Leafs sign Kadri and Rielly to 6-year contacts

[bustaheims]

Yeah, it's a weird situation. The reason I asked is that Bozak's value/worth has been so contentious oveer the years and before the season I probably would have been in a camp that would have taken nothing for him just to get the contract off the books. I suppose I still would if that's what was out there, I don't really see how he fits on the team going forward now that Kadri is re-signed, but it seems hard to imagine that would be the case.

He seems like a pretty safe bet to be a 45-50 point center who can win draws in a healthy year. Maybe I'm nuts but to me he should have some concrete value.

Yeah, that's the biggest thing that stands out to me about him. Regardless of other moves, there really isn't a good spot for him with the team going forward. There's no rush to push him out, since they could find a role for him next season, but, at the same time, if you can get decent value for him now, why not take it?

 

[herman]

JvR is a win now player, at or near his peak, with a very attractive salary vs production ratio. He is more valuable as a trade chip than a roster spot. A) he scores and goals will win games that b) will push us down the draft ranking.

Trading him for a high potential prospect and good picks aligns the development curves of our resources with the team's prime.

This is less the case for Gardiner as defensemen develop slower and fills a position lacking organizational depth (top-pairing capable).

Kadri got to stay because he played his way into management's good graces even without box stat production. He and Rielly are homegrown and pre-Shanahan picks, which could serve as motivation to other previous-regime picks who thought their days were automatically numbered after seeing so many of their draft peers moved (Biggs, Verhaghe, etc.). Current management also projects him to be an elite two-way second liner Swiss Army knife centre, rather than placing the 1C burden on him.

Didn't I read somewhere that Lou like his teams 1/3 rookies (Nylander/Marner/Hyman), 1/3 middle of the pack (Kadri/Gardiner/Rielly) & 1/3 veterans (JVR/Bozak/Komorov), or something like that?

Regardless of the rebuild, I'm sure he doesn't want his team to be 95% rookies next season. That would imply most of the older guys that they wanted to trade for prospects & picks have already been dealt.

Yeah. Lou said 1/3 youth, primes, and vets. I'd say the ones you listed were either youth or primes. We still have Hunwick, Greening, Laich, Michalek, Lupul, and Robidas (if those two are not broken) in tow as veterans to move at the deadline if possible.

The benefit of that early call up for Nylander and co are that they aren't green rookies anymore, so it's really only Marner and Matthews as likely options to play their first NHL games next season.

There are still plenty of pieces to move: namely JvR, Bozak, Komarov who are at their peak values now.

 

[McGarnagle]

As for Kadri, if he were to be traded, I'd expect it to be in a package for a top 4 Dman.

You've mentioned that possibility a couple times, but I can't see it happening. The new mgt team has been pretty outspoken about creating a very professional environment around the club. Signing a player to security in long term deal, espousing his qualities to the press, and then moving him shortly after is exactly the sort of behaviour that makes it difficult to resign players and attract free agents in the future.

If you meant moving him after a few years on the terms of his limited NTC, then sure, well, maybe, but I don't think Lou et al would be shortsighted enough to trade on the value of the deal they signed Kadri to anytime soon.

 

[bustaheims]

As for Kadri, if he were to be traded, I'd expect it to be in a package for a top 4 Dman.

You've mentioned that possibility a couple times, but I can't see it happening. The new mgt team has been pretty outspoken about creating a very professional environment around the club. Signing a player to security in long term deal, espousing his qualities to the press, and then moving him shortly after is exactly the sort of behaviour that makes it difficult to resign players and attract free agents in the future.

If you meant moving him after a few years on the terms of his limited NTC, then sure, well, maybe, but I don't think Lou et al would be shortsighted enough to trade on the value of the deal they signed Kadri to anytime soon.

Yup. The only way they move Kadri in the near future would be if they're absolutely blown away by an offer or as a part of some other "can't turn this down" type opportunity.

 

[ZBBM]

As for Kadri, if he were to be traded, I'd expect it to be in a package for a top 4 Dman.

You've mentioned that possibility a couple times, but I can't see it happening. The new mgt team has been pretty outspoken about creating a very professional environment around the club. Signing a player to security in long term deal, espousing his qualities to the press, and then moving him shortly after is exactly the sort of behaviour that makes it difficult to resign players and attract free agents in the future.

If you meant moving him after a few years on the terms of his limited NTC, then sure, well, maybe, but I don't think Lou et al would be shortsighted enough to trade on the value of the deal they signed Kadri to anytime soon.

Yup. The only way they move Kadri in the near future would be if they're absolutely blown away by an offer or as a part of some other "can't turn this down" type opportunity.

I think it depends on whether Nylander blossoms right away, they get Stamkos etc.  What they have now is a player they can use in many possible trade scenarios, or keep, and either way the value's there.  You sign players to good value deals not to make them untouchable, but to give you options, none of which are guns to your head.

 

[Al14]

As for Kadri, if he were to be traded, I'd expect it to be in a package for a top 4 Dman.

You've mentioned that possibility a couple times, but I can't see it happening. The new mgt team has been pretty outspoken about creating a very professional environment around the club. Signing a player to security in long term deal, espousing his qualities to the press, and then moving him shortly after is exactly the sort of behaviour that makes it difficult to resign players and attract free agents in the future.

If you meant moving him after a few years on the terms of his limited NTC, then sure, well, maybe, but I don't think Lou et al would be shortsighted enough to trade on the value of the deal they signed Kadri to anytime soon.

