Judging by most of your blog posts and comments, there seems to be some consensus on what the extension of John-Michael Liles signifies for the Leafs as a team:
First, this move signifies a step towards stabilizing the Leafs' roster. Brian Burke appears poised to make a real run at the Stanley Cup in a few seasons, likely within the term of Phil Kessel's current contract.
Second, with the Leafs set to spend nearly $20M on only six defenders next season, there appears to be an over-commitment in funds to a group of players that struggle mightily to prevent goals. Oh, and that's not including what Keith Aulie and/or Cody Franson will earn.
Third, although I hate the term "log jam", for the time being, the Leafs appear to be carrying 8 NHL defenders (not including Korbinian Holzer), and if Burke is so hell-bent on acquiring a forward with size, it's likely to come at the cost of a defenseman. Knowing Burke's infamous "track record", we can expect a deal to go down a couple weeks before the deadline.
I think that concerns about Liles' ability to produce at a reasonable rate at the age of 35 are well-founded, though as many have already pointed out, if Brian Burke can bring this team a Stanley Cup by then, no one will care in the slightest.
Take your pick from a wide array of blogger's takes after the jump.
Liles' Links:
Maple Leafs sign Liles to extension
James Mirtle at the Globe and Mail has his say.
Liles Signs 4 Year Extension with Leafs
Danny Gray wonders aloud about what this means for the future of Luke Schenn with the Leafs.
Does the Liles extension mean Grabovski is out in Toronto?
Cam Charron sees the Leafs' cap situation forcing Burke's hand. From The Leafs Nation.
John-Michael Liles Signs Extension
From Jeffler at LeafsHQ.
Liles Re-signs in Toronto for Four Years
Justin Fisher with his two cents at Hogtown Hockey.
Locking up Liles is a Smart Move by the Maple Leafs
Lukas Hardonk weighs in at The Hockey Writers.
Other Leafs' Links:
Ron Wilson Definitely Does Match Lines
Danny Gray makes things very clear at The Leafs Nation.
All Hail Mikhail Grabovski
PPP with some Mickey Grabs love over at The Leafs Nation.
Question Time At VLM
My answers: first-round exit, and the end of Phil Kessel's current contract, give or take a year.
Leafs Prospect Update from the ECHL
Kyle The Reporter continues his solid work.
Dave? Dave’s not – oh, wait, he IS here.
Diamond Cuts and Wax Stains has a pretty washed out image of David Keon. Photographically, that is.
The Man Crush: Leaf Edition
The latest from Darren K at Blue Chip Prospects.
Other Hockey Links:
Backhand Shelf Podcast with ESPN’s Neil Greenberg
Neil Greenberg, if you haven't heard, is the guy who didn't include John Tavares in the top 25 under 25 list.
Antero Niittymaki, waived by Sharks
Wow, that's being candid. From Greg Wyshynski at PD.
Vladimir Putin wants meeting with NHL for 2014 Sochi Games
From Dmitry Chesnokov at Puck Daddy.
Importance of Quality of Competition/Teammates
Perhaps it's not as important as you'd think, says David Johnson.
Roy McMurtry still pushing for change in hockey’s culture
Roy MacGregor at the Globe has the story.
Dirty Dangle 2012 NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft Drinking Game!
This is pretty funny, but it'd also mean death if you actually tried it.
Judging Goalies: Should We Include PK Save Percentage?
Eric T. at Broad Street Hockey with more excellent work. If you're not following him on Twitter, you probably should be.
The Quiet Room’s All-Hurt All-Stars: Forwards
Guess which Leaf tops the list? Oh, and if you're squeamish, don't scroll to the bottom. There's a photo of Darryl Boyce's nose. From Jo Innes at Backhand Shelf.
