Will Roberts, Nieuwendyk, Mogilny and Domi be back ?
Ok I'll admit i've lost the challenge to buy out Belfour, since JF seems set on keeping him for another year (not that I agree with it)
We've yet to hear however on the status of Roberts, Nieuwendyk and Mogilny.
As much as they'd like to come back - and be willing to take a cut in pay - will JF want them all back, some of them, buy some free agents to replace them, or replace them with kids ?
Such moves should indicate what direction JF is prepared to go in.
1 - bring them all back - another year of the same story
2.- bring back only roberts and one other - an uncertain direction
3. - replace them all with new and younger free agents - the retooling method - intriguing
4. - replace them with kids from the sytem - a bold maneuver, never seriously attempted long term by any leaf management in the modern era
Mogilny - Yes. He will be back, he's gone on record to say he still has at least another year left and he's willing to take a paycut to stay in Toronto. 95% he'll be back
Roberts/Nieuwendyk - Nieuwendyk and Roberts were both scheduled to be underpaid to stay in Toronto for last season. I think everyone knows that they will be playing somewhere on the same team next year. Roberts has said Toronto is his first choice and Nieuwendyk has said the same too assuming that a decent deal is made. JFJ knows how important these 2 are to this team and how well they played last year - Roberts was their 3rd best player the last few years behind Sundin/Belfour. I put a 85% chance they'll be back.
Domi - 100% he'll be back, he won't leave, he can't. If has said if he's not in Toronto, he'll retire. I believe he'll play for nothing to stay b/c he doesn't want to retire.
I've heard these 4 guys talking through TSN or Bob MacKenzie (the only hockey guy who knows anything) if you want to konw where I've heard this stuff.
Why bother with Belfour, if you aren't trying to win.
If you can get Allison and Lindros for the same coin, I agree, go for the new blood.
If you are putting all the prospects/kids, and Wilms and Kilgers in the line up, dump Belfour, or you're just doing half the job.
Go for it in either direction, Cup or Tank, but don't go halfway.
If the leafs get the #1 pick or even top 5.. dump Belfour dump roberts domi newy.. and keep Almo.... plays the kids, and if you can get Lindros and Allison for cheap then look into it...
I hope Almo comes back for another year. I see him as the hardest guy to replace in our lineup of the guys who are UFA's.
Roberts and Nieuwendyk I can see signing extremely cheap contracts to finish off their careers with the Leafs, or with another contender.
Domi will serve no 'real' purpose in the new NHL. However, if he wants to sign at close to the league minimum to return to Toronto, it wouldn't be a bad move.
Mogilny - Yes. He will be back, he's gone on record to say he still has at least another year left and he's willing to take a paycut to stay in Toronto. 95% he'll be back
Roberts/Nieuwendyk - Nieuwendyk and Roberts were both scheduled to be underpaid to stay in Toronto for last season. I think everyone knows that they will be playing somewhere on the same team next year. Roberts has said Toronto is his first choice and Nieuwendyk has said the same too assuming that a decent deal is made. JFJ knows how important these 2 are to this team and how well they played last year - Roberts was their 3rd best player the last few years behind Sundin/Belfour. I put a 85% chance they'll be back.
Domi - 100% he'll be back, he won't leave, he can't. If has said if he's not in Toronto, he'll retire. I believe he'll play for nothing to stay b/c he doesn't want to retire.
I've heard these 4 guys talking through TSN or Bob MacKenzie (the only hockey guy who knows anything) if you want to konw where I've heard this stuff.
Hard decision days ahead for JFJ. I know Almo said he's take a giant pay cut to play for Leafs...the question is, how are his hips? Is he ready to smoke up the ice again? If so, I agree that it might be worth bringing him back.
Roberts and Nieuwy...both great players...I wonder though if there are other younger UFAs available who might do the same job at a price the Leafs can afford under the new CBA.
Got to agree with you about Domi. He'd almost pay to play for the Leafs.
Guess we will see quickly what direction JFJ is going in. We might all be surprised.
There's a chance for any of them to return, but I wouldn't do it if I were GM.
Mogilny was having trouble just sitting in a chair and doing normal things just a few months ago. Now we're to believe he can last an NHL season?
Roberts I don't think will be back. He and Quinn don't really get along. He is 40 years old, hasn't played in a year, and was clearly out of gas by round 2 last season.
Nieuwendyk, if we can get him for 1-1.5 million, would be a worthy linemate to help our kids along, as he did last year for Antropov and Ponikarovsky. Hell, he was pretty much our best forward in the playoffs even while playing hurt. He's still got great wheels and that jibes with Quinn's "speed/puck-pursuit" strategy he mentioned the other day.
Domi I wouldn't bother with, but you just know they'll resign him because he's popular with fans.
if theyre going to sign ufa's i'd like to see them get roberts and joe back for no more than 2 million per for 1 yr
allowing room to get a few more guys hopefully
I think you can probably get all of them back for about $5 million. This is what they will save by buying out Nolan.
Give Niewendyke, Roberts and Mogilny 1 year deals at $1.5 million and Domi a 1 year at $500K. Sign Allison or Lindros and your forwards are set. If you can get Sundin to restructure sign both.
Then do everything in your power to sign Leetch back for another year.
I think you can probably get all of them back for about $5 million. This is what they will save by buying out Nolan.
Give Niewendyke, Roberts and Mogilny 1 year deals at $1.5 million and Domi a 1 year at $500K. Sign Allison or Lindros and your forwards are set. If you can get Sundin to restructure sign both.
Then do everything in your power to sign Leetch back for another year.
Domi was awesome against the Senators in the playoffs. There's a spot on this team for him this year, especially seeing as he may come pretty cheap. He'll make more money making the minimum than he would if he retired like he said he would.
I believe Roberts and Domi (no brainer) will be be back. I also see Mogilny either signing for significantly less, or retiring.
Nieuwendyk, I'm not so sure.
No Brain is if we take Domi back. ...I say lose them all unless Mogilny is cleared 100% ...the rest of them no longer have the leggs to play or the bodies to sustain play when it matters most (playoffs)
It's time to retool, and go youth, or at least put a new face on the team.
Is he ready to smoke up the ice again? If so, I agree that it might be worth bringing him back.
