What is Mikhail Grabovski Worth? - James Mirtle at the Globe and Mail
After a slow start this year, the 28-year-old Belarussian has again been the best Leaf on the ice over the last 15 games, with 12 points in his last six and 20 during Toronto’s 10-4-1 run since the start of 2012.
His scoring pace is now better than it was a year ago – 31 goals, 68 points over 82 games – despite the fact he’s spent most of the season with a bit of an anchor on his line in Nikolai Kulemin.
While Grabovski doesn’t play with Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul, there’s not really any argument that he isn’t Toronto’s best centre right now – and that’s a position where this team needs to add rather than subtract.
And he’s definitely not underappreciated by his teammates, who look at him as one of the team’s on-ice leaders.
Mirtle speculates it'll cost between $4.5 and $5.5M to re-sign Grabbo. But where does the money come from you say? If I'm Burke I'm looking to move Connolly for whatever I can get at the deadline; same goes for Komisarek and Armstrong. None of those three have had any meaningful impact on the Leafs good turn of fortunes in 2012, and all are grossly overpaid. No way should this team lose a player like Grabovski in order retain a player like Komisarek or Armstrong.
Links after the jump.
Leafs Links
Jake Gardiner's Chances at a Calder Nomination
Somewhere between 'Slim' and 'None'.
Winter Classic About to Go Big in Michigan
Official announcement expected on Thursday.
Is Grabovski a Number One Center?
23rd in center scoring last year; 18th this year; and with a nasty two-way game. Yes.
Toronto Maple Leafs post-game audio | Illegal Curve Hockey
Post game audio from Goose, Crabb, and Wilson
Other Links
The Worst Hockey Profile Picture We've Ever Seen
Dirty Dangle is not exaggerating here either. Ho Lee Shit.
Twelve Big Names Who Could Be on the Move at the 2012 Trade Deadline
DGB take a foray into trade speculation.
30 Thoughts and Not 1 of Them About the Leafs?
For shame Friedman, for shame.
