Toronto Maple Leafs: Take Advantage of Cap-Space
The Toronto Maple Leafs have an advantage, and they should use it.
The Toronto Maple Leafs find themselves in unfamiliar territory. The Maple Leafs have an advantage over a LOT of NHL Teams with the Current State of the NHL salary-cap.
In addition, the Leafs have cap space to add players to their young roster while the Chicago Blackhawks do not.
Bill Daly says the NHL's salary cap is projected to be $75.5M-$76M next season, but adds it will depend on inflator negotiations with NHLPA.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) March 8, 2017
The Toronto Maple Leafs are monitoring news from the NHLPA union closely. So are the 30 other teams as nhl.com has reported that the cap might rise by 3 million dollars. For teams up against the ceiling, this is good news. As a result, teams with a healthy cap situation are also looking to take advantage of non compliant teams.
At this time of year, there is always talk that the Players may not exercise the CBA’s escalator clause. If that were to happen, a number of teams would be forced to move players and contracts to stay cap compliant.
The players union designed the escalator clause in the CBA so the salary cap increases each year. The clause, which designates a five percent year-to-year increase, requires annual approval from the NHLPA. Because of various economic factors, including the escrow on players’ paychecks, it hasn’t always been as simple as giving the escalator a thumb’s up. Satchel Price: sbnation.com
Toronto Maple Leafs Management has Worked Miracles
Brendan Shanahan, Lou Lamoriello and Kyle Dubas are working tirelessly to reshape the Maple Leafs on and off the ice. The white elephant contracts; inherited from Dave Nonis and impossible to move, consequently became prospects, draft picks and veterans banished to Robidas Island.
Phaneuf, Clarkson and Kessel have become Lindberg, Kapanen, Andersen, Rychel, and Nathan Horton. Through the magic of Leafs management, the team now finds itself in a position to assume good players and their contracts from organizations teetering in salary cap oblivion.
Rumor has it that George McPhee of the Golden Knights inquired about Marcus Krüger and Trevor van Riemsdyk. The Blackhawks are willing to move van Riemsdyk to the Golden Knights if they also take the contract of Marcus Krüger.
If rumors prove true and both players are available at a reasonable cost, I hope the Toronto Maple Leafs knock loudly on Stan Bowman’s door.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are in great shape with the salary cap, the Blackhawks are not!
First of all, a quick call from Lamoriello to Stan Bowman will set everything in motion. As a result, the Leafs could solve their two greatest issues. A right shooting defenceman and a fourth line centre.
Furthermore, whatever Las Vegas offers, the Leafs should match. It seems like the only assets Vegas has to trade are draft picks, and those are assets the Leafs can afford at this time. Furthermore, with the prospect pool filled with near NHL ready talent, this is the time, the 2017 draft where trading a draft pick or two is an affordable cost.
A Skilled Fourth Line Centre Will Make a Difference
Marcus Krüger is a 27-year-old Swede drafted in the 5th round in 2009 from Djurgårdens IF.
The 6′, 186 lb. centre has skated in 398 games for Chicago accumulating 105 points. In addition, he has scored 6g-10a-16 points in 87 playoff games while winning two Stanley Cups. Due to his defensive accumen, the left shooting Krüger skated for Sweden at the recent IIHF Worlds winning gold along with Maple Leafs William Nylander.
The seven-year NHL pro is known around the league as defensively sound garnering votes in the 2012-13 Selke nomination. While skating on the 4th line, Krüger is a good penalty killer. He has a career 50.4 face-off winning percentage yet has seen his numbers decrease the past three seasons due to an increase in QoC. (Quality of Competition) Lastly his 2013-14 high of 56.7%, is comparable to Tyler Bozak, the Leafs best face-off man. Lastly, with the importance Mike Babcock places on face-offs, Krüger will need to improve that facet of his game.
Contract status… 2 years $3,083,333. Modified NTC, Starting 2017-18, Lists 7 teams he cannot be traded to. capfriendly.com
Krüger is an exceptionally skilled playmaker with elite hockey sense. He likes to set up plays and find his teammates with tape-to-tape passes. Has become much stronger which has improved his game, although he still could use additional strength and muscles. Works well in all three zones and has leadership qualities. hockeysfuture.com
Marcus Krüger is a Proven Winner, The Leafs need Experienced Winners
The following table, courtesy of hockey-reference.com shows that Marcus Krüger is one of the NHL’s best defensive centers and is very good in most advanced metrics . Furthermore, as a proven winner, Marcus Krüger has the intangibles the Toronto Maple Leafs need in their quest for a Stanley Cup. He is exactly what the Maple Leafs need on their fourth line.
- Defensively responsible, he started 70.5% of his zone starts in the defensive zone this past season. That rates with the top 5 in the league
- Krüger took an amazing 45.32 % of his teams defensive zone face-offs.
- He has a reasonably affordable t contract hat runs two more seasons which the Leafs can absorb.
- A strong skater who will compliment the Leafs speedy wingers, he is a perfect auxiliary piece
- Krüger is four years younger than Brian Boyle and though lacks Boyle’s size, he is a better skater.
- When Babcock discusses organizational depth, he is pointing to a player like Marcus Krüger
- Marcus Krüger has excellent hand-eye co-ordination. This triple OT winner, batted out of the air while standing on the edge of the crease, is a perfect example of his skill-set. I am certain Freddy Andersen has forgiven him.
