Current Leaf players who will be free agents

[CarltonTheBear]

Kulemin's the only must-sign for me. Best defensive player on the team. Can play any position and in any situation and on any line. How anybody can want him gone is beyond me.

I wouldn't mind seeing Bodie back at $950k to fill the 12/13 forward spot, but we also have options on the farm that could do that for cheap. Ideally I'd like to see Ranger back too at $1mil again, as he's the perfect 6/7 defenceman (cheap, doesn't complain, wants to be here, can play in any situation), but just like busta said earlier 1) there's probably only room for one of him or Gleason and 2) guys like Granberg/MacWilliam/Percy are going to start to need playing time soon. Still, it doesn't hurt to have depth and those guys are pretty young. So maybe I just talked myself into re-signing him.

Bolland, McClement, and Raymond, while all useful players, are going to have likely priced themselves out of Toronto. If they would re-sign for cheap and short 1-year bridge deals to give some of our younger players a bit more time, then maybe we can talk. But I don't see that happening.

As for MacIntyre, I don't want to see him as the Leafs back-up. To put it bluntly, we need somebody better in that spot. Maybe we can have him back on the Marlies, but I don't think they'll want to have 3 goalies down there with one going to the ECHL. Sparks and Gibson can likely hold their own next season.

 

[Joe S.]

Just curious - those of you who support Bodie as a 'replacement' for Kulemin, do you realize Bodie is 2 years older than him?

 

[bustaheims]

Just curious - those of you who support Bodie as a 'replacement' for Kulemin, do you realize Bodie is 2 years older than him?

Also, his time on the Leafs this season represents almost 1/3 of his NHL experience and basically half of his NHL point production. He has the makings of a decent 4th liner, but, he's nowhere near being able to play the role the Kulemin has filled.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Can Bodie really bring what Kulemin does?  I've yet to see anything with Bodie that suggests he's very capable defensively.  I like what he brings, but in a 4th line role.

I think he brings pretty close to what Kulemin does and for much cheaper.  They both forcheck relentlessly, hit everything that moves, and play simple, smart games.  I agree that Kulemin has the edge on defensive play including PK ability, but in terms of price-per-performance, I'd take Bodie unless Kulemin's price comes down.

Do you want Bodie playing 15:00+ a night though?  To me he's a perfect 4th liner, not a 3rd.

 

[AvroArrow]

Just curious - those of you who support Bodie as a 'replacement' for Kulemin, do you realize Bodie is 2 years older than him?

For me, it's a price-performance thing.  I love the guy, and my preference is that he's signed for 3M as the winger on Lupul-Kadri line.  But, if he's signed to be a bottom 6 guy, why spend that kind of money when you can get 80% of what he brings for, like, 40% (or less) the cost?

We need to cut costs big time, given we're saddled with crap like Clarkson and Gleason.

 

[AvroArrow]

Can Bodie really bring what Kulemin does?  I've yet to see anything with Bodie that suggests he's very capable defensively.  I like what he brings, but in a 4th line role.

I think he brings pretty close to what Kulemin does and for much cheaper.  They both forcheck relentlessly, hit everything that moves, and play simple, smart games.  I agree that Kulemin has the edge on defensive play including PK ability, but in terms of price-per-performance, I'd take Bodie unless Kulemin's price comes down.

Do you want Bodie playing 15:00+ a night though?  To me he's a perfect 4th liner, not a 3rd.

Well, in my lineup, he'd be a 4th liner down around 10 minutes per night, with the 3rd line being a Ashton - Holland - D'Amigo type line.

 

[Joe S.]

Just curious - those of you who support Bodie as a 'replacement' for Kulemin, do you realize Bodie is 2 years older than him?

For me, it's a price-performance thing.  I love the guy, and my preference is that he's signed for 3M as the winger on Lupul-Kadri line.  But, if he's signed to be a bottom 6 guy, why spend that kind of money when you can get 80% of what he brings for, like, 40% (or less) the cost?

We need to cut costs big time, given we're saddled with crap like Clarkson and Gleason.

Even if you look at a price performance thing, I don't think Bodie will even come near Kulemin's career goal totals - even if you discount his 30 goal season.

 

[bustaheims]

For me, it's a price-performance thing.  I love the guy, and my preference is that he's signed for 3M as the winger on Lupul-Kadri line.  But, if he's signed to be a bottom 6 guy, why spend that kind of money when you can get 80% of what he brings for, like, 40% (or less) the cost?

We need to cut costs big time, given we're saddled with crap like Clarkson and Gleason.

But, you wouldn't really be getting 80% of Kulemin in Bodie. It would be much closer to 50%. Bodie skates and forechecks well, but, that's where his value really stops. Kulemin is a far superior defensive player, a quality penalty killer, has good offensive skills (when used in that kind of role), etc. In Bodie, you get a fragment of Kulemin's abilities. I agree that more cost effective players are needed, but, only in situations where the cash savings doesn't represent such a significant drop off in the quality of player.

 

[Highlander]

Kulemon must stay even if it is just to speak Russian with Komrade Komorav, he would be worth the world just for that.

 

[AvroArrow]

Just curious - those of you who support Bodie as a 'replacement' for Kulemin, do you realize Bodie is 2 years older than him?

