It's mind numbing. For anybody who missed it, here's a Coles notes version of what we have learned (despite some trying hard not to!)


Phaneuf > Gagner

Phaneuf > Statsny

Letang =/= everybody in the Leafs system



- lumlums

Phaneuf > Gagner???

Doubt it. Phaneuf is an over-priced d-man with consistency issues in all zones. He's 28, so at least he's not old...he is a UFA at the end of the year, and I DOUBT he signs for less then 5per and TOR isn't likely to have the cash for him next year, so he's basically gone.

Gagner: 23 year old C, with significant offensive upside. RFA now, will sign long term deal at 5per. He's barely starting to get into his prime and is already close to a 0.9ppg guy on EDM.
Some argue he's a bit small, possibly, but he would fit in extremely well on TOR.

Me thinks Gagner is more valuable than Phaneuf to TOR, especially considering the needs of TOR for a good young C.

I like how the Avs fans want to unload Stastny and his 6.6 million dollar cap hit, knowing that MacKinnon is probably heading their way. I'd rather have Landiskog or Duchene, then Stastny. Go ahead! Buy him out!!

Wow...you don't watch much Letang right? He's physical when asked to be, he's fast and you can trust him against anyone one on one. He's good on both ends of the ice. He's Ok on the PP.
- Orpik44

Pens will find a way to resign him. If they lose him, they lose a big part of the transition game which hurts their stars.

You really want to sign him to a long term deal at 5 mill plus a season? Seems like a bigger risk than acquiring Stastny. Bozak takes nights off a lot.

I feel like this is Matt Stajan all over again
- Sheppy99

Bozak is better 2 way player then Statsney and in the dot. But lacks the offence at and isnt a great passer.

We trade for Letang, Malkin and Crosbys sports bra yet?

It does not make sense unless there is more coming back from Colorado. If Stastny was signed to a JvR type contract, then it'd be more like it. To put it into context, Clarke (frank)ing MacArthur scored 60 points more recently than Statsny did.

Pass
- lumlums

You will never find a perfect 90 point centerman to be the leafs #1 centerman.

You are going to have to take a risk on a centermans potential of who's available.

Teams seem to hold onto the type of centerman that we all think would be perfect. Every single year it's "oh let's just wait until ryan getzlaf is available and sign him" Than b4 Fa hits, his team makes the logical decision and resigns him. Happens every single time.

Fans look years in advance to potential FA's and say oh we just need to wait for this time to get our centerman we've always wanted. Sorry, but how has that workedo ut for us so far?

So.

(frank)ing.

Brutal.
- lumlums

Pittsburgh fans get a little more butthurt than most. They've spent the last decade being told what precious little flowers they are.

Letang is a great offensive defenseman, but I dion't think he could carry the load like Phaneuf without getting hurt.

I know Letang plays well. What I've never seen him do is play top minutes with AHLers all year in the worst possible situations and stay healthy.

Phaneuf > Gagner???

Doubt it. Phaneuf is an over-priced d-man with consistency issues in all zones. He's 28, so at least he's not old...he is a UFA at the end of the year, and I DOUBT he signs for less then 5per and TOR isn't likely to have the cash for him next year, so he's basically gone.

Gagner: 23 year old C, with significant offensive upside. RFA now, will sign long term deal at 5per. He's barely starting to get into his prime and is already close to a 0.9ppg guy on EDM.
Some argue he's a bit small, possibly, but he would fit in extremely well on TOR.

Me thinks Gagner is more valuable than Phaneuf to TOR, especially considering the needs of TOR for a good young C.

- mventres

Not interested in another small center. We proved that we couldn't compete against Boston, with 3 Habs at center. Gagner can stay in Edmonton. We'd be better off signing our own UFA, then trading off a good defensive asset.

