In all honesty, it's not Feaster.

It's the guys above him that have to go. they are the, "We want a Cup, bring in the guys who were good 5 years ago group."

they won't let the Flames re-build.

Honestly, it wouldn't shock me to see Ken King deal the 6 pick for Vanek.
- IanEsplen

Agreed. I suspect that Feaster is the puppet and even though he's not exactly a good GM, I believe that ownership is making him look pretty stupid.

A lot of teams are nowhere near the cap ceiling and a bunch are going to need to work hard just to hit the floor. He only has 2 years left and he can easily crack most teams top 5 and some teams top 4. If they aren't going to use the cap space it isn't a big risk if they don't have to give up anything to get him.
- KB3Point0

The lowest current cap hit is the Isles, at $35M. That’s $8M away from the floor, I believe. But they have 8 guys to sign to hit their payroll roster. Only 5 teams are currently below, and they range from having 7 to 11 guys to sign. There isn’t a single team struggling to hit the floor, realistically.

Additionally, while this has been brought up many many times, it’s never happened. If a GM has money to spend, he’s not gonna take on a bad contract for no reason. He’ll spend it the best way he can.

There will be quite a few players like Ballard available from teams looking to clear cap space though, including some good players that will be bought out. I'd rather take a shot at a player that's just been bought out, much cheaper, and also has a similar story as Ballard(not a good fit with his previous team).
- Nucker101

The idea that a GM will be charitable and take on a bad contract in order to hit the floor is a myth.

He was talkin about duby but you just poop on him because you thought he was talking about DP
- RF_4eva

I addressed that in my next post where I asked him if he was talking about DP.

My tone was also in response to some of his other ridiculous posts.

I wouldn't worry about it.

If you remove the blowouts where Lu was in net and the team didn't show up in front of him his numbers this year were pretty good. As you noted, he played very well in most of his starts this year.
- KB3Point0

So you think Reimer is better than Lou?

- Fosco

He was this year.

The lowest current cap hit is the Isles, at $35M. That’s $8M away from the floor, I believe. But they have 8 guys to sign to hit their payroll roster. Only 5 teams are currently below, and they range from having 7 to 11 guys to sign. There isn’t a single team struggling to hit the floor, realistically.

Additionally, while this has been brought up many many times, it’s never happened. If a GM has money to spend, he’s not gonna take on a bad contract for no reason. He’ll spend it the best way he can.
- Dirte

Agreed.

He was this year.
- Dirte

See my edit.

He was at the end of the year, after the Canucks started riding Schneider, but Lou played fantastic to start the year.

Reimer was rock solid this year, if I was Nonis I'd rather try a sign a guy like Backstrom or trade for a guy like Hiller and maybe just go with a 1A/1B system.
- Nucker101

Funny enough, for years I was a big advocate of bringing in Vokoun. And apparently (reports), he came to the Leafs to sign for cheap, before he ended up with Washington. Idiots.

He was this year.
- Dirte

Hey hold up....not if you don't count Lou's bad games.

See my edit.

He was at the end of the year, after the Canucks started riding Schneider, but Lou played fantastic to start the year.
- Fosco

My statement was that the Leafs probably wouldn't have made it as far as they did with Luongo instead of Reimer, given what Reimer did this year. I stand by that.

- stormey

There were two blowouts where Lou got absolutely hung out to dry.

Coupled with Lou getting much less starts this year, those two games grossly distorted the numbers in what was a very solid year for Lou.

Hey hold up....not if you don't count Lou's bad games.
- stormey

It actually swings way in favour of Luongo if you remove Reimer's shutouts too.

His defence has been praised at almost every level. Have you even followed his development closely the last few years?

Guy even went on quite a stretch before he had and ES goal scored with him on the ice while he was up with the Canucks.

He was one of the Wolves best defensive forwards and PKers before Arneil took him off.

EDIT: and his offense in the AHL has been fairly consistent, and improving every season.

He's played on a low-scoring AHL team without any offensively gifted linemates or top line minutes.

