29 Mar 2020 04:44:40
Leafs could be shopping for some Russian gold.

Word is Zub is going to sign with Ottawa. He is a guy i think the leafs are also interested in since word is it is down to Ottawa and another team. He is a former teammate of Zaitsev hence the russian connection but Dubas has built a good relationship with agent Dan Milstein. A 25 year old defensively sound right shot defenseman means the leafs should be all over this guy.

Also a couple names worth noting:

Mikael Grigorenko and Alex Barabanov

29 Mar 2020 10:38:13
I don’t see the goal of getting more Russian forwards yes they are cheap but we have an abundance of forwards unless Dubas plans on trading a few of them.

29 Mar 2020 18:34:53
Only so much left on the Marlies to work with. If Kappy/ Johnson/ Kerfoot are moved then Dubas needs cheaper guys. Bunch of people get raises this year so it's really tight.

29 Mar 2020 20:20:16
Zaitsev 2.0

That's the first thing that popped into my head when I read this proposal. Lol. Especially the whole "defensive defense an" thing. Makes me think we've been down this road before.

I looked up this Zub guy after reading this proposal. I never heard of him before, obviously. Lol. His stats are unremarkable, except for last year. Last year was a huge breakout year for Zub. A one year deal at close to $1M might be worth the shot. As long as Dubas doesn't sign him to an 8 year deal after.

30 Mar 2020 02:16:39
These Russians worry me in general lol. Mikheyev is mildly concerning himself. Never know what next year brings now.

I would say though, both Gardiner and Zaistsev would probably be 50 point guys under Keefe.

30 Mar 2020 16:55:20
There is nonething left on the Marlies to work with anymore. A we have left on the Marlies is b-prospects, has been, and never-wases. Robertson is the only A-prospect we have, and he isn't going to be elegible to play in the AHL for another two years. Best guess for him is either overseas or straight to NHL. I don't think he should return to junior. There is nothing left for him there.

31 Mar 2020 00:00:45
Who wouldn't take a potential Zaitsev 2.0 for under a million? Zaitsev isn't “bad” he just hasn't lived up to his contract, he's well overpaid.

Could be well worth it especially for some cheap depth on the right side. He plays against top competition in the KHL. He could handle 3rd line minutes and i see a potential fit with either Rielly or Dermott as a stay at home guy.

31 Mar 2020 18:24:31
For a one year deal at less than a million, I think k it's worth the shot. Signing him to an eight year extension after at $4.5M is what I'm worried about. Of course, it is Dubas, so would probably be a 4x$8M deal though.

Biggest difference between Dubas and the rest of the GM's I've seen is the a ikity of other GM's to either get a long term deal, or to get a bridge deal, while getting a lower cap hit. Dubas seems to get stuck handing out more money for less term. I wouldn't mind the big contracts so much if he was able to get more term out of it somehow, either by signing guys to bridge deals so they are RFA after, or get maximum term. Getting middle term at full price is a gaffe.