Toronto Maple Leafs: 11 Players Brian Burke Should Be Choosing from This Summer
Hoping to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump, I hereby tackle my second Bleacher Report article!
In listening to Brian Burke's annual end-of-season press conference and subsequent one-on-one interviews, the Toronto Maple Leafs President and GM quite clearly outlined some of the franchise's most pressing needs.
The most important void to fill, as we all know, lies in the gaping hole between Joffrey Lupul and Phil Kessel.
At this point, the only thing Ron Wilson has managed to pencil in for his 2011-2012 starting lineup at the No. 1 center position is a big, fat, angrily scribbled question mark.
While no one can deny that this is the Leafs' most crucial need, I was more intrigued by another area of weakness in the current lineup that Burke said he plans to address—an area that seems to have been forgotten about in the shadow of the never-ending, dogged and sometimes obnoxious conversations about the likes of Brad Richards, Steven Stamkos, Paul Stastny, Zach Parise and Jeff Carter.
Much to my delight, according to Burke, he will continue in his search for "a bigger group—a more hostile group." I will rejoice when the Leafs ice a squad as snarly as the Anaheim Ducks or the Boston Bruins. In order to make this happen, major adjustments need to take place in the bottom-six group of forwards.
There are also a couple of defensemen kicking around the free agent market that I think could be signed for very reasonable deals compared to names such as Kevin Bieksa, Christian Ehrhoff and James Wisniewski.
With these thoughts in mind, I will take you through a list of 11 players I think Brian Burke should be pursuing with great vigour this summer.
My goal with this article is to make mention of players that I haven't seen discussed very much or at all. Hopefully, it will be a breath of fresh air! Or you may just think I'm nuts. Both could wind up being true...
Enjoy!
Zenon Konopka: Fourth-Line Center
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Over 300 penalty minutes in the 2010-2011 season. Dominant in the faceoff circle. Leads by example night in and night out.
Do I really need to say more? No, but I will anyway.
Known as one of the bravest, toughest players in the game, Zenon Konopka brought strong elements of leadership to a young New York Islanders team over 82 games this past season. He's also known for his work ethic and commitment on every shift. And I mentioned the 300 penalty minutes already, right?
According to Chris Botta, who is well connected with the Islanders franchise despite having his press credentials pulled following a story criticizing the firing of Scott Gordon, it looks as though a new contract will not be extended to the scrappy centerman. This is good news for the Maple Leafs, as they could use an upgrade at center on the fourth line.
Do not interpret this as a slap to the face of Tim Brent. I loved watching him play this year. He certainly had some epic moments, including his short-handed goal on Cam Ward in Carolina and his amazing shot blocks on the penalty kill against the same Hurricanes in Toronto.
However, according to Burke's stated plan, I wouldn't be at all surprised to read on July 1st that Zenon is on his way to Toronto with a shiny new contract.
Cody McCormick: Fourth-Line Center
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Another potential fit on the fourth line could be the Buffalo Sabres' pending UFA Cody McCormick.
At 6'3" and 220 pounds, the opposition takes note when he is on the ice. He rarely gives them a choice. He is the type of player that seems to always be involved in some form of physical battle.
This video offers a brief snapshot of the type of play one can expect from Cody McCormick.
McCormick would fit right in in between Mike Brown and Colton Orr. While he doesn't have the abilities that Konopka has in the faceoff circle, his big body and physical presence would make him a valuable piece in Burke's puzzle of size and hostility.
Vernon Fiddler: Third-Line Center
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When I saw the picture of Fiddler laying out Versteeg, I couldn't resist.
Vernon Fiddler played a good deal of time on the Phoenix Coyotes' second unit this season with Lee Stempniak and Taylor Pyatt. He did not post spectacular numbers by any stretch of the imagination—22 points in 71 games doesn't exactly turn too many heads.
However, the Leafs don't necessarily need a scoring centerman for their third line. They DO need someone with size and speed, however. Vernon Fiddler possesses both these qualities. At 6'2" and 200 pounds, I appreciate his ability to forecheck and backcheck tenaciously.
The bonus? He is a plus in the plus-minus column over the last two seasons, ladies and gentlemen!
