Luke Schenn Traded to Flyers for JVR!!!

[anton girdeaux]

Well I think i'm on the fence with this trade, but with all the defence we have waiting in the wings we could afford this move. JVR will be a very good piece of the puzzle moving forward, but I cant help thinking this will be a small move compaired to what comes next.

It's been floating around on Twitter that the Leafs "aren't finished" with trades. I'd love Burke to blow our socks off.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I'll admit this upfront: While I wasn't blown away by Schenn's play last year, I certainly wouldn't count myself among those who was in the "trade him now for the love of all that is holy" camp.

I'm not sure what to think of this one. On one hand, we're dealing from a position of surplus to one of need. On the other hand, we're replacing a young guy who wasn't living up to his perceived potential with another young guy who wasn't living up to his perceived potential. JVR's contract is rough - too much money over too many years, so it is a bit of a gamble. If he tops out as a 20 goal/40 point kind of guy, forget about the asset that was lost getting him here - having that contract on the books will be the worst part of the trade...

Granted, big forwards tend to take time to put everything together and be consistent, so there is certainly some hope that this can happen for him over the next couple seasons.

At the end of the day though, I do feel like JVR would provide more value to the team if he reaches his potential versus Schenn. But I still think this is more of a lateral move than anything - we do remove some logjam at D, we do get more size up front, but we get a guy who in my mind has been equally disappointing as Schenn at a higher cap hit.

When JVR was healthy he was having a good season though (the same can't be said for Schenn).

He averaged 2:47 PP TOI/G, ranked seventh among Flyers forwards, and 15:10 TOI/G, so he should see an overall increase in ice-time with the Leafs. Van Riemsdyk also had a respectable 5.82 Corsi rating (goals + saves + missed shots + blocks), with a 0.816 Corsi Rel QoC (he played tough minutes), and ranked sixth and fifth on the Flyers respectively.

(Schenn had a -7.53 Corsi)

http://thecheckingline.com/blog/ron-guillet/toronto-maple-leafs/analysis-leafs-acquire-van-riemsdyk-schenn

Plus I posted this earlier from a Flyers blog: http://www.broadstreethockey.com/2012/2/29/2831087/james-van-riemsdyk-philadelphia-flyers

It seems like at the very least, when he was on the ice he was helping drive the play to the other team.

 

[Omallley]

I'll admit this upfront: While I wasn't blown away by Schenn's play last year, I certainly wouldn't count myself among those who was in the "trade him now for the love of all that is holy" camp.

I'm not sure what to think of this one. On one hand, we're dealing from a position of surplus to one of need. On the other hand, we're replacing a young guy who wasn't living up to his perceived potential with another young guy who wasn't living up to his perceived potential. JVR's contract is rough - too much money over too many years, so it is a bit of a gamble. If he tops out as a 20 goal/40 point kind of guy, forget about the asset that was lost getting him here - having that contract on the books will be the worst part of the trade...

Granted, big forwards tend to take time to put everything together and be consistent, so there is certainly some hope that this can happen for him over the next couple seasons.

At the end of the day though, I do feel like JVR would provide more value to the team if he reaches his potential versus Schenn. But I still think this is more of a lateral move than anything - we do remove some logjam at D, we do get more size up front, but we get a guy who in my mind has been equally disappointing as Schenn at a higher cap hit.

When JVR was healthy he was having a good season though (the same can't be said for Schenn).

He averaged 2:47 PP TOI/G, ranked seventh among Flyers forwards, and 15:10 TOI/G, so he should see an overall increase in ice-time with the Leafs. Van Riemsdyk also had a respectable 5.82 Corsi rating (goals + saves + missed shots + blocks), with a 0.816 Corsi Rel QoC (he played tough minutes), and ranked sixth and fifth on the Flyers respectively.

(Schenn had a -7.53 Corsi)

http://thecheckingline.com/blog/ron-guillet/toronto-maple-leafs/analysis-leafs-acquire-van-riemsdyk-schenn

Plus I posted this earlier from a Flyers blog: http://www.broadstreethockey.com/2012/2/29/2831087/james-van-riemsdyk-philadelphia-flyers

It seems like at the very least, when he was on the ice he was helping drive the play to the other team.

Well, that is certainly encouraging but I am still hung up on the cap hit. It is huge considering what he's accomplished to date, so there is going to be a lot hinging on his continued improvement (although maybe that comes easier with more icetime, potentially better linemates, etc).

 

[Bullfrog]

Granted, big forwards tend to take time to put everything together and be consistent, so there is certainly some hope that this can happen for him over the next couple seasons.

We should be patient. I mean, look how long it took for Brad Isbister to break out.

 

[#1PilarFan]

$12 million in cap space according to Cap Geek, not too shabby. Plus the Leafs have a lot of flexibility after this year. The should come out of this season and the new CBA in great shape.

Leafs have as much or more cap room than most of the big spenders so yeah not really seeing where they are in trouble.  NYR is the one sitting out there with $19 mil in cap space somehow, with really only Del Zotto to sign as far as players of significance.

As noted by a few others, the Leafs still have to resign guys like Kulemin and Frattin, while still tending to their huge holes. Sure, if the Leafs had another top 6 center and a goaltender, this wouldn't be an issue - but they don't, and those players command a certain amount of money.

As it stands, the Leafs have almost 16 million tied up in Connolly, Komisarek, Armstrong and Lombardi. That's not a good thing.

