Leafs trade for Michael Grabner from Isles

[MissTeeks]

Stephen Whyno ‏@SWhyno2m2 minutes ago (https://twitter.com/SWhyno/status/644548042008494080)

#Leafs (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Leafs?src=hash) trade Taylor Beck, Matt Finn, Christopher Gibson, Tom Nilsson and Carter Verhaeghe to #Isles (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Isles?src=hash) for Michael Grabner.

[transplant99]

5 for 1?

Unusual deal for this sort of nhl climate.

[GranteedEV]

Stephen Whyno ‏@SWhyno2m2 minutes ago (https://twitter.com/SWhyno/status/644548042008494080)

#Leafs (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Leafs?src=hash) trade Taylor Beck, Matt Finn, Christopher Gibson, Tom Nilsson and Carter Verhaeghe to #Isles (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Isles?src=hash) for Michael Grabner.

Interesting. Finn was Flames' option A before Sieloff in the 2012 draft.

Anyways this looks like a deal to get Toronto below the 50 contract limit so they can sign guys like Glencross and Setoguchi.

[Muta]

Wow, rarely do you see five-for-one trades.

[Roof-Daddy]

5 for 1 ??

No blue chippers, but that's a lot of quantity for an inconsistent NHLer at best.

[Locke]

Quantity aside, why would the Islanders agree to this?

While Grabner is an inconsistent NHLer, he is still an NHLer, its not that he makes a lot of money or that the Isles are up against the cap or anything. He has his uses.

Did they just offload him in order to stock their AHL squad or is there a guy in that gaggle of 'people I've never heard of' that they're high on?

[Atodaso]

They're clearing out contract space. This will probably allow for more flexibility to make trades and sign some other guys. Notably Glencross and Boyes.

Edit: Just noticed GtanteedEV said the same thing.

[sureLoss]

Quantity aside, why would the Islanders agree to this?

While Grabner is an inconsistent NHLer, he is still an NHLer, its not that he makes a lot of money or that the Isles are up against the cap or anything. He has his uses.

Did they just offload him in order to stock their AHL squad or is there a guy in that gaggle of 'people I've never heard of' that they're high on?

Isles are overloaded with top 9 forwards. This opens up a spot for guys like Nelson and Lee. Been rumored they have been trying to move Grabner for a year now.

The prospects they got back are B prospects at best. Toronto also removes a few contract spots from the 50 contract limit that allows them to perhaps sign some players they have attending on PTOs.

[Split98]

Quantity aside, why would the Islanders agree to this?

While Grabner is an inconsistent NHLer, he is still an NHLer, its not that he makes a lot of money or that the Isles are up against the cap or anything. He has his uses.

Did they just offload him in order to stock their AHL squad or is there a guy in that gaggle of 'people I've never heard of' that they're high on?

Between this and Hamilton, I have to think that there are contract complexities with the new CBA that GMs are preparing for. Neither made any sense from any perspective I could understand, so it must be something we aren't seeing or understanding?

[PlayfulGenius]

Matt Finn had some critical acclaim, at one time... he was in the ECHL for a spell (8 games) last year though... I'm curious if it was related to his play, or if he was on a rehab assignment, or something.

[Hackey]

Ya I guess they just don't have the space. Tavares, Okposo, Bailey, Grabsovski, Kulemin, Clutterbuck, Lee, Nelson, Strome, Nielsen, Dal Colle. Somehow they managed to steal Barzal as well.

[GranteedEV]

One other interesting thing about this extra space for Toronto, is that Lou might be looking to add a Bollig or an Engelland for improving that Leafs culture, and maybe they'll take on Raymond too?

Get're done BT!

[sureLoss]

Arthur Staple @StapeNewsday
#Isles sign Steve Bernier to one-year, $750,000 deal. No more PTO for him.

[devo22]

an Austrian Leaf ... barf ...

[bubbsy]

not bad. i hate the leafs as much as anyone, but am of the opinion they aren't going to be a bottom 5 team this year. hard work, solid coaching staff, removed toxicity in dressing room, and some PTO 1 year deal guys looking to prove their worth, i could see them fighting in that 8-10th spot this year and shock a lot of folks.

[Ring of Fire]

One other interesting thing about this extra space for Toronto, is that Lou might be looking to add a Bollig or an Engelland for improving that Leafs culture, and maybe they'll take on Raymond too?

Get're done BT!

At the time, it was rumoured the Flames outbid the Leafs and Coyotes for Engelland.

[Demetric]

Grabner is also scheduled to receive 5 million this year (3 mil on cap) so $$$ saving on NYI side

[CaptainCrunch]

So pretty much crap for crap, it just needed to have an equal amount of crap on both sides of the crap scale.

[JiriHrdina]

Seems like the type of deal you make in fantasy hockey. I have no idea who wins or loses - just a bunch of stuff moving around.