His ES point production this season in the AHL was very similar to Eberle, Hall, and Kadri's, but because of the Wolves anemic PP his overall totals were lower.
- Fosco

I didn't say he was bad defensively, I said he was "not great defensively." Which he is not. His defensive play has been praised as improving, but at the NHL level he is not someone you could feel confident putting out against any line, he would need some shielding to be successful. Which is exactly what AV did with him here.

How confident would you feel putting him up against the top 2 lines of the Blackhawks, Kings, Sharks, Blues? I'd be pretty nervous every time he was out there against those top lines. And you can't have that from your 2nd line center.

My statement was that the Leafs probably wouldn't have made it as far as they did with Luongo instead of Reimer, given what Reimer did this year. I stand by that.
- Dirte

OK, well I disagree. I think the Leafs would have done better in the regular season and playoffs with Lou. But I guess we'll never know.

It actually swings way in favour of Luongo if you remove Reimer's shutouts too.
- Dirte

Ballard sucks. No one wants a $4M guy that sits in the pressbox.
- Dirte

The Leafs know all about that.

There were two blowouts where Lou got absolutely hung out to dry.

Coupled with Lou getting much less starts this year, those two games grossly distorted the numbers in what was a very solid year for Lou.
- Fosco

To be fair, every goalie/team has stinkers. Take out the two worst games of Reimer's season and he still has better numbers.

There were two blowouts where Lou got absolutely hung out to dry.

Coupled with Lou getting much less starts this year, those two games grossly distorted the numbers in what was a very solid year for Lou.
- Fosco

Oh....ok.

Well then they shouldn't count. You're right.

OK, well I disagree. I think the Leafs would have done better in the regular season and playoffs with Lou. But I guess we'll never know.
- Fosco

If you think he would have fared better in a game 7, any game 7 really, I wholeheartedly disagree.

I didn't say he was bad defensively, I said he was "not great defensively." Which he is not. His defensive play has been praised as improving, but at the NHL level he is not someone you could feel confident putting out against any line, he would need some shielding to be successful. Which is exactly what AV did with him here.

How confident would you feel putting him up against the top 2 lines of the Blackhawks, Kings, Sharks, Blues? I'd be pretty nervous every time he was out there against those top lines. And you can't have that from your 2nd line center.
- KB3Point0

I would feel confident if he had some size on his wings who were also competent defensively.

I don't think Schroeder is ready for the 2nd line yet, but I feel quite comfortable with him as a 3C, provided he improves his faceoff ability.

I've followed him quite closely the last 4 years, and he's still developing, which is a promising sign, considering he did quite well in his time in the NHL this season...at least in my opinion.

Funny enough, for years I was a big advocate of bringing in Vokoun. And apparently (reports), he came to the Leafs to sign for cheap, before he ended up with Washington. Idiots.
- Dirte

Wow, if true then that's shocking that the Leafs wouldn't take Vokoun on a cheap deal.

If you think he would have fared better in a game 7, any game 7 really, I wholeheartedly disagree.
- Dirte

I do.

That's not a knock against Reimer. I just still believe Lou is one of the better goalies in the league. I've seen nothing that would tell me otherwise.

Again, I doubt too may GMs would choose Reimer over Lou in a win now situation if it weren't for Lou's contract.

If you think he would have fared better in a game 7, any game 7 really, I wholeheartedly disagree.
- Dirte

Against the Bruins of all teams too, I'm not so sure if I'd feel confident in Luongo....

Do you have any facts to back this up? It seems pretty low.

I thought you were referring to Dipietro?

And Luongo played great this year, but got absolutely shelled by Detroit in one game (9 goals) and didn't play too much afterwards which distorted his numbers quite a bit.
- Fosco

Good goalies often play at a high level into their late 30s (37 - 39) and can play at a very good level into their early 40s (40 / 41). It would be very reasonable to expect Luongo to continue being a great number one goalie for the next 4 - 5 years.