 

[#1PilarFan]

$12 million in cap space according to Cap Geek, not too shabby. Plus the Leafs have a lot of flexibility after this year. The should come out of this season and the new CBA in great shape.

Well I just have two things to add:

1) The Leafs are in the bottom 7 of the league in available cap space
2) Sure, they'll be ok in two years (though that certainly depends on future contracts), but I'd like to see Burke build a playoff team sooner rather than later.

 

[bustaheims]

As it stands, the Leafs have almost 16 million tied up in Connolly, Komisarek, Armstrong and Lombardi. That's not a good thing.

It's not ideal, but, $11.75M of that can be removed fairly easily by relegating said players to the AHL, and, being that Connolly, Armstrong and Lombardi are only on one year deals, with the relative weakness of this year's UFA crop, it's also possible that teams could consider them as short-term options to trade for. The Leafs' cap situation may not be ideal, but it's not exactly a dire circumstance either.

 

[Bonsixx]

Lombardi could very well surprise a few people this year. He was nowhere near 100 per cent last season and still showed a few good flashes of what he could potentially bring to the team.

 

[#1PilarFan]

It's not ideal, but, $11.75M of that can be removed fairly easily by relegating said players to the AHL, and, being that Connolly, Armstrong and Lombardi are only on one year deals, with the relative weakness of this year's UFA crop, it's also possible that teams could consider them as short-term options to trade for. The Leafs' cap situation may not be ideal, but it's not exactly a dire circumstance either.

Dire? No, of course not. But very telling in terms of Burke's ability to get performance for cost. On average, he's paying the 17 players locked up in contracts about $3.3m, without even filling two of the most important (and highest cost) positions.

Last year, the Leafs were in the top 8 in average player salary in the league. The other teams were Philly, Detroit, Chicago, Vancouver, Boston, Pittsburgh and Buffalo.

 

[Omallley]

$12 million in cap space according to Cap Geek, not too shabby. Plus the Leafs have a lot of flexibility after this year. The should come out of this season and the new CBA in great shape.

Leafs have as much or more cap room than most of the big spenders so yeah not really seeing where they are in trouble.  NYR is the one sitting out there with $19 mil in cap space somehow, with really only Del Zotto to sign as far as players of significance.

As it stands, the Leafs have almost 16 million tied up in Connolly, Komisarek, Armstrong and Lombardi. That's not a good thing.

Those 4 are killers, and kind of why I am a little leery of having 4.25M tied up in JVR. Granted, out of all of those players, he's the one that is most likely able to play a top 6/top 4 role. Who knows though, maybe Komi can put it together under Carlyle? I'm not holding out hope on the others...

 

[maplesyrup]

Has it been established when he's coming to town?

 

[Kessel Run]

Has it been established when he's coming to town?

JVR? He probably comes up sometime the summer to scout out a place to live, but other than that I would assume training camp.

 

[maplesyrup]

See, I would have assumed a presser in well advance of that... Like soon.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

I don't think that's necessary in June, perhaps if they make a splash in Free Agency or when they get a goalie they will have a presser for everything together.

He did a conference call on the website, that essentially serves the same purpose.

EDIT: He just appeared on OTR with a Bluejays cap on fwiw.

 

[maplesyrup]

Saw that but he wasn't in studio... Old school Jays cap too. Like the old, old version. 

 

[Brian Glennie]

It's not ideal, but, $11.75M of that can be removed fairly easily by relegating said players to the AHL, and, being that Connolly, Armstrong and Lombardi are only on one year deals, with the relative weakness of this year's UFA crop, it's also possible that teams could consider them as short-term options to trade for. The Leafs' cap situation may not be ideal, but it's not exactly a dire circumstance either.

Dire? No, of course not. But very telling in terms of Burke's ability to get performance for cost. On average, he's paying the 17 players locked up in contracts about $3.3m, without even filling two of the most important (and highest cost) positions.

Last year, the Leafs were in the top 8 in average player salary in the league. The other teams were Philly, Detroit, Chicago, Vancouver, Boston, Pittsburgh and Buffalo.

I suspect the money managers from Bell/Rogers are going to pick up on this, too.

"Brian, why should we spend an extra $11.75m of our limited budget staffing the farm team?"

"Because I said so!"

Silence.

And then the room explodes with laughter.

"Ah ha ha ha... (wipes away tears)... Brian, we've put together a severence package that we're sure you'll find to be very generous..."

 

[Kin]

On average, he's paying the 17 players locked up in contracts about $3.3m, without even filling two of the most important (and highest cost) positions.

I actually think it's three of the most important positions. They're paying what they are and need significant upgrades at #1 C, #1 D and #1 G.

 

[rdowdall]

On average, he's paying the 17 players locked up in contracts about $3.3m, without even filling two of the most important (and highest cost) positions.

I actually think it's three of the most important positions. They're paying what they are and need significant upgrades at #1 C, #1 D and #1 G.

Didn't he just draft a #1?

 

[Kessel Run]

Saw that but he wasn't in studio... Old school Jays cap too. Like the old, old version.

I thought he was a Yankees fan!!  ;D

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Saw that but he wasn't in studio... Old school Jays cap too. Like the old, old version.

I believe he was in Toronto for the interview though.  Claude Feig on TSN interviewed him with the Jays hat on, and at the end did the whole, "Claude Feig, TSN, Toronto" thing.