Toronto Maple Leafs Should Sign Engvall, Not Mikheyev

The Toronto Maple Leafs were very smart when they identified Ilya Mikheyev as a potential NHL player, and even smarter when they refused to trade him last year when he asked for it.

But now the Toronto Maple Leafs will have to be even smarter and let Mikheyev walk as a free-agent, even though signing him will be very tempting.

With 21 goals in 53 games, many of them shorthanded, Mikheyev established himself as a weapon lower in the Leafs lineup.

Unfortunately, based on his age, previous production, and his time spend higher in the lineup, I do not believe investing in him at this time would be smart.

Toronto Maple Leafs and Ilya Mikheyev

Mikheyev will be 28 when the season begins next year, and at that age he has likely already had his best season.   Coupled with the fact that he’s never really clicked on one of the Leafs top two lines, and you have a player who will be demanding money and term, but who has very limited upside.

There is no doubt that Mikheyev had a great season and was a big part of the Leafs success.  For under two million bucks, he was an absolute steal, and he definitely deserves a raise.

But as much as he deserves the raise, it wouldn’t be smart to give it to him, and the reason for that is the same reason the Leafs invested half their cap into four players.

The reasoning is this: Mid-Range players – i.e very good players who are not stars – are not usually worth their contracts in the NHL’s salary structure.  For example, you can sign Mikheyev for $5 million dollars, or you could collect five guys who all make $1 million dollars – the odds are that at least one of those guys will outperform Mikheyev, and the rules make getting rid of the other guys you no longer need much easier.

It sucks for players who fall into this range, but most NHL teams have no problems paying them, so they shouldn’t go broke.  Meanwhile, the Leafs will continue to reap the rewards of being one of the only teams to recognize the inherent advantage in forgoing mid-range players.

Mikheyev is just going to cost too much to ever be likely to return value on his contract. Meanwhile Pierre Engvall is two years younger, hasn’t been given as much opportunity and is likely just as good as Mikheyev, but with much more upside based on his physical tools, and lack of opportunities to date to play higher in the lineup.

I wouldn’t pay Engvall big money by any stretch of the imagination, but I don’t think he’s priced himself out of town in the same way as Mikheyev has (who, if you could bring back on any number starting with a $3, go for it) .

I expect you could probably sign Engvall to a reasonable short-term deal, but I would also identify him as the kind of player you could potentially lock up long term at a very favorable rate.  Five years at $2 million per? That’s kind of longterm deal might be enticing for a player who is just beyond the fringe level at 26.

So that’s a no on Mikheyev, and a yes on Engvall.