Toronto Maple Leafs Rumors: Bob McKenzie On Shattenkirk/Leafs
TSN’s Bob McKenzie touched on the rumors surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs and their connection to Kevin Shattenkirk on The Bobcast.
McKenzie talked about the Toronto Maple Leafs cap situation and its relevance to the Shattenkirk rumors, as well as whether or not the Leafs are going to do a rental type deal.
From The Bobcast:
“If he’s going to be a rental player I don’t think the Leafs want to go down that road, they’re thinking more long term.”
“A 2 or 3 year deal: He knows he’s a UFA July 1 and it’s his big time at bat. He’s going to be looking for a 6-7 year contract and $6-$7 million per year. The Leafs kids are going to need to be paid in 2-3 years. I don’t think the Leafs can afford to allocate big dollars to Kevin Shattenkirk.”
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“As a 5v5 defender, maybe, just barely, considered top four on a good team. The offensive dimension he’s got on the PP is what makes him very, very attractive.”
“I think the Leafs at the end of the day are probably going to look for somebody a little more rounded. If that’s the case then getting a younger defenseman would also dovetail a little better with the financial pressures and the salary cap implications.”
Everything McKenzie says is what the consensus should be.
The Leafs shouldn’t partake in rental acquisitions, nor should they be willing to extend Shattenkirk a contract of 6-7 years at 6-7 million dollars.
He also pointed to the age of Shattenkirk, saying that his age wouldn’t be a factor for Toronto and that he has 5+ good years left. This I disagree with. His age is absolutely a factor and if Shattenkirk avoids the decline he’s currently in and plays top four hockey for another five years I’d be shocked.
Age matters. It’s a real thing.
Toronto accounts for age, that’s blatantly apparent in the deals they’ve made so far under Brendan Shanahan. With what Shattenkirk will be demanding – including the term – there’s an extremely slim chance the Leafs get involved in a serious fashion.
