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BCAPP

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Forum: Armchair-GMApr. 3 at 6:20 p.m.
Thread: Non sexy AGM choosing Mikheyev over Kerfoot and Lyubushikin over Holl
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>TrueCanuck</b></div><div>This is exactly what I was talking about. At least Konecny is consistent in his efforts and brings different things to the team when he’s not producing. Nylander doesn’t. Nylander is Phil Kessel 2.0 - great talent, not enough commitment and it hurts his game. I think Keefe is finally starting to get tired of it and I can see this being Nylander’s last season in Toronto because of it</div></div>

Re Nylander. I don't think he's being dumped and if he is it's a mistake unless they can come close to replacing him offensively. He's probably the best value (okay maybe Matthews is as you cant put a price on Hart caliber play) cap wise of the big 4 and this team is driven by cap unfortunately.
Forum: Armchair-GMApr. 3 at 6:20 p.m.
Thread: Non sexy AGM choosing Mikheyev over Kerfoot and Lyubushikin over Holl
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>TrueCanuck</b></div><div>This is exactly what I was talking about. At least Konecny is consistent in his efforts and brings different things to the team when he’s not producing. Nylander doesn’t. Nylander is Phil Kessel 2.0 - great talent, not enough commitment and it hurts his game. I think Keefe is finally starting to get tired of it and I can see this being Nylander’s last season in Toronto because of it</div></div>

I don't think so. Honestly I think Kessel was unfairly maligned. Kessel needs to not be the main focus of a team. He actually backchecked like crazy and worked his tailbone off. He WAS and IS soft when it comes to physicality (though tough when it comes to playing through stuff. Dude has only missed time for suspension and cancer).

But he did try. He just is soft and Canadian sports fans don't like talent without grit.

His biggest issue is he cannot and never should have been the lead of a team. I always compare him to Kane (Kessel is admittedly a step behind Kane skill wise) without Toews. Kessel is not a leader. He never claimed to be, never wanted to be, and never should have tried to be made one. But he is one of the best offensive players the leafs have ever seen

The failure of Kessel in Toronto is on management for acquiring him to be something he isn't and then trying to make him into it. He's an offensive superstar who is nothing more. Everyone in Toronto hated him for the latter instead of loving him for the former. That's management's fault. A good management team and coach would have set him up for success in that role.
Forum: Armchair-GMApr. 3 at 5:35 p.m.
Thread: Non sexy AGM choosing Mikheyev over Kerfoot and Lyubushikin over Holl
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>TrueCanuck</b></div><div>My guess is that Vancouver keeps Miller and signs him long term - then moves Horvat instead. But regardless, if they move Miller or Horvat they’d likely be looking for multiple younger assets, not just Nylander and likely a young right handed defenceman. Something that Toronto shouldn’t consider. &amp; if Miller didn’t come with a guaranteed extension, not a chance that’s done. Even with a deal in place, Miller is likely to get $8.5m which is affordable in Toronto.</div></div>

My guess is whoever resigns Miller will love it for 1 year, like it for another 1-2 years, and hate it for the rest of their term. Outside of perhaps TJ Oshie (and Ovechkin, but you can't compare players to generational talents like him), all of the more physical, but not quite power forward players I can think of decline quite rapidly compared to their peers around 30

In no particular order:
Ladd, Backes, Clarkson, Lucic (he was a power forward), Okposo, Brendan Morrow, Benn, etc

For the record I said the same about resigning Landy and Lee, so maybe I'm dumb as it looks good for now re Landy, but I think we're seeing it in Lee

Physical wingers in particular don't seem to age well...
Forum: Armchair-GMApr. 3 at 5:31 p.m.
Thread: Non sexy AGM choosing Mikheyev over Kerfoot and Lyubushikin over Holl
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>Britishbulldog</b></div><div>What about moving Nylander for JT Miller. I read The Athletic, Sportsnet, TSN, etc who say it wouldn't be good for Toronto but he seems to be what you describe Konecny as but hasn't faltered while playing on a struggling team (no offense Vancouver fans). Moving Muzzin next summer would give Toronto the cap space to re-sign Miller as well. Jt Miller is 4 years older but plays a perfect game for what the Leafs would like to add...or any team for that matter.

OTOH...I am trying to keep this non-sexy with only simple moves so... I am kind of straying from my original intent. :)</div></div>

Unless extension involved Nylander is worth significantly more given term on contract (3 years vs 1). AS well Nylander's will be through his prime, Miller's will be through his 30s. Miller is also really hard to quantify as pre vancouver he was a good middle 6 forward. Essentially a better Kerfoot, as a good 3 c or very good 2w (instead of an okay at both like Kerfoot). But when he got to vancouver he became essentially an allstar who flirted around ppg for 2 years, and obliterated it this year. And as we all know does it with a dimension thats (a) rare around the league and (b) missing in the Leafs top 6 of a physical, offensively productive player.

Given how poorly such players tend to age... I wouldn't want to sign a power forward at 30 for $ and term.

(I would have paid through the tooth for a retained Miller at this past year's TDL though to have him through the rest of his 20s (ie 2 years) on a cheap deal. I'd have sent like a first, a second,and kerfoot and Robertson. Or perhaps a first and Knies)
Forum: Armchair-GMApr. 3 at 5:20 p.m.
Thread: Non sexy AGM choosing Mikheyev over Kerfoot and Lyubushikin over Holl
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>TrueCanuck</b></div><div>You’re literally only judging Konecny by his points.. cool story. Konecny brings an element that Toronto doesn’t have. He’s also responsible defensively much better than Nylander - &amp; what I mean by consistency is the fact that he’s going to give you the same effort on defence as he does on offence.

Tavares has the ability to make players around him better - look at what he did with Josh Bailey and Kyle Okposo. He does is with Nylander too - when Nylander’a in a slump, it’s usually Tavares that helps pull him out of it. Tavares is also at his best when he plays with guys that play with speed and move more north-south. Hats not Nylander. Nylander is an east-west guy with speed and that’s why the chemistry is more inconsistent. Konecny suits Tavares’ style better. &amp; if he doesn’t work out, try him with Matthews and put Marner with Tavares. It still works.

But hey just cause you disagree doesn’t me you have to resort to insults. Doesn’t seem necessary.</div></div>

The thing about Nylander is that he does have defensive skills, he just doesn't use them consistently. Dude is a wizard with his stick, and can steal pucks and create turnovers with the best of them. He can also back check with speed to break up plays when he's engaged. The problem with Nylander from what I see, is less his engagement in general, and more that when he goes into slumps, as essentially all offensive players outside of superstars do, he starts to really cheat/get lazy defensively to try to turn it around offensively. He also obviously is not as physical as anyone would like limiting his game. But I truly believe if anyone could get it into his/instincts to stop cheating/giving up defensively he could be a mildly above average defensive player based on his speed and stick wizardry, even with his less physical game... But all that being said he's in his mid 20s, so the chance that someone can change him decreases every year...
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