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rebecca

Member Since
Apr. 8, 2017
Favourite Team
Toronto Maple Leafs
2nd Favourite Team
Edmonton Oilers
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Forum: NHL SigningsSep. 3, 2020 at 9:10 p.m.
Forum: NHL TradesFeb. 23, 2020 at 6:57 p.m.
Thread: (TOR/NSH) - Harpur for Salomäki
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>bhavikp27</b></div><div>Tbh, Salomaki is an okay 13th F at NHL level. Before the trade, he was playing on the Admirals' 3rd line. They are the best in the league and they got several options better than him, at least offensively. Still, 15 pts in 41GP.

Anyways, it's a TOR win. You can't trade for Ben Harpur and think you won this trade...</div></div>

Thanks for the details. I reckoned Salomaki would be an adept middle-6 option at the AHL level. With the recent losses of Johnsson to injury and the trades of Marchment &amp; Moore, the Leafs depth at LW has been significantly Compromised. All season they’ve had too many D-Men - particularly of the fringe variety taking up space at the AHL level (its why Joey Duszak and Mac Holloway, the Leafs top D prospects after Sandin and Liljegren, started in St. John’s of the ECHL rather than with the Marlies). This trade takes from an area where they had a surplus of bodies and adds to a relative area of weakness at LW. I reckon we won’t be seeing Salomaki up in the NHL however I think it would be good to give him some top-6 minutes at the AHL level and see if he has more to give and fits in with the system the Leafs/Marlies employ.

But yes, as I initially said - definitive Leafs win, for à definitively minimal move.
Forum: NHL TradesFeb. 21, 2020 at 3:58 a.m.
Thread: (MTL/PIT) - Barber, Varone for Blandisi, Lucchini
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>HabsForEver</b></div><div>Not sure about the WBSP, but it helps Laval because we get 2 quality AHL players who don't count towards the veteran limit. Also worth noting their terrible attitudes.</div></div>

Absolutely in agreement.

For the WBS Penguins - they’re in a tight battle with Charlotte and Springfield for a playoff spot in the Atlantic Division right now (2 spots and 3 teams). With the 26th ranked offence in the AHL they’re obviously looking to add some (young-ish) veteran firepower to kickstart their anemic offence, giving goalies Casey DeSmith &amp; Dustin Tokarski - who have both done well this season - some slight margin for error. Barber and Varone have produced well at the AHL level in the past and, if they’re going to be given an opportunity to succeed there then they should be able to thrive once again.

The Pens have the following “veterans” on hand in WBS (Trotman has been back and forth all year):
- C Phil Varone (612gp)
- RW Riley Barber (288gp)
- LW/C Andrew Agozzino (540gp)
- LW Jamie Devane (344gp)
- LD David Warsofsky (500gp)
- LD Kevin Czuckman (386gp)
- RD Zach Trotman (343gp)

Also, getting close to the 260 game cutoff is Cole Cassels (254gp) but otherwise everyone else has well under 200gp at the pro levels.

For the rest of the season Riley Barber can count aside from the 5 player limit as he’s still played fewer than 320gp, what I consider the “transitional veteran slot”. That would allow the Pens to dress Warsofsky &amp; Czuckman on the blueline plus Agozzino, Varone, and Devane up front (or Trotman when he ends up back in WBS) as well as Barber. When Cassels hits 260gp then it would mean having to sit him or Riley Barber or use one of them towards the 5 full-fledged veteran spots (meaning Devane definitely sits). All in all the Pens at the AHL level have space to accommodate a couple of Vets so the deal makes sense in that regard for a team chasing a playoff berth. The WBS Penguins had the longest streak in NA pro sports and made the playoffs for almost 20 years in a row til last season. The fans there expect winners so the organization needs to take steps to at show they’re trying.
Forum: NHL TradesFeb. 19, 2020 at 12:09 p.m.
Thread: (TOR/FLA) - Marchment for Malgin
Marchment is an undrafted player originally signed to an AHL contract who has worked his way up from the ECHL to the NHL over the course of the past 4+ seasons. He’s a testament to Toronto’s developmental system as they’ve taken “nothing” and turned it into a young but established NHL depth forward in Malgin.

Today Marchment is more than “nothing” however. He’s tenacious and an agitator and has shown a physical aspect of his game from the get go. He works hard on the forecheck and is defensively solid - tho sometimes he will go for the “big hit” when it’s not always warranted and he’ll always take more penalties than he draws. He’s been a fan favourite for the Marlies for the past 3 seasons and I for one am going to miss the guy.

As he has taken on more special teams (PP and PK) responsibilities in Years 2 &amp; 3 and moved into a Top-6 (AHL) role, his offensive game has taken a big step forward. From where I’m sitting, my main concerns lay in his skill and play-making (he’s working on a Cy Young year this season) and his injury history and age (he turns 25 next month). He’s experienced several injuries over the past two season (multiple back injuries I believe) and these are going to limit his ceiling, even if he is still continuing to grow as a player. Maybe he becomes an NHL 4th liner - an energy guy with some finishing ability - but again, age and injuries could make that an upward struggle over the next couple years.

On the whole, even as a big fan of Mason Marchment, I have to give the win to Toronto.
Forum: NHL SigningsFeb. 11, 2020 at 1:49 a.m.
Forum: NHL SigningsFeb. 3, 2020 at 12:45 p.m.
Thread: Columbus Blue Jackets signed Nathan Gerbe (2 Years / $750,000 AAV)
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>pharrow</b></div><div>I don't think you understand why they keep the vets on the team.
It's so their younger guys don't get run and abused.
The coaching staff doesn't need help coaching them.</div></div>

It’s apparent that Jarmo Kekalainen (CBJ GM) feels that at least part of their recent success (they’ve literally been the best team in hockey the past 6 weeks weeks) has been partly attributable to Gerbe’s work both on and off the ice. I am cognizant of the downsides to such a contract, and I am certain JK is as well, in terms of the 50-contract limit.

The reality is that Gerbe would have been at least able to get a 2-way NHL contract next season, maybe not for 2 years but I’m sure the 2nd year made it a quick decision for Gerbe and his representation, who may have been tempted to wait until July 1 and see if they can land a 1-way contract for 2020/21 rather than take a 1y/2-way deal. Multi-year contracts for fringe NHL’ers (even useful ones like Gerbe) approaching their Mid-30’s are quite rare - I can’t think of any of the top of my head. So you’re right in being cautious, because in this respect it’s a bit of an unusual contract.

However stepping back and examining the success over the past several weeks - which has been largely driven by players who played alongside Gerbe in Cleveland - JK and company felt it was worth tying up a contract slot for 2 years. He must have played a key role in player development in order for this deal to have gone down. And most poll respondents tend to agree.