So was Andy Greene and Marek Zidlicky for a time. I get he's not as bad as I make him sound, but he wouldn't be #1 over Phaneuf. I know I'm saying some dumb poop tonight, but some of the stuff on here, can you blame me?
- mykokes

Ya hes not better by any means then Phaneuf but there not the same type of player hard to compare hes better then gunnerson though

If hes that great then why are you so high on trading him. Trade one of the other centres instead.
- melve16

Duchene is a bonafide 1C, he showed that last year. If Avs draft Mckinnon like they say then they have 2 franchise 1st line centers. O'reilly can't be traded for about 8 more months ish and is still young and has incredible upside. Mitchell is also a solid bottom 6 center as well.

Stastny is on the block because the Avs are just stupid deep at center and insanely weak on D and wing. There just isn't a place for him on the Avs

I like how the Avs fans want to unload Stastny and his 6.6 million dollar cap hit, knowing that MacKinnon is probably heading their way. I'd rather have Landiskog or Duchene, then Stastny. Go ahead! Buy him out!!
- PrinceLH

A ton of teams would take him waaay before a buyout. Nashville im sure would take a center.

21st overall/Gardiner/MacArthur for Letang/Kennedy/Glass
- Orpik44

MacArthur is a UFA.... A bag of picks is worth more

I disagree, Schenn (Luke) was amazing for the Flyer's this year.. checkout his stats. For a stay at home Dman on a really poopty team last year he played very well!! Decent trade that ended up benefitting both clubs actually... but I wanted to Keep Schenn.... have Reilly and Gardiner in the system softens that blow though.
- thehockeygod

Lol if you don't think Leafs blew the Flyers out of the water in that trade you are looney. Schenn is good, but getting JVR for him was a steal

Phaneuf > Gagner???

Doubt it. Phaneuf is an over-priced d-man with consistency issues in all zones. He's 28, so at least he's not old...he is a UFA at the end of the year, and I DOUBT he signs for less then 5per and TOR isn't likely to have the cash for him next year, so he's basically gone.

Gagner: 23 year old C, with significant offensive upside. RFA now, will sign long term deal at 5per. He's barely starting to get into his prime and is already close to a 0.9ppg guy on EDM.
Some argue he's a bit small, possibly, but he would fit in extremely well on TOR.

Me thinks Gagner is more valuable than Phaneuf to TOR, especially considering the needs of TOR for a good young C.

- mventres

So, for an organization that is starved for a center, how does one say Neon Dion is better than Gagner? I always love when someone says a Dman is better than a forward. Why not compare forwards to forwards and Dmen to Dmem?

Gagner is more valuable than Phaneuf.

Pittsburgh fans get a little more butthurt than most. They've spent the last decade being told what precious little flowers they are.

Letang is a great offensive defenseman, but I dion't think he could carry the load like Phaneuf without getting hurt.

I know Letang plays well. What I've never seen him do is play top minutes with AHLers all year in the worst possible situations and stay healthy.
- Leeman4Gilmour

I don't think anyone said he could he just isn't big enough to withstand that punishment. He can still hold his own defensively though which he still doesn't get respect for.

Phaneuf > Gagner???

Doubt it. Phaneuf is an over-priced d-man with consistency issues in all zones. He's 28, so at least he's not old...he is a UFA at the end of the year, and I DOUBT he signs for less then 5per and TOR isn't likely to have the cash for him next year, so he's basically gone.

Gagner: 23 year old C, with significant offensive upside. RFA now, will sign long term deal at 5per. He's barely starting to get into his prime and is already close to a 0.9ppg guy on EDM.
Some argue he's a bit small, possibly, but he would fit in extremely well on TOR.

Me thinks Gagner is more valuable than Phaneuf to TOR, especially considering the needs of TOR for a good young C.

- mventres

Gagner will never be a 1st line center

I disagree, Schenn (Luke) was amazing for the Flyer's this year.. checkout his stats. For a stay at home Dman on a really poopty team last year he played very well!! Decent trade that ended up benefitting both clubs actually... but I wanted to Keep Schenn.... have Reilly and Gardiner in the system softens that blow though.
- thehockeygod

The story of Luke Schenn is yet another reason why Dion Phaneuf has value to us.

He can play here. I know that doesn't sound like much, but trust me, it is. Look at Schenn. He couldn't hack it. Neither could Murphy, McCabe, Beauchemin, or Komisarek.