For me, it's a price-performance thing.  I love the guy, and my preference is that he's signed for 3M as the winger on Lupul-Kadri line.  But, if he's signed to be a bottom 6 guy, why spend that kind of money when you can get 80% of what he brings for, like, 40% (or less) the cost?

We need to cut costs big time, given we're saddled with crap like Clarkson and Gleason.

Even if you look at a price performance thing, I don't think Bodie will even come near Kulemin's career goal totals - even if you discount his 30 goal season.

Sure, but I'm not looking for offence from Bodie.

 

[Highlander]

Bodie is half the hockey player that Kulemon is? and he doesnt speak Russian

 

[AvroArrow]

Kulemon must stay even if it is just to speak Russian with Komrade Komorav, he would be worth the world just for that.

I believe Komarov speaks like 4 languages, 1 of them is english, and he's not Russian.

 

[Highlander]

True but when he is quaffing Vodka with the worlds most interesting man, he does slip into the Russian verbiage naturally.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Kulemon must stay even if it is just to speak Russian with Komrade Komorav, he would be worth the world just for that.

I believe Komarov speaks like 4 languages, 1 of them is english, and he's not Russian.

Well he was born to Russian parents and has Russian citizenship too, FWIW.

 

[AvroArrow]

I think I need to clarify things a bit.  Most of these points have come out through my answers, but they all really go together to make my decision.

1.  I don't want Kulemin signed for 3+M as a bottom 6 (likely 3rd line) winger.  I believe there are more cost effective options.

2.  I would like Kulemin signed as a second line winger and given a more offensive role (and would have no issues with 3-3.5M).  I think he can still produce if given the opportunity.

3. Bodie was an example of someone I think who can replace Kulemin's forcheck and energy.  I think he's adequate defensively, though I agree he wouldn't have the checking-line qualities Kulemin does.  In terms of offense in a bottom 6 position, he racked up half the points in 67% of the games, which roughly comes out to 74% of Kulemin's bottom-6 offensive production this year.

4. Bodie's cost is 600k.  Kulemin's is 2.8M.  That's 21% the cost.

5. My preferred lineup involves a 3rd line similar to Ashton - Holland - D'Amigo.  This would put Kulemin or Bodie (whoever we kept) on 4th line duties.



Hopefully this clears up my mindset a little bit.

 

[AvroArrow]

Kulemon must stay even if it is just to speak Russian with Komrade Komorav, he would be worth the world just for that.

I believe Komarov speaks like 4 languages, 1 of them is english, and he's not Russian.

Well he was born to Russian parents and has Russian citizenship too, FWIW.

"Raised in Finland, Komarov is the first Estonian-born player in the NHL."  Born in Narva, Estonia.  Also played for Finland in the olympics.  Sure, he obviously has ties to Russia.

My grandmother is German, but I don't consider myself German at all.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Kulemon must stay even if it is just to speak Russian with Komrade Komorav, he would be worth the world just for that.

I believe Komarov speaks like 4 languages, 1 of them is english, and he's not Russian.

Well he was born to Russian parents and has Russian citizenship too, FWIW.

"Raised in Finland, Komarov is the first Estonian-born player in the NHL."  Born in Narva, Estonia.  Also played for Finland in the olympics.  Sure, he obviously has ties to Russia.

My grandmother is German, but I don't consider myself German at all.

Do you have German citizenship, speak German, and live in Germany?  All would be differences between you and him.

He was raised in a Swedish-speaking town in Finland.  I know he played for them at the Olympics, I'm just saying that he has citizenship in both countries and his parents are Russian so he seems just as Russian as he is Finnish.  I'm sure he would play for Russia if he could have made that team but not Finland's.  Either way, not really important to debate over.

 

[pmrules]

Kulemin's the only must-sign for me. Best defensive player on the team. Can play any position and in any situation and on any line. How anybody can want him gone is beyond me.

I know that you are one of Kulemin's biggest fans, but I think you are over rating him here way too much.  I too am a huge fan of his, but he disappointed me this season. Here is how I would rate him.

He had ~20 points this season.  He should have had 20-25 goals this season  just based on the amount of opportunities this guy had to score this year (playing the exact same minutes and situations as he did this season).  He just couldn't get the puck in the net.  He had 1 point in the crucial last 16 games.  Also, as much blame as McClement is getting for the horrible PK this year, Kulemin should get just as much - he had the 2nd most time (I believe) on the PK amongst the forwards.

That being said, he is the hardest working forward on the team.  But that should only get you so much leeway if you are not performing on the PK and scoring when you have the opportunity and the talent to do so (which he absolutely does). 

He is a prototypical 3rd line player (and can see spot duty on 2nd line if necessary due to injuries).  I think he is better suited in a defensive mode, as he is one of our best defensive forwards.  I wouldn't mind seeing a line of Mcclement/Kulemin/Komarov next year as a checking/pest line against the other teams top line playing 15 minutes a night to prevent goals.  He can still be good to great defensively (on this team at least).

 

[AvroArrow]

Either way, not really important to debate over.

Agreed.  We can leave it at that.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

He had ~20 points this season.  He should have had 20-25 goals this season  just based on the amount of opportunities this guy had to score this year (playing the exact same minutes and situations as he did this season).  He just couldn't get the puck in the net. 

If he scored 20 goals with the number of shots he had on net, his SH% would have been 24.7%.  That would be the highest SH% in the league and ~7% higher than when he scored 30 goals.  Not really reasonable to expect that.