Anyone who has followed the Maple Leafs over the years has grown accustomed to certain names becoming fixtures in Toronto trade rumors. As with Eric Lindros in the late 1990’s and more recently Roberto Luongo, the name of Colorado Avalanche center Paul Stastny has been frequently mentioned as a possible solution for the organization’s lack of a top line center.
Veteran reporter
Howard Berger mentioned on his “Berger Bytes” blog over the weekend that the Maple Leafs are likely to devote significant financial resources towards filling the gap that has been vacant since the departure of Mats Sundin in 2008 and that the 27 year old son of Hockey Hall of Famer Peter Stastny may fit the bill.
The Avalanche are currently an organization in a state of flux, firing fired coach Joe Sacco and ending the reign of team president Pierre Lacroix and bringing in Hall of Famer Joe Sakic to take over control of hockey operations. Sakic will have the benefit of choosing first overall in the draft this June, but will also look to reshuffle the deck with a team that finished only ahead of Florida for the worst record in the league.
Colorado is extremely talented up the middle, with Stastny and 2009 draftees Matt Duchene and Ryan O’Reilly, but all three centers are slated to become free agents at the end of the 2013-14 season.
After two seasons at the University of Denver, Stastny posted impressive offensive numbers with three of his first four NHL seasons averaging over 20 goals and 50 assists, but his production declined in 10-11 and 11-12 due in part to Duchesne and O’Reilly getting increased ice time and power play opportunities. Increased ice time due to O’Reilly’s first half contract holdout did not boost Stastny’s output, as he scored nine goals and 15 assists in 40 games(numbers that were eclipsed in Toronto by fellow U of Denver alum Tyler Bozak).
Leafs GM Dave Nonis may see an opportunity to acquire Stastny, as the Avs may have interest in allocating his $6.6 Million cap hit on extensions for Duchene and O’Reilly, but there is some question how much of an upgrade he would be over Bozak and whether Toronto’s cap room could be spent more wisely.
If Nonis were able to swap players of equal or lesser salary like Dion Phaneuf and Mike Komisarek or sign the veteran playmaker as a free agent if the Avs new management group uses one of their compliance buyouts, it may be a risk worth taking. If the Avs crave young assets for the veteran playmaker, it would be short sighted of Toronto to make that type of deal, since Stastny would be free to sell his wares on the open market next July.
Is Paul Stastny the top line center that the Leafs are missing or is he just a reasonable facsimile????
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The Toronto Marlies face elimination Tuesday night at Ricoh Coliseum, as they take on the Grand Rapids Griffins in Game 6 of the Calder Cup Western Conference Semi-Final.
After splitting the first two games in Toronto last weekend, the Griffins took a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series with a 5-4 victory in Game 3 on Wednesday and a 4-1 win on Friday.
The Marlies stayed alive with a strong 4-1 victory at Van Andel Arena on Saturday, taking a 2-0 lead on goals by Spencer Abbott and Will Acton in the second and extending the lead in the third with power play goals from Morgan Rielly and Mike Zigomanis.
If Toronto can win and force a Game 7, it will be on Wednesday at 7pm at Ricoh Coliseum.
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