This is what I don't get from some ppl, yes those players are a tad overpaid, but so are most of the FA in every year. Plus the isles have TONS of cap space which if these 2 players are overpaid its only 2 players. The best part of this deal is that its only for 4yrs not 5,6,7, which can hinder a team down the road. Anyhow I'm the 1st person who will criticize my team if they made a stupid move but this was solid. Also by year 3, these contracts wont even hinder the isles bc the cap & salaries will continue to go up, plus if anything they can be bought out by that time ( but doubt it )

Have to look at this way, by the time both players contracts are done Grabo will be 34yrs old & Kumelin will be 32yrs old, that's still good of age/contract.
Not like Orpik who is getting $5M until 38yrs of age, if you get my point??
- Ur Not Me

You did see that he immediately followed the bolded with "but who isn't during FA," right?

This is what I don't get from some ppl, yes those players are a tad overpaid, but so are most of the FA in every year. Plus the isles have TONS of cap space which if these 2 players are overpaid its only 2 players. The best part of this deal is that its only for 4yrs not 5,6,7, which can hinder a team down the road. Anyhow I'm the 1st person who will criticize my team if they made a stupid move but this was solid. Also by year 3, these contracts wont even hinder the isles bc the cap & salaries will continue to go up, plus if anything they can be bought out by that time ( but doubt it )

Have to look at this way, by the time both players contracts are done Grabo will be 34yrs old & Kumelin will be 32yrs old, that's still good of age/contract.
Not like Orpik who is getting $5M until 38yrs of age, if you get my point??
- Ur Not Me

I do get it, and WSH is going to be cap strapped in a few years when Orpik is being paid $5MM to be a #7 d-man. He and Niskanen were bad contracts.

I definiely will NOT trade Brock Nelson, Anders Lee and Ryan Strome. They are our future including Calvin De Haan and Travis Hamonic. Those are our top five that I will not even consider trading.

Nelson Tavares Okposo
Kulemin Nielsen Grabo
Lee Strome Grabner
Martin Cizikas Clutterback

Hamonic De Haan
Phaneuf Reinhart
Visnoysky Strait

Halak
Johnson

As a Leaf fan with knowledge of Gabo and Kuli i say great signings and no matter cost you needed to get to cap floor anyway..

Given signings and talent on team i think your set on F side of the game..

Given the move to Brooklyn and the last year in NYI, and with pending sale process i think all out effort will be made to take a big leap forward this year..

In addition you have no 1st in 2015 so a lottery pick or non playoff year is not a benefit at all to the team short or long term

The last need is a top 4 D or most likely top 2 D

Reading here Odaya or Leddy is a laugh as they won't help at all and would be last pairing..

So here is a proposal the Leafs have Phaneuf a top 2 D for sure, and Franson a top 4 D that could be moved for prospects not current players..Thus not hurting what i think will be a big leap forward this season

The return would be much bigger for Phaneuf and the LEAFS could even eat some salary as they have room if the right players came back ( prospects ). On Franson no need...
- sarasotamike

To be fair, with Phaneuf's contract that will pay him $7M a year for the next 7yrs, he will be 37 by time contract ends. Now don't get me wrong he will be serviceable for about another 4-5yrs but the last 2yrs at $7M can hinder a team. I know the leafs are looking to move him and are expecting something great in return, but you shall be disappointed bc of how the NHL teams value their salary cap. If Spezza got a decent/lousy return from Dallas w/1yr left on contract but a $7M cap hit, don't expect anything but a bad contract back, sorry.
Now I don't know about Franson's value, but not sure if he's deserving of top tier prospects back, maybe a pick or two.

But if any deal is made w/isles for any of the Leafs players, I don't expect anything great Snow is willing to part with....

You did see that he immediately followed the bolded with "but who isn't during FA," right?
- nfph

Really???? like I didn't mention it either...

Dont need Franssss ???


Patrick Sharp for Matt Martin and 2015 draft picks say a #2 and #3 ?


We need Salary relief and you need a real life 1st line wing to skate with your JT.....
- mrpaulish

Patrick Sharp for Neilsen and a 4th rounder

If the isles want to upgrade the "D", they have to be willing to trade away desirable assets. The most desirable asset they have to trade on the roster now that is not a top tier prospect is Nielsen, followed by Grabner. Those two are going to be shopped. They both have value, in particular Nielsen. They stand the best chance of bringing something of value back for the blueline.

Bailey will be shopped, but he won't bring anything back in value. He's got four years at over $12M left on his deal. He's been bad, an underachiever. The Isles aren't going to sell low on him. I can't see the Isles moving Reinhart at all. The only way a top prospect or Nelson/Strome/Lee get included in a package would be for a legit reasonably young top pair defensemen signed long term. I don't see those kind of guys being shopped around.

Dont need Franssss ???


Patrick Sharp for Matt Martin and 2015 draft picks say a #2 and #3 ?


