Why not?
- AdamFrench

health aside, who is the penguins best player?

i'm sure i dont need to say.

he should be paid like it.

anyone else should fall below that.

Carter seems to be declining, as Lupul seems to be improving....I'd take Lupul over Carter right now.
- blahman20

Same here. Anson Carter is pretty much done. That's the Carter you're talking about right?

I have a feeling he'll stick around and make somewhere around 9 or 9.5 million a year. It is kinda weird to have someone on the team making more than Crosby but if anyone in the league deserves it it's Malkin. Probably sounds bias, but I think they are the two best players in the league.
- woopstash

i dont know.. i really dont. it would be unusual but if it was going to happen.. this would be the set of circumstances surrounding it.

I come into the Leafs thread and one of the first comments I see is you guys talking about me. I'm actually quite flattered to know you guys talk about me even when I'm not here.
- woopstash

Just because somebody is talking you, doesn't make it good.

There IS such a thing as bad press.

i dont necessarily think so.. because then you would have to say grabovski is a key guy

i love grabo, dont get me wrong, but i dont think ownership or management has given him any reason to believe he is going to be a long term building block and they are paying him a quarter of a million more

there was no way the leafs could give grabo 5.5 last year and turn around and say to lupul "our offer is 4 million".
- Dozzer

By that theory, there is no way this mentality doesnt see Luongo as a good option too. Shoot yourself once in the foot, keep firing until the clip is empty. Furthurmore, there is no way they can turn around to Kessel and say you're not worth at least a million and a half more than those two.

Would of liked to see what they could have got for him in a trade. Likely could have fetched a first round pick or a good prospect.
- woopstash

I have to agree with this. This signing would make more sense to me if the team is in a playoff spot come the trade deadline. If this team is so far out, signing a 29 year old to a long term deal doesnt make more sense than selling him, Bozak and Mac for a good deal of picks/prospects, having a ton of cap space, and moving from there.

By that theory, there is no way this mentality doesnt see Luongo as a good option too. Shoot yourself once in the foot, keep firing until the clip is empty. Furthurmore, there is no way they can turn around to Kessel and say you're not worth at least a million and a half more than those two.
- systemtool

I agree with this. Though, quite frankly, that wouldn't be much of an overpayment.

So Nonis DID overpay for Lupul then?
I agree with what the other guy was saying about seeing what you could get for him via trade. Paying him over $5 million a year for the next 5 years sends the message that he is one of the key guys you're going to build around.
- woopstash

He is one of the key guys they are going to build around.

he's a really good player, if he didn't get injured he would have been in the top 10 last year. what the hell else do the leafs have?
Kessel and Gardner pretty thin after that
- bobbyisno1

Lupol is the best forward on the current roster to build around. I guess nonis thinks this team will be turned around in the next 5. Its nice to think hey we can get getzlaf or perry, but probably not without over paying for them. Leafs have to show potential for them to even want to come here.

I agree with this. Though, quite frankly, that wouldn't be much of an overpayment.
- Mr_Clean

Not an overpayment, but it just means that Lupul, Grabs, Kessel are the core of this team, with little hope of upgrade or change. Then add Dregers report that Bozak is next to be signed..well...this is it. There isnt going to be much left in cap space to do anything significant.

And the team STILL wont have a starting goalie or #1 center.

Good ol' Leafs. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Not an overpayment, but it just means that Lupul, Grabs, Kessel are the core of this team, with little hope of upgrade or change. Then add Dregers report that Bozak is next to be signed..well...this is it. There isnt going to be much left in cap space to do anything significant.

And the team STILL wont have a starting goalie or #1 center.

Good ol' Leafs. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
- systemtool

Trades, draft.

They have given up on free agents, can't say i blame them. Players don't want to sign here, players won't sign here for cheap.

You have to build from within.

The Leafs overpay for an average player? Now I've seen it all.
- woopstash

Kind of like how Vancouver overpayed for Garrison.. And are paying Booth 4+ million a year.

Lupol is the best forward on the current roster to build around. I guess nonis thinks this team will be turned around in the next 5. Its nice to think hey we can get getzlaf or perry, but probably not without over paying for them. Leafs have to show potential for them to even want to come here.
- kylkri

And Scrivens is our best goalie. By default.

We should be building around young guys. Not guys about to enter their 30's who are injury prone with no track record of consistency. Love the guy, want him on the team, but not at a long term expense.

FFS, all that big talk about patience, rebuilding and cap space just got flushed because of one blinding win against a bad team.

Just go get Luongo already and complete the goofball set.

Grigorenko a -1

Trades, draft.

They have given up on free agents, can't say i blame them. Players don't want to sign here, players won't sign here for cheap.

You have to build from within.
- Leafland

Alright stop! Luongo time!

