Maple Leafs Acquire Lombardi, Franson

sh00n · Post #1 » by **sh00n** » Sun Jul 3, 2011 9:12 pm

Press Release - Brian Burke, President and GM of the Maple Leafs, announced Sunday that the club has acquired forward Matthew Lombardi and defenceman Cody Franson from the Predators in exchange for defenceman Brett Lebda and forward Robert Slaney. The trade also includes a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2013 Entry Draft.

Wait, what? How the hell did Toronto manage to get Cody Franson as a throw in to a deal with essentially nothing coming back?

trwi7 · Post #2 » by **trwi7** » Sun Jul 3, 2011 9:27 pm

Not a fan at all of this deal. They needed to save money to bring Weber back but it shouldn't have cost them Franson.

Post #3 » by **bryant08** » Sun Jul 3, 2011 10:17 pm

Not sure if Lombardi will see the ice this season, but Franson is an awesome addition. Hopefully this is the end of Komisarek's days in Toronto. Phaneuf (26 years old, 6-3 & 215), Aulie (22 years old, 6-5 & 220), Schenn (21 years old, 6-3 & 235), Franson (23 years old, 6-5 & 215) is a scary group on the back end. When you throw in guys like Gunnarsson and Jake Gardiner the Leafs have some major potential on the back, really hope it pans out and we see this group of defensemen develop together.

If Lombardi is able to contribute significant time this season that's just the icing on the cake, he'd be a pretty solid top 9 forward for our team.

Post #4 » by **Next Coming** » Sun Jul 3, 2011 10:46 pm

Leafs have major question marks at C with Connolly and Lombardi but if they can get back to form(not holding my breath) watch out.

And the Defensive corps is flat out scary right now.

Post #5 » by **Nolan** » Sun Jul 3, 2011 11:20 pm

Great deal for the Leafs. It really doesn't even matter if Lombardi recovers they won this deal by getting Franson for basically nothing.

sh00n · Post #6 » by **sh00n** » Sun Jul 3, 2011 11:45 pm

Nolan wrote:Great deal for the Leafs. It really doesn't even matter if Lombardi recovers they won this deal by getting Franson for basically nothing.

That's what I mean. Nashville could've got this deal for Lombardi alone. The fact that they donated Franson for nothing is insane.

Relentless88 · Post #7 » by **Relentless88** » Sun Jul 3, 2011 11:52 pm

Getting rid of Lebda is a bonus. Lebda and his -3 rating in a 9-3 win.

Post #8 » by **Nolan** » Mon Jul 4, 2011 12:32 am

Nashville has to know something about Lombardi's injury that the rest of the league doesn't. Otherwise this deal makes absolutely no sense.

trwi7 · Post #9 » by **trwi7** » Mon Jul 4, 2011 3:40 am

Lombardi is done, so any contributions you think he can make you can just forget about that right now.

Post #10 » by **darth_federer** » Mon Jul 4, 2011 4:04 am

Post #11 » by **Crowned** » Mon Jul 4, 2011 5:55 am

trwi7 wrote:Lombardi is done, so any contributions you think he can make you can just forget about that right now.

That's fine.

We'll gladly take Franson for Lebda any day of the week. I'm pretty sure Burke would've traded Lebda for next to nothing (if not, nothing).

trwi7 · Post #12 » by **trwi7** » Mon Jul 4, 2011 6:40 am

Crowned wrote:That's fine.

We'll gladly take Franson for Lebda any day of the week. I'm pretty sure Burke would've traded Lebda for next to nothing (if not, nothing).

I know.

The only way this works is giving Weber an extension and possibly making salary room for Suter and Rinne. It's not like they don't have depth on defense in the system. Josi could problem come in and pair with Bouillon on the 3rd line pushing Lebda to 7th defenseman or they could send him out and make Laakso the 7th defenseman.

Post #13 » by **Next Coming** » Mon Jul 4, 2011 10:50 pm

darth_federer wrote:

lol

HAHAHAHA!

Post #14 » by **ajaX82** » Tue Jul 5, 2011 9:03 pm

Lebda sucked on the Wings and it was a good day when we let him go. Getting Franson from him is theft. Nice move by the Leafs

Parataxis · Post #15 » by **Parataxis** » Sat Jul 9, 2011 9:26 pm

Nolan wrote:Nashville has to know something about Lombardi's injury that the rest of the league doesn't. Otherwise this deal makes absolutely no sense.

It's a salary dump. Lombardi isn't likely to see ice time this year. The Leafs arn't concerned about money and they can hide his Cap-Hit in the Marlies. Franson is the cost for the Leafs absorbing Lombardi's salary.

ps: That screencap is hilarious.

trwi7 · Post #16 » by **trwi7** » Sat Jul 9, 2011 9:33 pm

Hopefully Cube can come back for the Preds.

Weber - Suter
Blum - Klein
Cube - Josi
Laakso

Bury Lebda in the minors and it's no downgrade to the defense.

Post #17 » by **OldNo7** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 10:38 am

When is Ellis getting a shot?

trwi7 · Post #18 » by **trwi7** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 3:06 am

Probably a year from now. He only played a few playoff games in Milwaukee last year, so they'll take their time with him.