Yup. The only way they move Kadri in the near future would be if they're absolutely blown away by an offer or as a part of some other "can't turn this down" type opportunity.

Oh, I agree, it can be bad for business to sign, and then turn around and trade a player you've publicly praised.  However, managements job is to IMPROVE the team as they see fit.  I would not be surprised if Kadri is used to IMPROVE the team.

You've got to give to receive, so, what other players do we have that could be used in a move to improve the quality of our D core at the NHL level? Since our strength is at the forward position.  If not Kadri, then Bozak?  One of our high end forward prospects?  A high draft pick, say Pittsburgh's 1st?

I still maintain that Kadri may be the key player needed to acquire an NHL ready Dman.  I stress the 'may be' part.

 

[LuncheonMeat]

As for Kadri, if he were to be traded, I'd expect it to be in a package for a top 4 Dman.

You've mentioned that possibility a couple times, but I can't see it happening. The new mgt team has been pretty outspoken about creating a very professional environment around the club. Signing a player to security in long term deal, espousing his qualities to the press, and then moving him shortly after is exactly the sort of behaviour that makes it difficult to resign players and attract free agents in the future.

If you meant moving him after a few years on the terms of his limited NTC, then sure, well, maybe, but I don't think Lou et al would be shortsighted enough to trade on the value of the deal they signed Kadri to anytime soon.

Yup. The only way they move Kadri in the near future would be if they're absolutely blown away by an offer or as a part of some other "can't turn this down" type opportunity.

I think Kadri is going to be a 50-60 point winger with a better team around him, and apparently lots of work on his shot this summer. Assuming that's the case, his contract could be a good bargain down the road, and not one the Leafs would have trouble moving if/when it's time.

 

[bustaheims]

I think it depends on whether Nylander blossoms right away, they get Stamkos etc. What they have now is a player they can use in many possible trade scenarios, or keep, and either way the value's there.  You sign players to good value deals not to make them untouchable, but to give you options, none of which are guns to your head.

That's really only true if they can't find a place for Kadri on the wing. There's basically 0% chance he gets moved this summer. Lou is not a GM who would sign a guy to a long-term deal, and then turn around and trade him a few months later. We can basically expect Kadri to be a Leafs for at least 2 more seasons.

 

[Al14]

I think it depends on whether Nylander blossoms right away, they get Stamkos etc. What they have now is a player they can use in many possible trade scenarios, or keep, and either way the value's there.  You sign players to good value deals not to make them untouchable, but to give you options, none of which are guns to your head.

That's really only true if they can't find a place for Kadri on the wing. There's basically 0% chance he gets moved this summer. Lou is not a GM who would sign a guy to a long-term deal, and then turn around and trade him a few months later. We can basically expect Kadri to be a Leafs for at least 2 more seasons.

You sound very confident that Kadri won't be traded anytime soon.  I'm not so sure he won't be traded for a top 4 Dman if they are given that opportunity.

We'll see how long Kadri stays, depending on what happens with Matthews, Stamkos etc.

I would expect Bozak to go before Kadri, however, with Kadri's antics, on and off the ice, including multiple suspensions, who knows?  I also can't see Kadri as a winger long term, or a 3rd to 4th line centre.  JMHO.

 

[bustaheims]

You sound very confident that Kadri won't be traded anytime soon.  I'm not so sure he won't be traded for a top 4 Dman if they are given that opportunity.

We'll see how long Kadri stays, depending on what happens with Matthews, Stamkos etc.

I would expect Bozak to go before Kadri, however, with Kadri's antics, on and off the ice, including multiple suspensions, who knows?  I also can't see Kadri as a winger long term, or a 3rd to 4th line centre.  JMHO.

If they intended on/were seriously considering trading Kadri, they wouldn't have signed him to a 6 year deal. They could have moved him as an unsigned RFA without much impact to his value. Signing him to a long-term deal could very easily take a number of teams out of the market for him - only teams that really feel he's a player they want to commit to will be in the market for him now. As an RFA, teams trading for him would have had the opportunity to negotiate with him and determine whether they wanted to go shorter term to see how he fit in before committing.

Also, the "antics" are clearly not an issue for management, nor are the suspensions. Again, if they were, they wouldn't have signed him to this length of a contract. Management clearly sees him as a potential long-term piece - either on the wing or down the middle - or they could have risked being stuck with him for the long run.

 

[Al14]

You sound very confident that Kadri won't be traded anytime soon.  I'm not so sure he won't be traded for a top 4 Dman if they are given that opportunity.

We'll see how long Kadri stays, depending on what happens with Matthews, Stamkos etc.

I would expect Bozak to go before Kadri, however, with Kadri's antics, on and off the ice, including multiple suspensions, who knows?  I also can't see Kadri as a winger long term, or a 3rd to 4th line centre.  JMHO.

If they intended on/were seriously considering trading Kadri, they wouldn't have signed him to a 6 year deal. They could have moved him as an unsigned RFA without much impact to his value. Signing him to a long-term deal could very easily take a number of teams out of the market for him - only teams that really feel he's a player they want to commit to will be in the market for him now. As an RFA, teams trading for him would have had the opportunity to negotiate with him and determine whether they wanted to go shorter term to see how he fit in before committing.

Also, the "antics" are clearly not an issue for management, nor are the suspensions. Again, if they were, they wouldn't have signed him to this length of a contract. Management clearly sees him as a potential long-term piece - either on the wing or down the middle - or they could have risked being stuck with him for the long run.

We shall see!  ;D

I'm still not convince Kadri is with our Leafs long term.