- As a result, with skilled players, Krüger will see his points totals skyrocket
| Corsi (EV) | Fenwick (EV) | PDO (EV) | Zone Starts (EV) | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Age | Team | Lg | GP | TOI | CF | CA | CF% | CF% rel | FF | FA | FF% | FF% rel | oiSH% | oiSV% | PDO | oZS% | dZS% |
| 2010-11 | 20 | CHI | NHL | 7 | 77.0 | 71 | 64 | 52.6 | -7.9 | 49 | 50 | 49.5 | -8.6 | 0.0 | 89.5 | 89.5 | 50.0 | 50.0 |
| 2011-12 | 21 | CHI | NHL | 71 | 887.9 | 825 | 727 | 53.2 | -0.1 | 643 | 537 | 54.5 | 1.4 | 8.5 | 92.6 | 101.1 | 44.4 | 55.6 |
| 2012-13 | 22 | CHI | NHL | 47 | 532.1 | 505 | 411 | 55.1 | 0.6 | 370 | 287 | 56.3 | 0.2 | 7.1 | 92.7 | 99.8 | 38.4 | 61.6 |
| 2013-14 | 23 | CHI | NHL | 81 | 902.9 | 773 | 724 | 51.6 | -7.8 | 575 | 510 | 53.0 | -6.4 | 7.7 | 92.1 | 99.8 | 20.9 | 79.1 |
| 2014-15 | 24 | CHI | NHL | 81 | 873.4 | 839 | 760 | 52.5 | -1.8 | 606 | 549 | 52.5 | -0.6 | 4.6 | 93.6 | 98.2 | 24.1 | 75.9 |
| 2015-16 | 25 | CHI | NHL | 41 | 453.5 | 399 | 426 | 48.4 | -3.4 | 291 | 300 | 49.2 | -0.7 | 4.7 | 93.4 | 98.1 | 18.7 | 81.3 |
| 2016-17 | 26 | CHI | NHL | 70 | 819.4 | 728 | 718 | 50.3 | -0.2 | 542 | 478 | 53.1 | 3.7 | 8.1 | 92.7 | 100.8 | 29.0 | 71.0 |
| Career | NHL | 398 | 4546.1 | 4140 | 3830 | 51.9 | -1.7 | 3076 | 2711 | 53.2 | 0.3 | 6.8 | 92.8 | 99.6 | 29.5 | 70.5 |
Provided by Hockey-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 6/9/2017.
One van Riemsdyk is a very good fit for the Toronto Maple Leafs, how about a matched set?
Trevor van Riemsdyk, the younger brother of Toronto Maple Leafs winger James signed with Chicago as a free agent out of the University of New Hampshire March 25, 2014. Despite skating in only 26 games for the Wildcats during the 13-14 season, van Riemsdyk finished the year as their sixth leading scorer posting .885 ppg. (points per game)
Born born July 24, 1991, the 6’2, 190 lb., Middleton, NJ native is the right-handed, defensive minded partner that Morgan Rielly needs. At 26, van Riemsdyk seems like the right age, while having the skill-set to fit with the young Toronto Maple Leafs core.
van Riemsdyk, plays a no-frills, defense-first style — using his size and positioning to support his partner and prevent scoring chances. He displayed puck moving ability and play making at the junior and college levels so there could be some upside in that area. The strength of his game at the pro level to this point has been responsible play in his own end of the rink. hockeysfuture.com
Trevor van Riemsdyk is a good young defenceman
From my observations, TvR is a defender who quietly does most things well. Furthermore TvR is a decent skater with good balance and mobility. He sees the ice well and for zone exits in addition to his ability to make short crisp break-out passes. Skating the puck out of danger while finding open lanes is a must on a Babcock run team.
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Rather than overpowering opponents with physical play, TvR’s defensive strength is his positioning . Furthermore, he has the skill set to play a Mike Babcock system and while his numbers aren’t those of an elite defenceman, he will grow within the Maple Leafs systems.
| Corsi (EV) | Fenwick (EV) | PDO (EV) | Zone Starts (EV) | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Age | Team | Lg | GP | ||||||||||||||
| 2014-15 | 23 | CHI | NHL | 18 | 237.5 | 253 | 171 | 59.7 | 2.7 | 180 | 134 | 57.3 | 0.8 | 4.2 | 93.8 | 98.0 | 64.0 | 36.0 |
| 2015-16 | 24 | CHI | NHL | 82 | 1450.7 | 1310 | 1332 | 49.6 | -2.0 | 940 | 949 | 49.8 | -0.8 | 7.3 | 91.9 | 99.2 | 52.7 | 47.3 |
| 2016-17 | 25 | CHI | NHL | 58 | 985.8 | 914 | 889 | 50.7 | 0.4 | 667 | 633 | 51.3 | 1.0 | 10.6 | 92.6 | 103.2 | 50.8 | 49.2 |
| Career | NHL | 158 | 2674.0 | 2477 | 2392 | 50.9 | -0.9 | 1787 | 1716 | 51.0 | -0.2 | 8.2 | 92.3 | 100.5 | 53.2 | 46.8 |
Provided by Hockey-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 6/9/2017.
The Price is Right!
In conclusion, if the rumors are true and both Krüger and van Riemsdyk are available, the The Toronto Maple Leafs can acquire two useful players without touching the fantastic young core.
Krüger and van Riemsdyk would look great in the Blue and White, what do you think?
all stats: hockey-reference.com, hockeydb.com, hockeysfuture.com