If he is available, he should be affordable. Burke needs to bring someone with more experience, size and defensive prowess than Tyler Bozak is able to provide right now, and Fiddler fits the bill.
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Michal Handzus: Third-Line Center
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Michal Handzus played on pretty much every one of the Kings' top three lines this past season. He was counted on in both checking and scoring roles.
His biggest strengths, however, lie in his ability to play a solid two-way game and win faceoffs. He is able to accomplish these by making use of his giant 6'4", 220-pound frame.
The downside? He is already 34 years old and was being paid $4 million per year on his last contract. However, as I mentioned in the case of Vernon Fiddler, it may well be worth it to bring in a more experienced centerman to play on the third line in the place of Tyler Bozak—and his next contract will be nowhere near $4 million.
Bozak may well turn out to be a very steady third-line centerman himself, but at this point, I think that if Burke is able to acquire someone for a good price to offer his third line more stability, he should take that opportunity and make use of it.
Michal Handzus represents one of those opportunities. If he can be locked up to a relatively short-term deal (think two years, anywhere between $2 million and $3 million), the Leafs would be acquiring a centerman who can handle the tough checking assignments of other teams' first lines.
Brad Winchester: Third-Line Left Winger
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This 6'5", 230-pound monster of a human being is a very tough customer, to say the least. He has the size and grit that Brian Burke covets in a player.
At 30 years old, Winchester is certainly more than capable of playing third-line minutes on the wing opposite Colby Armstrong. Acquiring someone with such an imposing frame would certainly help to address the fact that the Toronto Maple Leafs' forwards are just plain undersized.
Known as a very versatile player who can play either wing and take on checking assignments, there are few downsides to his game. However, he has been known to be a tad undisciplined at times.
Winchester won't wow you with his passing or goal-scoring ability, but he will drive to the net hard, wreak havoc in front of opposing goaltenders and decimate the opposition's defensemen on the forecheck. Is he the answer to making the playoffs? I dare not think so—but he could certainly be a part of making that happen.
This is a player who could be had for a very cheap, short-term contract. If in a few years Burke decides to opt for a little more skill on his third line, Winchester can be sent packing and will have served a very deliberate purpose in the Leafs' quest for a more hostile makeup.
Michael Rupp: Third-Line Left Winger
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As much as it pained me to put up a picture of a player draped all over our newly signed No. 1 goalie, I wanted to outline the talents that Mike Rupp should be employing FOR the Leafs, not against them.
I've been a fan of Rupp since he rejoined the Devils organization in 2006 and went on to play for the Penguins for the past two seasons. He is, quite simply, hard to miss when he's on the ice.
He is almost the exact equivalent of Brad Winchester in that he is 6'5" and 230 pounds, but I like his all-around game a bit more than Brad's. He has the ability to put pucks in the net at times, forecheck and backcheck hard and take on a defensive role.
He'll stick up to defend a teammate any time, against anyone, any day of the week. Players like Rupp are rare in that way, and I for one would love to personally roll out the welcoming mat for him. He would definitely go a long way in setting the tone in games where things may be getting a bit chippy.
Frankly, I'd be shocked if Burke was not at least somewhat interested in the 31-year-old left winger. Possibly a great addition to the third line, he also has the playoff experience that this group sorely lacks.
Scottie Upshall: Third-Line Left Winger
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Could this guy play the same role that Darcy Tucker did so effectively for many years in Toronto?
It's very, very possible.
Known as an absolutely tenacious two-way checker, Scottie Upshall has that unique ability to get under the other team's skin with both his physical play and linguistic proficiency, to put it nicely.
He may not be as big as the aforementioned Winchester and Rupp at 6'0" and 200 pounds, but he is known as a player that will not back down from any one.
Upshall, at 27 years of age, is also young enough to fit right in with the youth movement that has been so prevalent in Toronto over the past two years.
Paired on the opposite wing to Colby Armstrong, regardless of who the centerman is, this would already be one of the more hated lines in the entire league. I'm sure he'd quickly become a fan favourite, even amongst the corporate fanbase that plagues the ACC's lower bowls on a nightly basis. Scottie would be the type of player who would force the "hockey fans" in the platinum and gold sections to get up out of their seats and cheer once in a while. Oh, the horror...!
