Barabanov will be playing no doubt

How “no doubt”. He never played an NHL game..lol. The coaches and GM won’t even have him penciled in as a starter right now. They can’t. He hasn’t played 1 NHL game yet. Smaller ice rink isn’t even the biggest difference b/ween Russian and American hockey.

Trust me remember this convo he will make the team NO DOUBT

Good luck. A lot of faith to put in a guy that never played in the NHL. And is 5’10. So u think Lehtonen will too? The way more highly touted of the two?? So then 2 players, on a contending team, playing quality minutes from day 1, both never playing 1 game in the NHL. A lot confidence. If that is the case, I’d be worried about the season. Maybe on a rebuilding team, I’d be enthusiastic. On a contending team. That would worry me.

Good luck. A lot of faith to put in a guy that never played in the NHL. And is 5’10. So u think Lehtonen will too? The way more highly touted of the two?? So then 2 players, on a contending team, playing quality minutes from day 1, both never playing 1 game in the NHL. A lot confidence. If that is the case, I’d be worried about the season. Maybe on a rebuilding team, I’d be enthusiastic. On a contending team. That would worry me.

Worry me more than Kappy on the 1st line. Atleast there you know atleast what to expect high and low.

Barbanov and lehtonen are both penciled in till they prove they can not handle the nhl level. This is how leafs will afford depth. Players will not want to jump over from the khl of they are not getting ice time.

Who’s says they are jumping over? They signed a contract for a chance. A lot of players do and don’t work out. What r u talking about? No way both start the season as starters. 2 players that never played an NHL game on a contending team. Good luck. I’ll go with Lehtonen that makes it and gets the shot.

They both do. It has already been discussed with milstein before he would even sign with Toronto and then again before they signed mikheyev. There were many teams looking to sign both barabanov and lehtonen. Part of the deal is that they get at least a look at the nhl level.

They were never the type of depth signing where you are like hey let’s see how they do in camp like you are making them out to be.

Ohh I C so they suck in camp, they have the job won still. I get it. An 800k-900k contract entitles them to a starting spot on a contending NHL team. How dumb of me.

They play on a bigger ice in Russia. U do know that right? And the Russian game is all about speed. Much different than the NHL

You certainly are cocky. The fans on this site can only tell you what we know. They aren’t here to foretell the future fore you. Whether or not they can adapt there game is yet to be seen. They will start on the main roster forgoing any cap moves that may send them down. Clearly if they can’t be trusted on the ice at all they won’t make the team but that certainly isn’t the case. They are still pros, not beer leaguers. How long they stay on team will depend on their play.

It’s not meant to be cocky?? It’s meant to be funny..lol. But I guess it can be hard to tell intent when it’s read or written. It matters nothing to me either way really.

I hope Barabanov kills it. It’s just not as easy to me though as they both are “for sure” starters, or they came here b/c they are gauarentee minutes. Of course, the organization, and the player hope that. But it’s still only like a 60-40 chance either make the team.(I give Lehtonen the bigger chance b/c of the leafs need for D, and D was bad last year and he’s for sure the more highly touted player).

I could see on a rebuilding team. Them being guaranteed this year, cause they are both still young, prospects too. But Toronto has a lot of depth and options at Wing. Yes, we will see, if both they make the team, I’d be very surprised. Although, I could see Barabanov being the 13th forward(or on a taxi-squad) and still stay here.

They could have signed with rebuilding teams but were offered roster spots to join the leafs. They will get a shot. If it doesn’t pan out they will go back overseas. Don’t get me wrong of they completely **** the bed at camp they won’t make the team.

A big deal with signing with Toronto was also Mikheyev, Egor Korshkov and Nik Antropov too. And Mikheyev’s girlfriend, who is American, but a Russian/American interpreter. Toronto has a history of these signings too. Back to Zaitsav and Calle Rosen.

Antropov and Korshkov were both leaf draft picks. Rosen was brought over as prospect of sorts much like kivihalme.

Lindholm, zaitsev, ozhiganov, Mikheyev, barabanov and lehtonen were brought over to play.

Not what I said. Antropv and Korshkov had a lot to do with Barabanov signing over other Teams. Rebuilding teams. Antropov has a spot with Toronto’s front office and is a big help signing those players. And big help, helping them transition. And Korshlov and Barabanov are friends. Which helped him pick Toronto over Arizona.

Teemu kivihalme, Igor Ozhiganov, Par Lindholm, Andreas Borgman, Miro Aaltonen were all really signed to play too.

This was the conversation..


You—-They could have signed with rebuilding teams but were offered roster spots to join the leafs. They will get a shot. If it doesn’t pan out they will go back overseas. Don’t get me wrong of they completely **** the bed at camp they won’t make the team.


A big deal with signing with Toronto was also Mikheyev, Egor Korshkov and Nik Antropov too. And Mikheyev’s girlfriend, who is American, but a Russian/American interpreter. Toronto has a history of these signings too. Back to Zaitsav and Calle Rosen.

My team was based on the fact that Barabanov and Lehtonen can clear waivers. If they win a job , great but but also can be sent down, For Cap space....Engvall can too but he can also play C, makes him more flexible.

Borgman was brought over as a prospect as well. Never guaranteed any playing time and seen as a project that may pan out. Same flavour as Rosen and kivihalme. Ozhiganov was someone brought over to play and when it didn’t work out ( he actually wasn’t horrible, Babcock just didn’t like him) he left and went back.