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COMBINED: "Whither or Not Vinny"


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  Unless a trade happens, the Leafs 1-2 punch will be Bozek and Kadri. The recently signed Santorelli will eat up most of the minutes behind those two. Santoreilli scored 18 times in only 49 games and is very good defensively. There is no way VLC would be interesting to the Leafs, Santorelli is cheaper, younger, faster, hits people and almost outscored Vinnie in under 50 games. Bad fit IMHO.

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I think the "keep VLC" approach at this point is the best way to go.  It sounds like most Teams that are even remotely interested in Vinny want the Flyers to give up a pick(s) in the trade.  If Vinny cant be moved, and all signs say he is a Flyer next season, I have no problem w/ him centering the second line and putting Schenn on the top line w/ G and Jake.  If Schenn cant break through with those two as linemates than maybe he will just never break through and be the player most thought. 

 

I do think Vinny will be better this year if healthy and he is still good on the PP...  it is not a bad situation.   Although, if Vinny goes down with and injury (and he certainly will) it could turn into a mess...

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While it's true the Leafs are desperate for a centre, I don't think they are Vinny Lecavalier desperate. They really need a #1 centre, as Bozak/Kadri could fill the 2nd and 3rd line roles effectively I think.

 

Plus, the Leafs haven't had a whole lot of luck attracting trade targets with NMCs lately. No idea why. The media is fair, and the fans are the picture of mental stabilit...SCREW YOU GORGES!!!!

 

While they are desperate for a center, Toronto has really focused on their speed/grit the past 2-3 years....

 

Not sure if Vinny would match either of those terms :-p

 

This is a good point. The Leafs team is built on speed, and the bottom six is (hopefully) being rebuilt into a gritty, hard working group. I don't see a fit.

 

  Unless a trade happens, the Leafs 1-2 punch will be Bozek and Kadri. The recently signed Santorelli will eat up most of the minutes behind those two. Santoreilli scored 18 times in only 49 games and is very good defensively. There is no way VLC would be interesting to the Leafs, Santorelli is cheaper, younger, faster, hits people and almost outscored Vinnie in under 50 games. Bad fit IMHO.

 

Agreed, the fit is bad. The Leafs also have young Peter Holland in the mix (who had a decent but not great showing for the Leafs last year) and signed Petri Kontiola, who could slot in anywhere in the lineup depending on what kind of showing he has. We'll see, but I'm guessing 3rd/4th line depending on which of Kontiola/Holland/Santorelli is switched to the wing.

 

 

In short, Lecavalier is no longer a #1 centre. The Leafs have decent depth players down the middle, but really, really need that #1 guy.

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@jammer2 I agree, Stastny was the big name that could potentially have been the centre the Leafs were looking for. However, while $7 million is a good chunk of change, the 4 year term to me suggests that he was looking to go to a cup contender and was willing to accomodate a shorter term to do so.

 

Not that the Leafs aren't a contender, I mean look at their team! They're just...you know....the Leafs.

 

 

 

But anyway, I don't think Lecavalier is a fit for the Leafs, and I don't think Lecavalier would want to go to Toronto anyway. I'm actually surprised he wound up in Philly...always struck me as the "avoid the media/pressure" type of guy.

Edited by Commander Clueless
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@Commander Clueless   Yeah, I'm almost sure the Leafs would have offered 7-7.5 for 6 or 7 years.....so I think you are on to something there. At least on the surface it appears Stasney does want to play for a legit contender, might have even took less money and or years to do so. Gotta admire that. I guess you go into the season, see how the offense responds and go from there. One thing for sure, a Gardiner and Kadri package could go a long way towards securing the type of franchise centerman they have been seeking since Mats left. I would trade Kadri if I was the Leafs management. The kid is super talented, but I don't think he will ever have the fire in his eyes, the sense of desperation you wanna see from a young player. Apparently, his work ethic in practice sucks....I think that's at least part of the reason he spent 2 years going up and down from the A.

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@jammer2 I too would trade Kadri/Gardiner in a package for a #1 centre, but I'm not optimistic about them being able to find a dance partner. They are at a premium, after all.

 

I wouldn't trade Kadri for just anything because the guy has major skill, but I actually think the Leafs could put together a halfway decent team if they could get that illusive #1 guy down the middle.

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@Commander Clueless  I think Gardiner is the part of the package that is a lot riskier for the team acquiring him. With Kadri, you kinda know your getting elite skill and a questionable work ethic, maybe just youthful immaturity, who knows. With Gardiner, you know he's a world class skater, but until he puts it all together, it's just potential. He is progressing nicely and I do think he will fill the potential, but it is a work in progress. The team getting him would have to know and understand that...I think they would. Seems like Morgan Riley and Gards have a lot of the same skill set, so parting with one would not be the end of the world...but Morgan, that guy should be untouchable....just electric talent oozing out of that kid, a true star in my books.

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I just read that mike fisher is out 4-6 months. That makes jokinen their first line center, yikes. I'm thinking a deal with Nashville will get done sooner rather than later...

That lucky guy will be nursed back to health just fine.