Jonathan Ericsson: Third Defensive Pairing
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Well, I think it's safe to say that Mike Komisarek needs a bit of help on the back end once in a while.
Jonathan Ericsson may be without a job in Hockeytown, USA fairly soon. He has stated that he wants to stay, and the Detroit Red Wings have said they want to keep him. But apparently money can be a sticking point for some weird reason sometimes.
According to multiple sources, Ericsson recently turned down a multi-year contract paying him $2 million per year. I don't see the Red Wings as the type of organization that will break the bank to pay a guy like Ericsson, so he may well be gone. If he does make it to free agency on July 1st, he may well soon discover that he is not worth as much as he thought he was.
Would the Wings' offer still be on the table? Maybe. But likely not. If the market indicates his value is less than $2 million per year, the Wings will certainly not offer more than market value.
Enter the Toronto Maple Leafs. Burke would have a good opportunity to sign a 27-year-old, 6'4", 220-pound defenseman who played under arguably one of the best of all time—Nick Lidstrom.
Known as a mobile defenseman with the size that most NHL teams crave on their blue line, Ericsson is a bit raw in some aspects of the game. That being said, I think he would be an upgrade over a guy like Matt Lashoff, who spent some time with the Leafs near the end of the season.
Jonathan Ericsson does not represent a significant upgrade on the back end in terms of skill. But size and grit are desirable features of this Swede's game, and Burke may be wise to at least inquire into what it might cost to sign him.
Joni Pitkanen: Second Defensive Pairing
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Joni Pitkanen represents the most skilled player in the group that I mention in this article. I was on the fence about adding him because I think he may well prove to be too expensive for the Leafs to add. On the other hand, Burke can be very persuasive.
Regardless, there would be many upsides to adding Pitkanen to the Leafs roster to play with Luke Schenn on a regular pairing and Dion Phaneuf on the power play.
For an offensive defenseman, Pitkanen does possess some good size at 6'3" and 210 pounds. This size, fortunately, does not negatively affect his mobility, as he is extremely capable of providing offense on the power play and at even strength.
When the situation calls for it, he displays excellent flashes of toughness and grit—he is not afraid to use his size to his advantage. Joni is very well suited to play big minutes with Schenn and the thought of these two playing together has me near tears. Well...maybe not, but it would be an impressive pairing.
While all the focus will be on Bieksa, Ehrhoff and Wisniewski, I'm hoping Burke and his management team target Pitkanen before any other teams come calling. With a bit of luck and a good-sized contract, Toronto may well be able to attract this skilled Finnish defenseman.
Here's hoping.
Honourable Mentions: Pascal Dupuis and Joel Ward
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Both Pascal Dupuis and Joel Ward represent the value of having a player who can play both the wing and at center. Both have a work ethic that would rival the best in the NHL and have lots of experience to back up what they bring to the table, particularly in the case of Pascal Dupuis.
Both are gritty, tenacious on the forecheck and play a responsible two-way game.
However, I think both players represent a value to their respective teams that will make letting them go very difficult. They could be tough to pry out of Pittsburgh and Nashville respectively.
On top of that, I am concerned that Brian Burke would have to overpay to get either player, and I don't think that is a good idea for the Leafs.
If a reasonable contract could be settled on, I would gladly welcome either player, but I see this as possibly being difficult to achieve.
Either way, both would represent an upgrade to the third line.
Conclusion
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There you have it—my list of players that I believe Burke should and will be pursuing once free agency opens on July 1st.
Now keep in mind, I am not saying that Burke should be adding every single one of these players. Perhaps one, maybe two. Overall, my goal was to offer up a group of people that Burke is likely to draw from in his pursuit of putting together "a bigger group—a more hostile group."
In doing so, I wanted to offer up possibilities that I have seen few people, if anyone at all, discuss previously on Bleacher Report.
In no way do these players guarantee a playoff spot, much less a Stanley Cup, but I do maintain that every one of them would be an upgrade at the respective positions I mentioned for each of them.
Please feel free to discuss and offer your opinions—I am very interested to hear what you have to say about any or all of these UFAs.
Enjoy.
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