The Change Is Coming

My Feature Blogger today is KF_Kadri43

He originally posts on LEAFSPACE, which is where I started.

This is his blog.

With less than 24 hours away from the Free Agent Frenzy, I’m sure we are all anticipating what the Leafs are going to look like.

The FA pool is slim, but there might be a couple diamonds in the rough. I would be surprised if Burke signed any defensemen, but there are a few forwards that could be in play.

Brad Richards-  Not likely anymore

Ville Leino- Maybe not the dynamite #1 center we were looking for, but could be a great addition up front. He is a playmaker, and he CAN play center. Plus his playoff performance is amazing... Can you believe we are actually mentioning playoff hockey on a Toronto website.. Anyway, ifnothing more than acquiring Leino for future trade bait, then so be it. I mean, sure we can try him between Kessel and Lupul, if he works out good, than we have our #1 center. If he doesn’t, then we have trade bait to acquire someone better.

Max Talbot- I can tell you the Leafs have a ‘hand shake’ agreement with Talbot, and expect him to officially sign tomorrow. Max is a character guy. Not someone we bring in for points, but he is a role player. My prediction is that if/when we sign him, Tyler Bozak will be used in a trade. Talbot is good on the PK, and plays exactly how we like our 3^rd liners to play. He and Armstrong will click well. (Didnt they play together in PIT)

Mike Rupp- We signed Jay Rosehill to a 1 year, 600k, 1 way contract.. So that means Burke has confidence in him that he will make the NHL all season, or he DOESNT have confidence in him to make it at all. Colton Orr is questionable to return, and if he does it’s an even bigger question if he can get back to form. So that brings me to think Mike Rupp will dawn a Leaf jersey. He puts up more numbers than Orr and Rosehill combined, and he might be tougher than the two. Big body, I think he will be a great signing.

Notable UFA's

Zenon Konopka

Tyler Kennedy

Raffi Torres

Simon Gagne

Alex Kovalev

Tim Connolly

Jason Arnott

Alex Frolov

IAN WHITE

Tomas Fleischmann

Scotty Upshall

Nikolai Zherdev

Joel Ward

Chris Higgins

I can’t see much more FA signings, but it wouldn’t be a long shot to see a big trade.

This would be our lineup...

Lupul-Leino-Kessel

Kulemin-Grabovski-MacArthur

Kadri-Bozak-Armstrong

Brown-Talbot-Rupp

Aulie-Phaneuf

Liles-Schenn

Gunnarsson-Komisarek

Reimer

Gustavsson

Confident in this Roster?

Follow on twitter, @KF_Kadri43