[Bourque's Twin]

Looks like a win-win today.

The Leafs desperately need NHL forwards. This deal gives them one immediately and frees up contracts to sign others. They only had to give up B prospects to do so.

The Islanders have a surplus of forwards, so they get to depart with an inconsistent one and make room for younger ones. In addition, the franchise is always looking for ways to save money, and they get to save a lot with this deal. Lastly, they add a bunch of prospects, which never hurts.

[Parallex]

not bad. i hate the leafs as much as anyone, but am of the opinion they aren't going to be a bottom 5 team this year.

5-10 region probably... they're stocking up on a lot of short-term assets that I'm sure they'll try to peddle for 2nd and 3rd round picks at the deadline.

[BloodFetish]

That's a whole lot of Whos for Grabner.

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/K0xQsleqNyQ/0.jpg

[Jacks]

Stephen Whyno ‏@SWhyno2m2 minutes ago (https://twitter.com/SWhyno/status/644548042008494080)

#Leafs (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Leafs?src=hash) trade Taylor Beck, Matt Finn, Christopher Gibson, Tom Nilsson and Carter Verhaeghe to #Isles (https://twitter.com/hashtag/Isles?src=hash) for Michael Grabner.
Surprised they couldn't find a LW to throw in for a full starting lineup.

[neo45]

The leafs will never be good

[Strange Brew]

One other interesting thing about this extra space for Toronto, is that Lou might be looking to add a Bollig or an Engelland for improving that Leafs culture, and maybe they'll take on Raymond too?

Get're done BT!

I love the idea but I don't think there is an NHL team that is going to make moves to create space for any of those players you mentioned.

[Serapth]

So basically a who, who, who, who and who for a what?

[Benched]

Thread summed up in hockey gif form:

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h37/DunesVladHarkonnen/Hockey-stick-clothesline_zpsg5aetxra.gif

[Geeoff]

Taylor Beck and Matt Finn are decent in NHL 16

[GranteedEV]

I love the idea but I don't think there is an NHL team that is going to make moves to create space for any of those players you mentioned.

I know, but I'm an optimist :bag:

[The Fonz]

Leafs will pump Grabners stats this season, and deal him for a 2nd at the deadline.

[ricardodw]

Leafs are filling the hole in overpaid under producing prime of their career players that they lost when they let Raymond sign with the Flames.

Who is better Grabner or Raymond?

Grabner is bigger and not as soft and more suited to 4th line play than Raymond, but 3M for him is even worse than Raymond. Grabner gets a salary of 5M this year and a cap hit of 3M.

At least he is done at the end of this year... just based on that I would trade Raymond for him

[Vinny01]

Not a bad deal for the leafs.

[devo22]

Who is better Grabner or Raymond?
completely different players. Grabner is one of the fastest skaters in the league and an excellent penalty killer. Very valuable player when he's healthy, can play both wings and up and down the lineup.

If I have to choose between Grabner and Raymond at the same cost, I'd take Grabner ten out of ten times.

[ricardodw]

completely different players. Grabner is one of the fastest skaters in the league and an excellent penalty killer. Very valuable player when he's healthy, can play both wings and up and down the lineup.



You realize you just described Frolik in terms most used on CP

[devo22]

only that Grabner is a lot more streaky and hampered by injuries.

[ricardodw]

Taylor Beck 24 years old played 62 games w/ Nashville 12 minutes /game with no pp/pk time.

He was going to arbitration with the preds, got traded to Leafs and signed a $875 K one-way contract. He obviously is going to be on the islanders NHL roster.

[DoubleF]

I feel like Toronto paid to have NYI take contracts off their hands. They don't care if those prospects potentially could be bottom 6, they want to hunker down and aim for more high quality prospects. I feel like similar to the Horton trade, Toronto could care less if Grabner can play or not (though likely they expect him to at least be a warm body). Pure bonus if he can though.

[Oling_Roachinen]

completely different players. Grabner is one of the fastest skaters in the league and an excellent penalty killer. Very valuable player when he's healthy, can play both wings and up and down the lineup.

That's pretty close to how Canucks fans were describing Mason Raymond in 2010.

While it can be attributed to injuries, Grabner's stock has certainly dropped off a cliff in the last couple years. He was coming off surgery that occurred in October, but for the last half of the season he was "healthy" and yet he was still a healthy scratch down the stretch and into the playoffs. He was passed on the depth chart by multiple players, and now had a lot of young players and prospects looking at passing him.

There was rumblings (maybe confirmed I'm not sure) that he was playing injured and would require more surgery this off-season but this is a player who hasn't best 32 points since 2011-2012 season.

[GioforPM]

Leafs had 49 pro contracts and guys like Glencross, Boyes and Setoguchi on PTOs. Something had to give, or they had almost no room to sign anyone.

[powderjunkie]

At first glance on this story I thought it said Michael Grabovski. That would have been awesome.