QO, and, if he goes to arbitration, gets an award large enough they'd be allowed to walk away from.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I guess we just have to figure that Dubas sees something there.

Could also be a bit of a give and take process with Babcock.

 

[Zee]

Waiting on the Gardiner league minimum contract with the Leafs

 

[Joe S.]

Sign and trade Ceci, re-sign Gardiner for 1 year at 4.5M?

Allows Gardiner to potentially bounce back after an off year with a good team and maybe get a huge deal next year.

Other than being injured, how did Gardiner have an off year?

 

[cabber24]

Sign and trade Ceci, re-sign Gardiner for 1 year at 4.5M?

Allows Gardiner to potentially bounce back after an off year with a good team and maybe get a huge deal next year.

Other than being injured, how did Gardiner have an off year?

Kind of feels like Kaberle leaving, it was just time.

 

[Guilt Trip]

Sign and trade Ceci, re-sign Gardiner for 1 year at 4.5M?

Allows Gardiner to potentially bounce back after an off year with a good team and maybe get a huge deal next year.

Other than being injured, how did Gardiner have an off year?

His offensive numbers dropped a bit but I don't think he had an "off" year either.

 

[herman]

I guess we just have to figure that Dubas sees something there.

Could also be a bit of a give and take process with Babcock.

You only get a signing bonus if you're good

 

[Strangelove]

I don't really get why we are choosing to sign a dreadful defenceman for $4.5 million in the middle of a cap crunch with Gardiner still available.

You kinda answered your own question. Gardiner would almost certainly come at a higher AAV - I can't see him signing for less than $5M, and will likely come in higher than that. The Leafs don't really have the cap space to make it work anymore - at least, not without trading away a couple million on cap space and being sure Ceci won't sign his QO, and, if he goes to arbitration, gets an award large enough they'd be allowed to walk away from.

I suppose. But by most accounts, his arbitration award would have been high enough to walk away from.

Even if Gardiner isn't signed I don't understand how it makes sense to pay $4.5 million to a below replacement level player who had an average Corsi of 44% over the past three seasons. What could management possibly see that makes him a better fit than literally anyone else at any cost?

 

[Peter D.]

Purely speculative from my seat, but it seems like Gardiner having not signed anywhere yet almost suggests that there may be some understanding between him and the team that they are trying to clear space to sign him.  Otherwise there is no reason why he shouldn't have been snapped up in the first few hours of free agency.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Purely speculative from my seat, but it seems like Gardiner having not signed anywhere yet almost suggests that there may be some understanding between him and the team that they are trying to clear space to sign him.  Otherwise there is no reason why he shouldn't have been snapped up in the first few hours of free agency.

This has been debated a bit already but it's entirely possible Gardiner came into July 1st thinking he was the best defenceman available and that he'd get $7mil x 7 years and that other teams still see him as a defenceman who makes a lot of mistakes in the defensive zone and doesn't actually put up a ton of points (at least not for a $7mil defenceman).

 

[OldTimeHockey]

Purely speculative from my seat, but it seems like Gardiner having not signed anywhere yet almost suggests that there may be some understanding between him and the team that they are trying to clear space to sign him.  Otherwise there is no reason why he shouldn't have been snapped up in the first few hours of free agency.

This has been debated a bit already but it's entirely possible Gardiner came into July 1st thinking he was the best defenceman available and that he'd get $7mil x 7 years and that other teams still see him as a defenceman who makes a lot of mistakes in the defensive zone and doesn't actually put up a ton of points (at least not for a $7mil defenceman).

This all day long.

 

[bustaheims]

Even if Gardiner isn't signed I don't understand how it makes sense to pay $4.5 million to a below replacement level player who had an average Corsi of 44% over the past three seasons. What could management possibly see that makes him a better fit than literally anyone else at any cost?

His playing situation does make it hard to garner much from his numbers. He was generally expected to be the better half of his pairing, which was clearly not working out. But, it's quite possible he'll be valuable as the 2nd best defencemen on the ice for his team - and there's value in that, too. A good #4 RHD is worth a good chunk of change, and that's a role Ceci has never really been asked to play. The Leafs are taking a 1 season gamble on his ability to raise his game when he has less responsibility and a better partner.

 

[Guilt Trip]

Purely speculative from my seat, but it seems like Gardiner having not signed anywhere yet almost suggests that there may be some understanding between him and the team that they are trying to clear space to sign him.  Otherwise there is no reason why he shouldn't have been snapped up in the first few hours of free agency.

Which also says that if that's the case, then it's only 1 team interested because if anyone came along with the cash, he's signing it. Leafs aren't signing Ceci if they want  Gardiner.

 

[OldTimeHockey]

Do we think Ceci was despised by Sens fans because he's absolutely terrible, or do you think, as has been pointed out, that he was expected to do too much being one of the only recognizable names left on that hockey team.

 

[Guilt Trip]

Purely speculative from my seat, but it seems like Gardiner having not signed anywhere yet almost suggests that there may be some understanding between him and the team that they are trying to clear space to sign him.  Otherwise there is no reason why he shouldn't have been snapped up in the first few hours of free agency.

This has been debated a bit already but it's entirely possible Gardiner came into July 1st thinking he was the best defenceman available and that he'd get $7mil x 7 years and that other teams still see him as a defenceman who makes a lot of mistakes in the defensive zone and doesn't actually put up a ton of points (at least not for a $7mil defenceman).

This all day long.

And night too!