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Updates and Rumours from around the League

I agree that his value is lowest right now, but I disagree that the back up we'd get would be worse. I think I'd have more confidence in Scrivens than Reimer, just from what Scrivens did for the leafs when he was here, and the numbers he put up with LA and you can't blame him for the shiite show defense that is Edmonton.
 
MyNameIsJonas said:
If Edmonton trades for a goalie it should be for a clear cut upgrade on what they have, not another maybe.
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Their play should be to let this season run it's course. Take their top 3 pick (maybe McDavid?) and then call LA. Martin Jones is a RFA in LA and in a very similar position that Bernier was in prior to last season. Has played well enough to deserve a significant raise (odds are he'll be at 40-45 career games worth of .920+ play by the end of this season), and LAK will be unwilling to spend more on goaltending than they already are.

Do what we did, and trade spare parts for a young goalie who has succeeded at every level and just needs an opportunity somewhere. Also a good opportunity to get him locked up for 3-4 years in the 2.5 million dollar range, which could be a huge steal.
 
I'm more banking on Edmonton being stupid, and taking a flier on Reimer... you now, western Canada boy, stuff like that. They also clearly don't want to move any key pieces, so they would be content in just shifting chairs on the titanic, hoping it will do something.

Who knows, Reimer might go in and do well for a bit, and get them out of the top 4 and then next year they'll be back to square one.
 
On the Leafs and Kings...

Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs are talking to LA regarding Mike Richards or Dwight King.
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e6 or whatever.

Here is our 2014 version of a homeless Doug Gilmour. Though Richards here would probably be just as loved.
 
The only way I'd take Mike Richards is if David Clarkson is going back the other way. With the way he's deteriorated in the last few years, his contract is now among the worst in the league...and he's got 5 years @ $5.75M per season left after this season.

Fortunately, as I'm assuming this is another "rumour" Eklund heard from the voices in his head after huffing some glue, we can completely ignore the idea.
 
There was a leaf rumour earlier that seemed to start from hockey buzz but I saw it on other cheesy leaf sites so they probably just lifted it from Eklund, that The leafs were in talks with Florida and that Lupul would be going to the panthers for Willie Mitchell.....

Take it for what it's worth.

I think Richards is a bit done, but Lupul would be happy as eff to be included in a deal to go to LA.
 
With the NHL potentially looking to make their first statement on these assault cases, LA might need a guy to replace Voynov for the year. Maybe a deal of Franson for Richards.

Possible rationale(please don't eat my head for this):

Franson is a UFA at seasons end, so a relatively low risk move for them. Richards has been playing in the bottom 6 because of the depth in the lineup.

Say the trade was:

Franson for Richards + (1 mill retained)

This way LA gets out of the contract and get a Voynov replacement , and the Leafs get a guy with a ton of experience at a contract that isn't a complete anchor (4.25).
 
JVR - Bozak - Kessel
Komarov - Kadri - XXXX
Lupul - Richards - Clarkson <------ The most expensive 3rd line in history.
 
We trade the guy who's been our #2 defenseman (and run-away best offensive defenseman) for the Kings' version of David Clarkson? A guy with a contract so bad it ranks among the league's worst, and the Kings would probably be willing to GIVE UP assets to get someone to take it?

Are you out of your ****ing mind?
 
I don't think Richards is as done as some may say. I think he's a guy that has accepted the role that his coach has handed to him. He is a lot better than Clarkson.

Trading this alleged #2 defender before he is gone for nothing is good asset management in my mind. Richards isn't great value, but he brings quite a bit to the table that the Leafs lack. Franson being our #2 defender is one of the many reasons our team is where it is.

Scoring goals isn't this teams problem, its stopping other teams from scoring. Richards @ 4.25(in my trade scenario) > Franson at whatever he signs this offseason(likely 4-5x5)

This is more a trade for an identity. Richards is a risky move.

Not out of my mind, just contributing to a board that has become quite dead. This is a place of discussion afterall.
 
The problem with Richards is LA wants to dump him for the same reason Philly did. They don't think he takes the game seriously enough. And now its not just partying too much, but flat out not taking care of his body. You don't want a broken down 30 year old on that contract. Guys like that can't compete anymore. Its a young mans game now, and the old guys have to stay in shape to keep up.

That said I'd gladly trade Clarkson for him.
 
I don't want to defend Richards with regards to how he takes care of his body, as there is no way for to verify either which way. All i'm saying is that it would be an interesting situation if it presented itself.

I just think if he was UFA this summer, he'd be getting a contract similar to Bolland. As far as i'm concerned Richards>Bolland.

Yea, that Clarkson deal is pretty bad. Clarkson has reverted back to being a bum without that mask. Someone break his nose of something.
 
Is he better than Bolland though? This year he has been a 30-40 point, small, slow center with poor possession and faceoff numbers. Sounds a lot like Bolland actually.

And the best case scenerio is he is a small, slow 30 year old 2nd line center signed for $6 million until he is 35.

Frankly I'm not sure he is better than Bozak at this point. And he certainly isn't better than Kadri. So why are we spending $6 million on a maybe for a 3rd line center?

Just to fit him under the cap you need to move good players too (unless someone magically takes Clarkson). Lupul, JVR, Bozak, Gardiner. Someone like that would have to go.
 
If Richards was a UFA, I'd be fine with this team signing him to the same kind of deal Mike Santorelli, Daniel Winnik and David Booth all got this summer. Anything more than that though? No thanks. Having third liners signed to bloated long-term contracts (whether you signed the deal yourself or traded for it) is the kiss of death in the salary-cap era NHL.

That's why the Kings seriously considered buying him out in the summer, and that's why they're trying to get rid of him now. And so far this year, even completely ignoring salary:

Mike Santorelli > Mike Richards
Daniel Winnik > Mike Richards
 
leafman101 said:
Is he better than Bolland though? This year he has been a 30-40 point, small, slow center with poor possession and faceoff numbers. Sounds a lot like Bolland actually.

And the best case scenerio is he is a small, slow 30 year old 2nd line center signed for $6 million until he is 35.

Frankly I'm not sure he is better than Bozak at this point. And he certainly isn't better than Kadri. So why are we spending $6 million on a maybe for a 3rd line center?

Just to fit him under the cap you need to move good players too (unless someone magically takes Clarkson). Lupul, JVR, Bozak, Gardiner. Someone like that would have to go.
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Nonis should be fired for the Clarkson deal.

Shanahan almost kept Bolland.

It would 100% be something Leaf-like if they acquired Mike Richards.

I'm just hoping for an improvement of the team. I don't care if Richards puts up 10 points during the season if he helps this team win a cup. Beyond looking at websites with analytics, Richards has good qualities to add to any team. He's a guy that has proven to be healthier than Bolland in recent years. At the same age of Kadri, he was the captain of the Philadelphia Flyers and took them to the finals(if i recall).

He may be broken down and never regain his prior form, but he's accomplished more in his career already than our entire roster.
 
Richards has regressed badly. Stay away. 5 more years for 5.75 per. Ouch.

If he was in Toronto we'd hear a lot about how finished he is and what a terrible contract it is.
 
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