They already had few defensive young forwards in stajan, ponikarovsky, and many others doing fine job playing defensively so all this signning does is take away ice time from youngsters for a declinning commodity!!
Peca can't help the team in scoring department and thats where $2.5 million seems lot higher then what other would get with similar stats.
I know its all about reputation thats what leafs betted on last year with lindros and allison signning but did that land them in playoff?
Their best part of the season came with youngsters and all this moves are pretty much taking important roles away from youngsters who are capable of playing at higher level then Peca!!
Peca will be playing a role that focuses on defence though. Stajan and Ponikarovksy both have solid scoring touches as well. Poni scored 20 goals last season and Stajan showed what he can do when given ice time in the last part of the season.
Frankly, when i heard he was going to the Leafs, i was expecting less money.
My first comment was: "... and they probably got him for 1.5M"
______
He wont help them offensively which is where they need help. But like us with Samsonov (which some consider this move as adding a piece where we are already good; i dont), Peca will help where the Leafs werent that bad to start with.
We'll see, but I'm not looking at those Habs-Leafs matchups with fear, i'm expecting a win when i'll be watching and this "sentiment" is something new for me, it start last year (for the first time in... years). In this regard, last year was very nice, not feeling the rough stuff in my habs fan eyes and every lost feeling like the Leafs were lucky.
Peca had one more point than Bouillon (a defenceman) despite more GP's. If people complained about Bouillon as a bad signing at $1.85 mill, Peca is no bargain at $2.5 mill.
Steen-Sundin-O'Neill
Stajan-Wellwood-Suglobov <-- They will be lucky if 1 of them scores 20.
Tucker-Peca-Ponikarovsky < -- Might have been effective in '04
Antropov-Kilger-Battaglia <--Useless
Ondrus/Belak
McCabe-Kaberle
Kubina-Colaiacovo
Gill-White
Harrison
Raycroft <-- Raaayyyycrooooffftttt
Aubin <-- The Pens didn't give him his QO...
Battaglia shouldnt make the team, plus no way Suglobov makes the 2nd line.
The Tucker-Peca-Poni line is intriguing though, you assesment of might be effective in 04 is was offline, both Poni and Tucker are coming off career years.
Guys, I have liked practically all the moves made by Taranna this off-season.
If Montreal doesn't get more help down the middle, The Laffs will be challenging for our spot in the playoffs. They had a pretty solid end to the season with the youngsters. I see them better this season.
Thanks man. Thats a nice complement from a habs fan. I really like the Peca signing as well. I just hope the leafs make the playoffs so he can show what hes worth
All things aside, this is a very good signing for the Leafs... unfortunately they're gonna need a hell of a lot more than Peca to help their group of forwards .
wow... alot of you guys are blind and underestimating the leafs... underestimating our forwards especailly. the "mighthy" habs finished a whole 3 points above us, I guess thats the differnce these days from great and bad according to you guys...
wow... alot of you guys are blind and underestimating the leafs... underestimating our forwards especailly. the "mighthy" habs finished a whole 3 points above us, I guess thats the differnce these days from great and bad according to you guys...
Yeah, thank god for that 7-1-2 finish or you would have missed the playo...oh wait...sorry.
Possibly the best signing Leafs have made this off-season. 2.5M is a good value for Peca ... scoring numbers are not telling the whole truth, his game is hitting and taking faceoffs. We are going to hate Peca and Tucker next year.
It's all an elaborate plan for him to seek his revenge on Tucker.
That is what I was thinking. I wonder if there will still be hard feelings toward these two. After all they both tried their hardest to end each others career. Should be interesting.
While Peca isn't the player he was a few years ago, this is still a good signing for the Leafs. Peca is no more than a 3rd line center but a good one at that. Really good penalty killer and very good on face offs.
I think they will be better if Raycroft can bounce back from a a tough season and if Sundin doesn't slow down too much.
Peca's totally out of gas. He's riding on reputation. No fear of him. I'd rather have Bonk at the $$$.
Did Bonk ever have gas?If the Leafs make the playoffs Peca will be a great player for them.If they don't they will trade him by deadline because some other team will want him and the Leafs will get a young player or pick in return.My opinion is that the Leafs are winning on this deal no mather what.
3 points, you forget the big picture... good luck with huet repeating last years #'s.
leafs lost domi, berg, khavanov, belfour, lindros and allison, with the exception of lindros, all are addition by subtraction.
also leafs finally have a true shut down C, enjoy playing against a tucker-peca line, keep your head up kovalev
bye for now, its obvious you cant make a valid point without getting a serious reaction.
You forget that we had to use Jose for the first 3/4 of the year, without him maybe it's not so close.
HAHA keep your head up Kovalev? hahaha remember last time Tucker tried to cheap shot him? This time Kovy might take his head clean off.
Peca is passed his prime, While I think Toronto has a good D offensively, defensively I don't think they are anything special, and their group of forwads provides little in the way of proven skill other than Sundin. Peca's 23 points and career high 60 i'm sure will go a long way. Don't get me wrong I like Peca, but i just don't think he adds what Toronto needs.
Are the leafs better than last year? YEs
Are the Habs better than last year? Yes
Are the Sens better than last year? NO
Are the Sabres better than last year? NO (maybe the same)
Are the Bruins better than last year? Yes how can they not be, are they threatening anybody? I don't think so.
Possibly the best signing Leafs have made this off-season. 2.5M is a good value for Peca ... scoring numbers are not telling the whole truth, his game is hitting and taking faceoffs. We are going to hate Peca and Tucker next year.
Mike Peca
Season GP G A Pts PIM
2000-01 Did Not Play
2001-02 80 25 35 60 62
2002-03 66 13 29 42 43
2003-04 76 11 29 40 71
2005-06 71 9 14 23 56
NHL Totals 693 160 234 394 616
Eric Lindros
2000-01 Did Not Play
2001-02 72 37 36 73 138
2002-03 81 19 34 53 141
2003-04 39 10 22 32 60
2005-06 33 11 11 22 43
NHL Totals 711 367 472 839 1328
Given last year's injury to Lindros was a fluke I'd have rather signed him than Peca, and saved the $1 mil for a trade deadline move. Sundin and Lindros never had many games as a 1-2 center punch due to non-overlapping injury periods, but now it's easier to put a shut-down line out against Sundin. The speed on our other lines can easily ovecome whatever else TO puts on the ice as offense (or defense).
Also, Belfour played pretty good for the Leafs up until last Christmas. Raycroft better have his game face on starting in October because if the Leafs don't get at least "good" Eddie-like performances, Sundin will be playing on another team shortly after this coming Christmas. While a one year contract length is acceptable, Raycroft and not Peca will not be the deciding factor in the success or failure of TO's season.
also leafs finally have a true shut down C, enjoy playing against a tucker-peca line, keep your head up kovalev
This is a good illustration of the Leafs' shortage of wingers: if Tucker plays shutdown with Peca, who's gonna put it in? He's the Leafs' top goal-scorer...
Bonk anyone 
Should be interesting.