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@doom88  I've often wondered how a millionaire NHL player feels about his wife dwarfing his income. It's a good thing obviously, but some guys ego would get in the way and wreck things. They have lasted a while, so he must be mature about this side of things.

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@doom88 I've often wondered how a millionaire NHL player feels about his wife dwarfing his income. It's a good thing obviously, but some guys ego would get in the way and wreck things. They have lasted a while, so he must be mature about this side of things.

Um, she's smoking hot. Who cares about ego?

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I just read that mike fisher is out 4-6 months. That makes jokinen their first line center, yikes. I'm thinking a deal with Nashville will get done sooner rather than later...

Good to see you Double N. Just caught that bit of news myself, seems he had surgery for a blown Achilles last Thursday. Ya gotta think that would at least help Hexy's bargaining position some, still not good though.

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@doom88 ha ha....yeah, to you and I, she is hot and a dream, but *some* guys get really weird about not being the main bread winners. It sounds stupid, but it does get in the way with some couples.

I do hear you, and understand. That said...

It sounds stupid because it is. Good for her for being successful. That's a plus, not a minus.

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I do hear you, and understand. That said...

It sounds stupid because it is. Good for her for being successful. That's a plus, not a minus.

 

As an old friend of mine once said... "Boys are dumb"

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It sounds as if potential trade partners not only want the Flyers to pick up half of Lecavalier's remaining salary over the next four seasons, they also want either a draft pick asset or for Philly to take an unwanted salary back in the deal.

 

 

 Dear Lord, is *this* what it's coming to???  We have to pay half his salary AND give up a draft pick. I'm sorry, that price is to steep. I would have begrudgingly gave up a 3rd or 4th in 2016 (not next year) to end this whole fiasco....but to give up a pick and *still* having residual cap hits....no, I'm out at that price.

 

 If those are indeed the variables involved, then BY FAR the best thing Hexy can do is sit back and wait for training camp injuries to start piling in....see if that drops the price. This *has* to be an embarrassing time for Homer. To see his signing from last year create such a problem for the team...I'm So glad this guy is no longer at the helm. Holy crap *one* stinking year into a 5 year deal....other GM's must be learning from our crappy call.

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I agree Jammer just half to wait for injuries to happen in trainnig camp or reg season which is unfortunate obviously. Holmgren is a freaking idiot can't stand what he has done to this team fcking totally handcuffed Hextall.....God forbid but if or when an injury happens to a another teams center we will be in aposition of power and get a steal for a guy we could not give away now.

 

If Giroux were to grab Holmgrens ass he would be grabbing his fcking brain!

 

Mike Fisher will be out a few months for the Preds so who the hell know whats going to happen now...

Edited by Philly29
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I agree Jammer just half to wait for injuries to happen in trainnig camp or reg season which is unfortunate obviously. Holmgren is a freaking idiot can't stand what he has done to this team fcking totally handcuffed Hextall.....God forbid but if or when an injury happens to a another teams center we will be in aposition of power and get a steal for a guy we could not give away now.

If Giroux were to grab Holmgrens ass he would be grabbing his fcking brain!

Mike Fisher will be out a few months for the Preds so who the hell know whats going to happen now...

I'd be shocked if Laviolette wanted Lecavalier... Absolutely stunned.

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Then I guess outside of moving Vinny, they could look at shedding Grossmann or Luke to gain $3.5m+ in cap space. You could get a cheaper option for the 3rd pairing, such as Schultz or one of the kids if they impress enough to earn a spot. 

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You know... I will be probably get laughed off this board, but I think the best place they can put Vinny is on the 1st line with G and Voracek.  Honestly.  There is just absolutely no other spot for him.  He can't replace Coots on the third line because playing on a checking/shut-down line is just not his specialty. He can't play on the 2nd line with Simmer and Schenn either; they tried that experiment and it failed.  And you can't play the guy who makes so much money on the 4th line as it just doesn't make any sense...

 

You can yell at me and you can laugh at me, but what do the Flyers have to lose at this point?  I know it's not ideal, but I really believe the 1st line would be the best of two worlds.

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@Mad Dog  It's not as crazy as it sounds. Vinny plays with top elite talent, so points wise, you maximize his output. The only problem is, Vinny would be playing a lot more, and his poor defensive work would come into play more. Maybe the sheer speed of G and Vorachek help out Vinny in the defensive zone, but having him on the ice with those increased minutes means more opportunity to make defensive errors. That is something that can be worked on....but maximizing Vinny's offense, that is a good solid idea. It sounds better than having a 4+ mill player on the 4th line or in the pressbox.

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You know... I will be probably get laughed off this board, but I think the best place they can put Vinny is on the 1st line with G and Voracek.  Honestly.  There is just absolutely no other spot for him.  He can't replace Coots on the third line because playing on a checking/shut-down line is just not his specialty. He can't play on the 2nd line with Simmer and Schenn either; they tried that experiment and it failed.  And you can't play the guy who makes so much money on the 4th line as it just doesn't make any sense...

 

You can yell at me and you can laugh at me, but what do the Flyers have to lose at this point?  I know it's not ideal, but I really believe the 1st line would be the best of two worlds.

 

I won't laugh cause it's likely the best place for Vinnie. The problem is it's not the best place for our best and most important player.

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