We need Salary relief and you need a real life 1st line wing to skate with your JT.....
- mrpaulish

We need "D" more than forwards. We need a top pair, at least a top four signed D-man.

I do get it, and WSH is going to be cap strapped in a few years when Orpik is being paid $5MM to be a #7 d-man. He and Niskanen were bad contracts.
- ImThatGuy

Honestly, u may call me crazy but I differ from Niskanen's contract. I might be one of the few who actually likes it, here's why...

The annual contract is 7yrs for avg of $5.75M per year
I've watch him improve every year in this league and the kid is only 27yrs old, by the time his contract ends he'll be 34yrs old, which is not bad. Plus on some players D may take longer to develop and he is still young & has improved. So at $5M+ is going to be the avg salary for Dmen in a few years if not already.

I might be in the minority but he was a good catch, I liked it.... Orpik is another story..

I definiely will NOT trade Brock Nelson, Anders Lee and Ryan Strome. They are our future including Calvin De Haan and Travis Hamonic. Those are our top five that I will not even consider trading.

Nelson Tavares Okposo
Kulemin Nielsen Grabo
Lee Strome Grabner
Martin Cizikas Clutterback

Hamonic De Haan
Phaneuf Reinhart
Visnoysky Strait

Halak
Johnson
- ISLES1119

Send Grabner and a pick and/or a prospect for Evander Kane. Then Bailey and a 6th rounder to Toronto for Phaneuf. My wish is still that Garth pulls off a blockbuster deal to land Boychuck and Marchand...



Kane Tavares Okposo
Kulemin Nielsen Grabo
Lee Strome Nelson
Martin Cizikas Clutterback

Hamonic De Haan
Phaneuf Reinhart
Visnoysky Strait

Halak
Johnson

Really???? like I didn't mention it either...
- Ur Not Me

You started to debate just the bold part, so no - it was actually like you totally ignored him saying the same thing.

Not a big deal, was literally curious if you'd missed it.

You started to debate just the bold part, so no - it was actually like you totally ignored him saying the same thing.

Not a big deal, was literally curious if you'd missed it.
- nfph

No I didn't miss it bc I actually said, " Yes those players are a tad overpaid"

Maybe you missed it???

Edit: Its in my 1st line FYI

Honestly, u may call me crazy but I differ from Niskanen's contract. I might be one of the few who actually likes it, here's why...

The annual contract is 7yrs for avg of $5.75M per year
I've watch him improve every year in this league and the kid is only 27yrs old, by the time his contract ends he'll be 34yrs old, which is not bad. Plus on some players D may take longer to develop and he is still young & has improved. So at $5M+ is going to be the avg salary for Dmen in a few years if not already.

I might be in the minority but he was a good catch, I liked it.... Orpik is another story..
- Ur Not Me

Niskanen's deal isn't bad at all. The Orpik one is just too long for a 33 year old. The dollars aren't the issue. If that was a 3 year deal at the same annual salary, the Orpik contract would be fine.

I'm intrigued by the Phaneuf stuff. I think his contract is relative. Right now, $7M per year gets you a top pair D-man. In three or four seasons from now when the cap goes up and contracts increase, that same money will be getting you a top four d-man instead of a top pair guy. Phaneuf will likely be a second pair talent by the last 2 or 3 years of his deal. Does he have six or seven years left on his deal?

I would probably do a Grabs for Phaneuf swap if TOR would do it. Grabs is a good player, but for all his speed and chances created he doesn't finish well enough. Ideally, I'd swap Bailey and Donovan or another mid-level prospect for Phaneuf, but I can't see TOR wanting any part of Bailey. i also wouldn't expect or ask TOR to keep any salary if all I was giving up was Bailey and a mid-level prospect.

I think the Leafs could retain $ 1M which makes this a very good long term deal for a top 2D

But the Leaf will want Strome and thats for sure..

I think the Leafs could retain $ 1M which makes this a very good long term deal for a top 2D

But the Leaf will want Strome and thats for sure..
- sarasotamike

Leafs could want/ask for anyone, trust me, Strome or any top prospect is not being moved for Phaneuf and that contract.

Now if your talking about players like Subban, OEL, Keith, J. Benn, Paccioretty, B. Ryan, etc, players of that caliber is what it will take to pry away isles top prospects.
Keep in mind, Snow is not Milbury...

I think the Leafs could retain $ 1M which makes this a very good long term deal for a top 2D

But the Leaf will want Strome and thats for sure..
- sarasotamike

For Phaneuf? No. Not with that contract and a whopping $1M retained.

I think the Islanders and Coyotes would match up well if a trade was necessary for both teams. The Coyotes have a wealth of defensive talent up and down the organization. But the group of forwards are mediocre. The Islanders have 16 forwards right now, and young talent that needs to play up front. But a big hole to the defense right now.

