22 Mar 2021 13:04:18
NYR
Kerfoot 3.5

Tor
Lemieux 1.55

Both players could use a change of scenery.

NYR has been using Lemieux less and less. His TOI is second lowest on the team. Kerfoot should fit well into their middle six and NYR can easily afford Kerfoot and could protect him for the draft. Not sure they will protect Lemieux as his role keeps getting diminished.

Leafs save about $2M in cap space and can slot Lemieux beside Engvall and Mikheyev on the 3rd line. This allows them to move Hyman back to the top six, but still have an effective checking line with speed and forecheck. Leafs can also afford the quarantine wait because they pick up the $2M in cap space and can use taxi squad players to fill 4th line roles until Lemieux arrives. The cap space also allows them to add a pending UFA D-man like some I listed in the past.

Hyman Matthews Marner
Simmonds Tavares Nylander
Mikheyev Engvall Lemieux
Thornton Spezza Galchenyuk

Lots of interchangeable pieces to move up and down the lineup.

22 Mar 2021 14:23:30
I don't understand how Kerfoot would like a change in scenery. This does nothing to improve the team and as you say Lemieux is being used less on a non playoff team.

22 Mar 2021 14:43:25
I love this deal and everything makes sense

Well done.

22 Mar 2021 15:00:43
@Matthews. No offence, but when was the last Leaf game you watched? Kerfoot has been put on the 4th line at times. Engvall seems to have taken his 3rd line centre spot. Since Simmonds has come back, Leafs prefer him in the top 6. They have used Galchenyuk in the top 6 over Kerfoot as well as they feel they need an improvement over Kerfoot. Kerfoot is the odd man out right now in the Leafs top 9.
NYR is using him less to give their high talent kids icetime. I already said what he would bring to the Leafs which is an element that Kerfoot does not bring. Add in the $2M in cap space to improve the team more.

22 Mar 2021 16:15:01
I agree with you RLF. Lemieux brings an element to his game that Kerfoot lacks - physicality and a tenacious forecheck.
This team has enough goal scorers, but not enough physicality.
2 million in cap space can always be used for a UFA D-man and there are a few available that can be had for a decent price.

22 Mar 2021 16:22:21
I rarely miss a leafs game and Kerfoot is playing wherever he is asked. Good skater, 40 pt. / yr, fast and smart. Lemieux, maybe 25 pt. / yr, 111 minutes in penalties last year and 50 this year. The leafs need a physical player that can actually play. Like I said, does this improve the team. No.

22 Mar 2021 16:45:58
If you watched the games, then you know Kerfoot's role has been reduced consistently all season.
The point was @Matthews that you just said we can't use a player whose getting his role reduced, but want to keep a guy who makes $2M more who doesn't even have a role anymore with the Leafs. He is being asked to play all over the place because he hasn't fit well enough anywhere. Kerfoot was just replaced on 2LW by a guy we picked up off of waivers. You are ok with that, but not replacing him with a guy who actually plays in the NHL? Does he improve the team more than Kerfoot? Yes as he adds another physical presence. Also because now we have the cap space to add a vet D man without needing anyone to retain which would drive the price higher if they had to.

22 Mar 2021 17:11:45
Also didn't lemieux have like 5 fights last year? So a quarter of his penalty minutes didn't leave the team short handed.

22 Mar 2021 17:32:15
Wow, you really like Lemieux. And he can fight too. What year is this 1985.

22 Mar 2021 17:55:57
I guess you have missed the impact that Simmonds has had on the team in 2021.

22 Mar 2021 18:52:31
Simmonds is a player. Biggg difference. 1 fight I believe.

22 Mar 2021 21:38:46
Simmonds isn't a big difference. They are almost identical in a lot of ways. Simmonds is just better at being net front.

23 Mar 2021 01:46:53
Actually simmonds has two fights and has been a huge force when in the line up. As for 1985? Have you played hockey in your life? You need truculence in the line up. Look at Tampa last year. Enough said.

23 Mar 2021 07:46:19
I like Simmonds a lot and I think he brings a lot to the leadership of this team but lemeiux is the exact same type of player.

23 Mar 2021 10:13:09
@@whoizzy: did you say truculance. Is this Brian Burke on the line. You think that Tampa has truculant players and I have never played hockey. Tampa and Tor. Are very similar in the way they are built. Tampa has the better goalie and a big stud on D but to day he is even truculant is a stretch.

23 Mar 2021 10:18:35
@leafslife Simmonds is a great leader and teammate. He means a lot to this team but please don't say Lemieux is exactly the same. Simmonds has scored more goals then Lemieux could ever dream off. Like I said, Simmonds is a player.

23 Mar 2021 11:43:32
@Matthews. Impact doesn't always mean points. Simmonds looks good this year because he isn't battered up for once. He has barely played and only put up points in the top 6. As in impact he has had, I was referring to the presence he brings. Opponents know when he is around. Our players play with a little more confidence and aggression knowing he is there to back them up. Having him in the top 6 and Lemieux in the bottom 6 has everyone play a little taller. You may not appreciate that element, but it is pretty obvious the Leaf players do.

Lemieux is also signed for one more year, so if Simmonds leaves, we still have that element. He also costs $2M less than Kerfoot who is playing bottom 6 right now. You keep glossing over that part. The $2M will help re-sign Hyman without taking away from someone else. Kerfoot is likely gone anyway at the end of this season as we cannot afford him.

23 Mar 2021 12:39:19
@RLF I have no issue bringing in more muscle, my issue is the quality of that player. Kerfoot is a good player, just not that physical. If we are all in this year Lemieux will not get it done. If we subtract a player the new guy needs to bring more than muscle, that's all I am saying. NJD have Miles Wood that would tick a lot of boxes if Kerfoot was let go.

23 Mar 2021 13:09:25
@Matthews. I like Miles Wood. He was one of my targets last season and this season. We may not get Wood for Kerfoot though. We also don't get the $2M in savings and Wood is likely a target of Seattle. Does Wood really move the needle to "all in" though? Most of his points came at the start of the season and his role is being diminished just like Lemieux. Last 3 games he is down to 11-12 mins a night. Wood also hasn't been very physical this year.

28 Mar 2021 14:44:36
@matthews . Kerfoot is a joke for 3.5 m.