Leafs Sign Jason Blake 5 years 20 million

[raps4life~]

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=212474&hubname=



i like the deal. we get a winger for mats, a 40 goals scorer and 4 mil isnt too bad.

[Crowned]

Good price.


This team is starting to look quite strong. After a few more moves, we should have a competitive season.

[totallyr]

Born in 1973. A 34 year old to a 5 year contract, hehe

[whysoserious]

Born in 1973. A 34 year old to a 5 year contract, hehe

That's what I'm saying. The 4 million dollar average sounds nice but just as is typical with this organization, we give a 34 year old player a nice fat 5 year's.

As I said in the other thread, the Leafs have yet to figure out how to operate in this new system.

This team looks improved over last season, but I still don't believe we are building towards a championship. Everything we're doing is to get to the playoffs, and anything beyond that is gravy for MLSE. That is the wrong goal for our beloved Leafs.

[jalenrose#5]

Don't expect the Leafers to be done after this move. I can still see Kubina and possibly RAzor being shipped out. The Leafs still need a centerman to anchor the PK and checking line....and Peca fits the bill. Sundin also needs a large winger to play along side him.....maybe Bertuzzi?

My moves...

Trade Kubina

Sign Peca and Bertuzzi to 2 yr deals for 1.5 mill a year + bonuses.
Sign Andy Sutton 2yrs/4 million

Bertuzzi/Sundin/Blake
Tucker/Wellwood/Bell
Steen/Antropov/Poni
Stajan/Peca/Kilger

Pohl/Deveraux

Kaberle/McCabe
Carlo/Sutton
White/Gill

Stralman/Belak

Toskala/Razor

That team will probably find a 6-8 playoff spot....but probably will find itself on the outside looking in.

[GQStylin]

It says on TSN now that its 4 years at $5 million per. Is Blake really a $5 million a year player?

Edit: Now it says its 5 years at $4 million on Sportscentre, so I guess that's official.

[totallyr]

It says on TSN now that its 4 years at $5 million per. Is Blake really a $5 million a year player?

Is JFJ really a GM

[The-Insider]

Hard to say if he'll have another 40 goal season but that would be a help for sure.

There have been two beefs on this forum vis-a-vis the last season: goaltending and a winger for Sundin.

JFJ goes out and gets a goalie that is a vast improvement over Raycroft, and people still complain and moan that he gave up a bunch of picks. Now he goes and gets the guy who scored more goals than any other UFA left winger available and surprise, surprise...

I love the feistiness. He really gets under the skin of the opposition. Blake is very fast and can forecheck extremely well.

Negatives are that we're signing him after his career year and his playoff numbers are poor.

I'm not going to judge him at all until we see what he can do for the team this year. You never know, he could be one of the "steals" of the summer.

The years are extended, but the price is right though. 4 million for a 60 point player with speed and can forecheck hard. I can get on board with that. And if you're wondering if he's injury prone or what not; in the last 5 seasons he's only missed 14 games

I would be surprised if things are finished, but I think Blake is a good start. 4 mill is fine, 5 years might be a little too long, but we NEED someone who can put the puck in the net to play on the top line. If the Leafs can deal Kubina and could sign one more quality forward I'd be very satisfied with this deal.

[trevc3]

I really like this signing, I had Blake on my fantasy team last year and was so very pleased with his stats...especially his 7 game winners

the biggest question on my mind is who else plays on the sundin blake line

[The-Insider]

"Blake, a four-time 20-goal scorer, will make $5 million next season, $4.5 million in each of the following two seasons and $3 million in the final two years of his deal."

Source TSN

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=212474&hubname=nhl

[MAS]

My view on him is the money is about right.

The years, well i'm not happy about it but that was what it was gonna take to sign anyone this year.

Blake compared to a guy like smyth is that Smyth we know what we're gonna get from him. Blake i'm not entirely sure. He seems like a soft 40 goal scorer to me, like the guy that'll score the 6th goal in a 7-2 blow out.

But playing with Sundin and Wellwood could make him more dominant, so we'll see

[Crowned]

Even if Blake begins to decline towards the end of his career, his contract would also be reduced as well.

We just signed a 40 goal scorer next to Sundin for 4 mil per season (on average). He plays well on the PK, he's fast, and has grit.

[The-Insider]

My view on him is the money is about right.

The years, well i'm not happy about it but that was what it was gonna take to sign anyone this year.

Blake compared to a guy like smyth is that Smyth we know what we're gonna get from him. Blake i'm not entirely sure. He seems like a soft 40 goal scorer to me, like the guy that'll score the 6th goal in a 7-2 blow out.