I have to agree with this. This signing would make more sense to me if the team is in a playoff spot come the trade deadline. If this team is so far out, signing a 29 year old to a long term deal doesnt make more sense than selling him, Bozak and Mac for a good deal of picks/prospects, having a ton of cap space, and moving from there.
- systemtool

Nonis must think that the leafs will be in a better position in the next five years with him than with the assets he could fetch. That being said he probably wanted to make lupol feel wanted here instead of being expendable. What kind of timeline does nonis have to make his mark? does he have to make the playoffs soon or has he been given the green light to strip down.

Not an overpayment, but it just means that Lupul, Grabs, Kessel are the core of this team, with little hope of upgrade or change. Then add Dregers report that Bozak is next to be signed..well...this is it. There isnt going to be much left in cap space to do anything significant.

And the team STILL wont have a starting goalie or #1 center.

Good ol' Leafs. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
- systemtool

Ok, I didn't know that Bozak was the next to be signed.

I guess, at the moment, this works out to hoping a top-6 of Lupul, Grabovski, Bozak, Kessel, Kadri, +1 subpar 1st liner/above-average 2nd liner can carry the Leafs for the next 2-3 years at least. If that is the message being sent I would upset as a Leafs fan as well. It definitely looks to be an about average top-6 all around... Not an inspiring turn-of-events.

Hmm Schenn two penalties, Sabre two PP goals. Man Philly in two games have very little scoring chances or offence, you would think they'd be a lot better early.
- LeafMan

With no Pronger and Carle gone, and the goaltending shaky, I actually would not be surprised if this team got into a dog fight for the last 2 playoff spots. Don't get me wrong, with Schenn and Couts, their forwards for the future look very good.

However, they're gonna have to score a lot of goals to compete in the east

Lupol is the best forward on the current roster to build around. I guess nonis thinks this team will be turned around in the next 5. Its nice to think hey we can get getzlaf or perry, but probably not without over paying for them. Leafs have to show potential for them to even want to come here.
- kylkri

The point isnt that they can get those two. The point is that they should be focused on those two or comparables to those two. In the meantime, keep the cap space flexible and open when the time comes and you can make that move happen. You cant bury guys in the minors anymore. Gotta watch how you spend and who you spend it on.

this is just silly.
He(Phaneuf) is the captain, leader and number one defenseman on the team. He hits, fights, has a bomb from the point and will get 40-50 points and 60-100 pims a season.
- Barx

He's worth upwards of 5.5. But to be perfectly honest, even if he fits into that description, I just don't see him being worth a raise in the first place.

He's still prone to brain farts and needs a solid partner who can tidy up his mistakes

Alright stop! Luongo time!
- systemtool

This seems like patience to me.

Am i missing something? As long as they aren't dishing out 1st rounders, this team will continue to build with Lupul and Bozak in the lineup. How does their signings effect it?

Ok, I didn't know that Bozak was the next to be signed.

I guess, at the moment, this works out to hoping a top-6 of Lupul, Grabovski, Bozak, Kessel, Kadri, +1 subpar 1st liner/above-average 2nd liner can carry the Leafs for the next 2-3 years at least. If that is the message being sent I would upset as a Leafs fan as well. It definitely looks to be an about average top-6 all around... Not an inspiring turn-of-events.
- Mr_Clean

No guarantee, but Dreger who I respect said it today on TSN radio.

Im glad someone can look at this objectively, sadly, not a single Leaf fan is one of them. Ill be bashed for hating Lupul, when hes actually one of my favourites on the team.

We also dont have much cap space anymore like many believe we do, with big holes in net and at the #1 center position still.

This seems like patience to me.

Am i missing something? As long as they aren't dishing out 1st rounders, this team will continue to build with Lupul and Bozak in the lineup. How does their signings effect it?
- Leafland

Presuming they finish very poorly the next couple of seasons, this is true. Otherwise, in the absence of good development and good drafting, other poor-to-average teams will improve as rapidly or more rapidly than the Leafs moving forward.

And Scrivens is our best goalie. By default.

We should be building around young guys. Not guys about to enter their 30's who are injury prone with no track record of consistency. Love the guy, want him on the team, but not at a long term expense.

FFS, all that big talk about patience, rebuilding and cap space just got flushed because of one blinding win against a bad team.

Just go get Luongo already and complete the goofball set.
- systemtool

I dont think he was signed because of last night. He didnt have that good of a game to merit a new contract. He got that because of his play last year. 67 pts in 66 games is good. Its a risk I can handle. Luongo is not. If lu was a five year deal he might be worth the assets

This seems like patience to me.

Am i missing something? As long as they aren't dishing out 1st rounders, this team will continue to build with Lupul and Bozak in the lineup. How does their signings effect it?
- Leafland

Patience as in not rushing to pay a guy like Lupul with a contract that long before knowing if your team is good enough to compete this year or any time soon. Patience as in admitting its not our time any time soon, so trade older assets for #1 picks and good prospects. Also, patience in waiting for the right players to become available and having the cap space to make it happen.