My 2014-15 Leafs October Roster (if no more TML deals)

2014-15 TORONTO MAPLES LEAFS OPENING NIGHT ROSTER -------*** If my fantastic format does not work (because based on the previews, it looks like one horribly long paragraph that will generate many negative comments), I apologize because I hate trying to read through that just as much as the next hockey nerd. ***--------- With the 2014 NHL Draft now complete and the new-and-improved NHL Bachelor Free Agency rose ceremony in full swing, the rumours are swirling on current trade targets and soon to be UFA's. I have to say that I love it and wish that this year's CAP went ever higher than $69M (but that's a whole different blog...if I make it past #1). Nonetheless, I put together my thoughts on the 2014-15 Leafs roster that should be opening the season with a home win against the Habs. I did not swing any deals to create this (blogs #2-5 would likely include a roster with various trade options I think could work...again if I make it there), so here is a quick breakdown of the players that will be signing some deals with the squad:--------FORWARDS:rnMICHALEK - $4.0M x 4 years. Might be tough to get Milan to take a small contract reduction, but hopefully the term of 4 years is enough to entice him since he is so damn injury prone. When healthy, he can easily be a top-6 skater and hopefully help develop some chemistry with Lups/Nazem to generate some much needed secondary scoring.------KOMAROV - Love this guy. Miss this guy. I'm thinking a 1-2 year deal at $2.0M. It gives Leo the Lion another 'short-term, prove-it' type deal and a chance to potentially up his value next year. The Leafs need him back to help bring some grit and unrelentless checking into our bottom 6. Did I mention that I love and miss him?---------BOLLAND - Who knows what is going to happen here, but if Davey-boy really wants to stay in his hometown-ish of TO, he is going to have to accept 'Bozak-money'. This means $4.2M for a compromised term of about 5 years. It's not the $5.0M that he wants, but the security of a 5 year deal is hopefully enough to keep this hometown beauty with the buds. Please take this deal and stay healthy - your 2-way game, ability to agitate opponents (like my boy Leo <3 above), and timely scoring would be incredible for our third line.-------D'AMIGO/LEIVO/ASHTON - Here are 3 Marlies' wingers that all deserve a shot with the big league team. Though I would love to give one of them top-9 minutes (and this could easily happen depending of how Coach C pencils in the line-up), I essentially have 2 of these 3 as the 4th line wingers. I'm sick and tired of wasting 4 minutes a night watching Orr pretend to remember how to play hockey (sorry Orr) and would much rather employ a fully-capable 4th unit. Let's give these Marlies 9 minutes a night to provide some energy and potentially add some geno's every once in a while. These guys would actually give us a real-live 4th line...imagine that! To reiterate...COACH C, GIVE THESE DAMN GUYS A CHANCE! Let's sign them all (or 2.3) to $1.0M one-way deals, as that will convince them to stay and give them an opportunity to prove themselves.------HOLLAND/SMITH - I can write the exact same thing as above, but 1 of these 2 gentlemen with centre the 4th line. I'm thinking the exact same circumstances as well - $1.0M one-way deals. I know this clearly can't happen with all 5 of these guys, but I just want to give a quick idea of $ so that I can pencil them into the line-up. Holland/Smith can step into the 3rd line if someone goes down and though they aren't typical 4th line centres...I fantasize nightly about the idea of having 4 lines play a game for Leafs. ----------rnrnD-MAN:rnGARDINER - This guy is too talented to give up on. He makes some very bad mental errors, but when he is on his game, he literally controls the play with his speed and smoothness out there. I don't want to go too deep into my thoughts on Jake, but I do not want to give this guy up and think we sign him to a bridge contract very similar to Nazeeeem the Dream. 2 years at $2.5M. Gives him another 2 years to prove himself and hopefully he doesn't somehow fully develop in one year to win a Norris like PK and make him demand some big-time $...though that would be a good problem to have.--------FRANSON - Definitely regressed last year, but again I'm not sure I want to give up on this guy. Was at his best playing with Fraser (I still don't understand how that was possible...sorry Fraser) and I think he can still prove to be a valuable d-man. His poor play means he has to take a 1-2 year bridge once again for around $2.5M - same as the Gardiner Expressway above.----------PERCY/BRENNAN - 2 left-handed shots that will receive an opportunity to crack the roster. Will definitely be tough to do so, especially for Brennan since we already have our offensive-minded left D in Reilly/Gards, but these two are likely next on the depth chart if we want another lefty in the line-up. Both are RFA's and I'm thinking a 1-2 year deal at $0.9M will be able to get it done - at least for Percy.----------rnGRANBERG/MacWILLIAM - Same as above, but this is the right side options. Both will also have an opportunity to sneak into the line-up, with these guys likely having a better chance since they use right-handed sticks to shoot the puck. We all know Coach C loves defensemen that play their 'proper' side. I'm thinking $0.9M for both/either and worst case, they are getting top 4 minutes with the Marlies at Ricoh.------------GOAL:rnMacINTYRE - I don't see a scenario where the 'Reim Minister of Defense' plays another game in a Leafs uni and I'm thinking we give yet another Marlies player an opportunity...do you see a pattern here. Journeyman Drew seems to finally have found a home guiding the Marlies to some deep playoff runs and it's time someone gives him the chance to prove he is an NHL back-up. This is a risk and as you will see below, this roster will not provide a lot of CAP Space should Bernier go down with any sort of long term injury, but I'm thinking he has earned the chance to be a back-up. I see 1-2 years at $1.0M. The goalie market is incredibly stocked with back-ups/veterans/lost-souls looking for a chance to re-live the glory years so if Bernier does go down, I bet there are a couple options out there throughout the season (i.e. Emery/Bryz/Lindback/etc.).--------------------------------------- Now that I have provided a long-winded background of how much $ all of these unsigned players will be making, below is the 2014-15 TML opening night roster:------------------------------------[b]SNIPERS – $43.05MrnJVR – 4.25M BOZAK – 4.2M KESSEL – 8.0MrnLUPUL – 5.25M KADRI - 2.9M MICHALEK – 4.0MrnKOMAROV - 2.0M BOLLAND – 4.2 CLARKSON – 5.25MrnD’AMIGO – 1.0M HOLLAND/SMITH – 1.0M LEIVO/ASHTON – 1.0Mrn13th = ORR/McLAREN – 0.925M--------------------------------D – $19.65MrnGARDINER – 2.5M PHANEUF – 7.0MrnREILLY – 0.9M POLAK – 2.75MrnGLEASON – 4.0M FRANSON – 2.5Mrn9th (left shots) = PERCY/BRENNAN – 0.9M rn9th (right shots) = GRANBERG/MacWILLIAM – 0.9M-----------------TENDERS – 3.9MrnBERNIER – 2.9MrnMacINTYRE – 1.0MrnrnBUYOUTS – $0.2MrnGUNNARSON – 0.2M -----------------------------------CAP = $69MrnLEAFS = $67.7M (assuming one of the Extra F/D's at $0.9M)rnSPACE = $1.3M-------------------------------- Thoughts brooooo's? Chirp away