But playing with Sundin and Wellwood could make him more dominant, so we'll see

Interesting stat:

Ryan Smyth scored 72 goals in the past two seasons.
Jason Blake scored 68 goals in the past two seasons.

[Crowned]

The original deal was 4 years, at 5 million per season. JFJ choose the extra year on the contract to lower the cap hit per season, freeing up more cap space now, and in the future.

[jarjarbosh]

Much like the Toskola signing with this one I'm torn.

I HATE Jason Blake...I think of him as a little weasel who gets cheap goals and is a puss. However, if you look at all free agents available, it appears we got the best "bang for our buck". The five year deal is a lot, but it is comparable to what the other top ten UFA were getting, and $4 million per is well below what the other big names were going for.

Overall, if you would ask Leaf fans what their team's biggest weakness was last year, I bet goaltending and a lack of a scoring winger would be at the top of the list. JFJ addressed both of these issues while still being cap-consience (ie. singing Gomez or Drury would have lmited our chance of signing Toskala).

Toronto fans expect and demand competition each year, and JFJ has done what needed to be done to keep the team competitive. We will still likely be a 6-8 place team but we are no doubt better than the end of last season so I don't see how people can't be happy

[Alfred]

Don't expect the Leafers to be done after this move. I can still see Kubina and possibly RAzor being shipped out. The Leafs still need a centerman to anchor the PK and checking line....and Peca fits the bill. Sundin also needs a large winger to play along side him.....maybe Bertuzzi?

My moves...

Trade Kubina

Sign Peca and Bertuzzi to 2 yr deals for 1.5 mill a year + bonuses.
Sign Andy Sutton 2yrs/4 million

Bertuzzi/Sundin/Blake
Tucker/Wellwood/Bell
Steen/Antropov/Poni
Stajan/Peca/Kilger

Pohl/Deveraux

Kaberle/McCabe
Carlo/Sutton
White/Gill

Stralman/Belak

Toskala/Razor

That team will probably find a 6-8 playoff spot....but probably will find itself on the outside looking in.

If we sign Bertuzzi, I will never watch another Leafs game again. That guy is a horrible person.

[Tor-Rap-Tor]

This is a good signing and as long as he hasn't got a no trade clause attached, I think somewhere down the road he can be traded at the deadline and command a good price (maybe a first rounder)...

I'm beginning to warm up to JFJ, he has been pretty good in deals 2 for 2 and supposedly has a deal pending via a trade and since we have excess defencemen, hopefully we can get another good winger to augment our team...

I would very much like to see Peca re-signed, then looking at our roster we have a pretty fair Line up, all be it, a little on the older side but we have some young players coming in the system...

It's going to be really hard to decide between Leafs or Raptors this year. Time to get more batteries for the remote cuz if their both on at the same time it's going to get a work out...

Go Leaf's!!! Go Raptors!!!

[The-Insider]

Much like the Toskola signing with this one I'm torn.

I HATE Jason Blake...I think of him as a little weasel who gets cheap goals and is a puss. However, if you look at all free agents available, it appears we got the best "bang for our buck". The five year deal is a lot, but it is comparable to what the other top ten UFA were getting, and $4 million per is well below what the other big names were going for.

Overall, if you would ask Leaf fans what their team's biggest weakness was last year, I bet goaltending and a lack of a scoring winger would be at the top of the list. JFJ addressed both of these issues while still being cap-consience (ie. singing Gomez or Drury would have lmited our chance of signing Toskala).

Toronto fans expect and demand competition each year, and JFJ has done what needed to be done to keep the team competitive. We will still likely be a 6-8 place team but we are no doubt better than the end of last season so I don't see how people can't be happy

Cheap goals? The guy who gets a meaningless goal in a blowout?

Name me one UFA LW that scored more goals then Blake last year. Jason Blake is a puss? Is that why the opposition hates to play against him? Is his prickly attitude towards wining softening him up? A guy that could forecheck well is a weasel? You have a guy that's going to add speed, flare and competitiveness to the club. Blake was projected to be making 5-6 mill on the market; Fergie picked him up for 4.

[Turnpikebandit]

I HATE Jason Blake...I think of him as a little weasel who gets cheap goals and is a puss.

Sounds like Tucker's going to have some competition this year then....

[The-Insider]

-= original quote snipped =-



Sounds like Tucker's going to have some competition this year then....

Blake had 40 goals last year, 26 of them at even strength. That's nine more even-strength goals than Ryan Smyth. Clearly Blake is going to give Tucker a compeition for the most "cheap goals".