ExLeaf: Chicago re-signs Viktor Stalberg, 2yr, $875k, one way deal

[cw]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=371457

http://www.capgeek.com/players/display.php?id=1246

[CaptainObvious]

Looks like we won that deal, no?

[Omallley]

I think the Leafs were able to get a decent return for Versteeg...granted, it will be a while before we know how that works out...

[cw]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/fantasy/hockey/2011/07/11/hockey_hearsay/
"There is an intriguing package there, and it's just trying to find the best way to utilize [Stalberg]," general manager Stan Bowman said recently. "He's got growth in his game that he can improve on. He's only 25 years old. So he's going to continue to get better."

Stalberg openly questioned his role at times but did play some on the first line with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. He became more effective late when he started to use his speed to attack opponents.

"Viktor is an intriguing guy because he's got a couple of different talents," Bowman said. "He's obviously got the size and the speed. He did score 12 goals in somewhat limited minutes. He did play in the end up in the top part of the lineup. But for a lot of the year, he was down below. He didn't really see any power-play time."

With Stalberg signed and Michael Frolik expected to be, it will be interesting to see what the Hawks decide to do with winger Rostislav Olesz, who was acquired in the Brian Campbell trade with the Florida Panthers. Olesz, 25, has a history of injuries and carries a cap hit of more than $3 million, significantly high for a player whose best point total is 30.

"In some ways, he's similar to Stalberg," Bowman said. "He really hasn't found his niche yet. Is he a top scorer or is he more of a checker that can score as well? He can play the game a few different ways.''

fyi

[CarltonTheBear]

Looks like he's still impressing people with his size and speed like he did all of us. Then they watched him play for a season and wondered where the rest of his game is.

[Nik]

Looks like we won that deal, no?

I mean, I guess. But to some extent the Leafs just swapped around first rounders, didn't they?

[CarltonTheBear]

Looks like we won that deal, no?

I mean, I guess. But to some extent the Leafs just swapped around first rounders, didn't they?

Sort of, but I mean I'd take the guy we picked with that first round pick (Biggs) over Paradis/Tlusty any day of the week.

[Nik]

Sort of, but I mean I'd take the guy we picked with that first round pick (Biggs) over Paradis/Tlusty any day of the week.

Percy was the pick with the Flyers first rounder, wasn't he? I thought Biggs was the result of swapping the #30 +#39 pick for the #22.

[CarltonTheBear]

Sort of, but I mean I'd take the guy we picked with that first round pick (Biggs) over Paradis/Tlusty any day of the week.

Percy was the pick with the Flyers first rounder, wasn't he? I thought Biggs was the result of swapping the #30 +#39 pick for the #22.

Oh, right. I forgot about the trade. Still, replace Percy with Biggs in that statement and it's still as true. Paradis and Tlusty were at the time, and still are, unlikely to make a significant impact in the NHL.

[Nik]

Oh, right. I forgot about the trade. Still, replace Percy with Biggs in that statement and it's still as true. Paradis and Tlusty were at the time, and still are, unlikely to make a significant impact in the NHL.

Sure, but then throw in Stalberg and the other guy and the Flyers third rounder(?) and it definitely seems more like a "Wait and see" thing than a situation where I'd already be claiming victory.

edit: Also, I mean, if in that whole mess we're really going to look at "who's most likely to make a significant impact in the NHL?" then it strikes me as being pretty obvious that the answer is Versteeg.

[CarltonTheBear]

edit: Also, I mean, if in that whole mess we're really going to look at "who's most likely to make a significant impact in the NHL?" then it strikes me as being pretty obvious that the answer is Versteeg.

Yeah, if we're going to add the Versteeg to Philly trade in the discussion, then yeah it will be a few years before we can conclude who won that deal. But looking exclusively at the Stalberg to Chicago trade, I think it's definitely a win for us. Paradis and DiDomenico will both be lucky to make the NHL, and Stalberg could find himself out of it in a couple of years if he doesn't turn things around.

[Nik]

Yeah, if we're going to add the Versteeg to Philly trade in the discussion, then yeah it will be a few years before we can conclude who won that deal. But looking exclusively at the Stalberg to Chicago trade, I think it's definitely a win for us. Paradis and DiDomenico will both be lucky to make the NHL, and Stalberg could find himself out of it in a couple of years if he doesn't turn things around.

I don't know, if you can't declare a winner Philly/Toronto I don't think you can Toronto/Chicago either because it's the same principal. A low first round pick and a third aren't likely to make big NHL impacts even if Percy is widely regarded as a safe pick with a low ceiling.

[CarltonTheBear]

I don't know, if you can't declare a winner Philly/Toronto I don't think you can Toronto/Chicago either because it's the same principal.

I don't think so. With the Chicago trade we dealt 2 prospects who were quite unlikely to ever make the NHL, and a young fringe NHLer for a 2nd/3rd line winger. Sure, there's still an element of "wait and see", but I don't think any of the players involved are going to get significantly better or worse in the near future to make those labels I've given them any different. It essentially comes down to Stalberg or Versteeg and while Versteeg wasn't the greatest player here I think it's reasonable to say he's definitely the better player of the two.

If you expand the Chicago trade to include what we got for Versteeg from Philly, then there's an even bigger element of "wait and see" but value-wise we still made out like bandits. There isn't a GM out there that would have traded a first rounder for Stalberg and a couple of nobodies.

[Nik]

If you expand the Chicago trade to include what we got for Versteeg from Philly, then there's an even bigger element of "wait and see" but value-wise we still made out like bandits. There isn't a GM out there that would have traded a first rounder for Stalberg and a couple of nobodies.

I actually sort of think the opposite. I think that there's much less wait and see if we're just looking at Versteeg for Paradis, DiDomenico and Stalberg. That was a good deal for the Leafs.

When it comes to sort of the whole package of Paradis, DiDomenico and Stalberg vs. Percy and Leivo then it's entirely wait and see. The only guy of the bunch in the NHL is Stalberg and he's young and unproven. 'If Percy/Leivo make the league and Paradis/DiDomenico don't that's a win but I think Paradis is a pretty good example of how the value of a late first round prospect is not a certainty.

[CarltonTheBear]

If you expand the Chicago trade to include what we got for Versteeg from Philly, then there's an even bigger element of "wait and see" but value-wise we still made out like bandits. There isn't a GM out there that would have traded a first rounder for Stalberg and a couple of nobodies.

I actually sort of think the opposite. I think that there's much less wait and see if we're just looking at Versteeg for Paradis, DiDomenico and Stalberg. That was a good deal for the Leafs.

When it comes to sort of the whole package of Paradis, DiDomenico and Stalberg vs. Percy and Leivo then it's entirely wait and see. The only guy of the bunch in the NHL is Stalberg and he's young and unproven. 'If Percy/Leivo make the league and Paradis/DiDomenico don't that's a win but I think Paradis is a pretty good example of how the value of a late first round prospect is not a certainty.

Yeah, I mean I guess I agree that we're more likely to lose the trade if we include the package we received for Versteeg as opposed to just looking at the Chicago trade exclusively. A first rounder is more likely to bust than Versteeg is to. But considering we're comparing these assets to a guy who will most likely be a good 3rd liner at best, I think it'd be pretty difficult for us to flat out lose this trade in any sense.