Yandle for Nielson, Grabner, Bailey

This would leave the islanders with potential forward lines of:

(Ray Whitney/Ryan Malone/Dan Heatley) Tavares Okposo
Kulemin Grabo Clutterbuck
Lee Strome Nelson
Martin Cizikas Conacher

The Coyotes forward lines would potentially become:

Boedker Vermette Doan
Erat Hanzal Gagner
Korpikoski Nielson Grabner
Chipchura Vitale Bailey

A bit of a stretch, but I think the basis for a trade is there.

You can have Ryan Wilson for a 7th round draft pick

I think the Islanders and Coyotes would match up well if a trade was necessary for both teams. The Coyotes have a wealth of defensive talent up and down the organization. But the group of forwards are mediocre. The Islanders have 16 forwards right now, and young talent that needs to play up front. But a big hole to the defense right now.

Yandle for Nielson, Grabner, Bailey

This would leave the islanders with potential forward lines of:

(Ray Whitney/Ryan Malone/Dan Heatley) Tavares Okposo
Kulemin Grabo Clutterbuck
Lee Strome Nelson
Martin Cizikas Conacher

The Coyotes forward lines would potentially become:

Boedker Vermette Doan
Erat Hanzal Gagner
Korpikoski Nielson Grabner
Chipchura Vitale Bailey

A bit of a stretch, but I think the basis for a trade is there.
- scatch38

Wait..... Did I read your post correctly, did you try to offer Yandle for 3 players of Frans, Grabs, Bales???
Which rereading it over & over, you did. Unless the Yotes are throwing in some high end picks, like a 1st or a couple of 2nds, just don't see it happening.

I think the Islanders and Coyotes would match up well if a trade was necessary for both teams. The Coyotes have a wealth of defensive talent up and down the organization. But the group of forwards are mediocre. The Islanders have 16 forwards right now, and young talent that needs to play up front. But a big hole to the defense right now.

Yandle for Nielson, Grabner, Bailey

This would leave the islanders with potential forward lines of:

(Ray Whitney/Ryan Malone/Dan Heatley) Tavares Okposo
Kulemin Grabo Clutterbuck
Lee Strome Nelson
Martin Cizikas Conacher

The Coyotes forward lines would potentially become:

Boedker Vermette Doan
Erat Hanzal Gagner
Korpikoski Nielson Grabner
Chipchura Vitale Bailey

A bit of a stretch, but I think the basis for a trade is there.
- scatch38

Bailey and Nielson at most. Can't have a whole line for one guy who isn't great in his own end.

We need "D" more than forwards. We need a top pair, at least a top four signed D-man.
- Jethro09

I don't think we need a top 4 defensemen. We need a solid veteran stay home defensemen to add leadership to the back line. Vis, Dahaan Hamonic will eat up minutes. Hopefully reinhart makes the team. That leaves Strait, hickey, Donavan Mayfield, Pulock, TJ Brennan, Czuczman and Ness. That's 8 defensemen fighting for the last 2 spots. Of course there's injuries. I think a solid stay home defensemen would be a good addition and wouldn't have to give too much...like a Jason smith type.

I don't think we need a top 4 defensemen. We need a solid veteran stay home defensemen to add leadership to the back line. Vis, Dahaan Hamonic will eat up minutes. Hopefully reinhart makes the team. That leaves Strait, hickey, Donavan Mayfield, Pulock, TJ Brennan, Czuczman and Ness. That's 8 defensemen fighting for the last 2 spots. Of course there's injuries. I think a solid stay home defensemen would be a good addition and wouldn't have to give too much...like a Jason smith type.
- dack1972

No, trust me we do... the kids need to develop properly and not be rushed or pressured, there needs to be a bridge to them as well....

I don't think we need a top 4 defensemen. We need a solid veteran stay home defensemen to add leadership to the back line. Vis, Dahaan Hamonic will eat up minutes. Hopefully reinhart makes the team. That leaves Strait, hickey, Donavan Mayfield, Pulock, TJ Brennan, Czuczman and Ness. That's 8 defensemen fighting for the last 2 spots. Of course there's injuries. I think a solid stay home defensemen would be a good addition and wouldn't have to give too much...like a Jason smith type.
- dack1972

we need a top 4. If Visnovsky goes down with injury again we can't have 4 5th/6th defensemen dressed. Has to be a top 4, ideally someone who would be a 2-3

Isle's need to tank as one last favor due the Sabres for the Vanek trade. Limping into 29th this season must be the goal. Sabres are targeting 30th themselves. Then if you could win the lottery for us, I'd say the debt was paid in full.
- IonSabres

You make a lot of valid points!

XxNYIxX

Patrick Sharp for Neilsen and a 4th rounder
- bjpgallagher

What???

We need D.. not more forwards.. We can not trade one of your best commodities for something we already have in spades.

XxNYIxX