Playing defense in Toronto might just be the most difficult job in all of pro sports with the exception of pitching in a Yankees uniform.

If you find a guy who looks like he can handle it, you need to hang on to him. If he can take the heat off of Gardiner or Rielly one day, he's worth every cent you pay him.

Without Phaneuf last year, we would have gone from praising a guy like Franson to calling for his head.

MacArthur is a UFA.... A bag of picks is worth more
- coryberg2

MacArthur - even if he was signed, he is the last thing Pittsburgh would need.

A ton of teams would take him waaay before a buyout. Nashville im sure would take a center.
- jake24242

The problem is, trading assets for him. The Preds would be in a different predicament trying to reach the cap floor.

Phaneuf > Gagner???

Doubt it. Phaneuf is an over-priced d-man with consistency issues in all zones. He's 28, so at least he's not old...he is a UFA at the end of the year, and I DOUBT he signs for less then 5per and TOR isn't likely to have the cash for him next year, so he's basically gone.

Gagner: 23 year old C, with significant offensive upside. RFA now, will sign long term deal at 5per. He's barely starting to get into his prime and is already close to a 0.9ppg guy on EDM.
Some argue he's a bit small, possibly, but he would fit in extremely well on TOR.

Me thinks Gagner is more valuable than Phaneuf to TOR, especially considering the needs of TOR for a good young C.

- mventres

Absolutely Phaneuf is more valuable. We were top 5 in scoring in the league, even with a poor 1C. Where we had issues is keeping the puck out of our net. Trading one of the only guys who can play more than 25 mins a night DOES NOT help here. People see the odd brain fart and assume that Dion is garbage. He makes brain farts as he's trying to be 2 guys at once out there. Get him a reliable partner and watch him flourish.

PS: Gagner's points per game over the last four years (NHL) are 0.60, 0.62, 0.63, 0.79. I see improvement, but not 0.9PPG.

This would have to be a monster deal for PITT to consider dealing him within conference. The overpay by TOR would have to be gigantic...I'm thinking bind-blowing overpay (IF Letang is signed):

Gardiner + 21 + Kulemin + Gunnarson + 1st in 2014 <-> Letang + Kennedy???

It would almost not be worth it for TOR to try...lol. On the other hand, if PITT has a deal in place for Fleury to say CGY, then I could see something like:

Gardiner + 21 + Kulemin + Gunnarson + Reimer <-> Letang + Kennedy

I know these are insane offers, but really, why would PITT trade to TOR otherwise, there must be at least a few Western Conference teams ready to bid as well...I just don't see Letang involved here...3-way deal, maybe...but he would need to end up in the West still...
- mventres

That's just waaay to ridiculous... sorry. I'd prefer to keep Kulemin... he's a beast even though he's lost his scoring touch! I can see

Ashton + 21 + Gunnarson FOR Letang

I like how the Avs fans want to unload Stastny and his 6.6 million dollar cap hit, knowing that MacKinnon is probably heading their way. I'd rather have Landiskog or Duchene, then Stastny. Go ahead! Buy him out!!
- PrinceLH

Why would Avs buy him out............

He has trade value and only 1 year left.......

Gagner will never be a 1st line center
- jake24242

Does it matter? Malkin will never be a 1st line center.

I like how the Avs fans want to unload Stastny and his 6.6 million dollar cap hit, knowing that MacKinnon is probably heading their way. I'd rather have Landiskog or Duchene, then Stastny. Go ahead! Buy him out!!
- PrinceLH

Phaneuf is not getting you anywhere near Landiskog or Duchene. PS is a deal Toronto wins. Avs got burned on Johnson. There's no way they take Dion. Plus they have some really good young d-men in the system already. A veteran, like Ference, makes a tonne of sense. Phaneuf who would be expected to be their #1, not so much. Edmonton makes sense bc he wouldn't be the #1. Gagner is too much in a 1-1 deal. Gagner and Edmonton's 1st for Letang and a prospect makes more sense.

Gagner will never be a 1st line center
- jake24242

He will be on the Leafs, and i welcome him.