On Letang, Lecavelier, Bolland, Gilbert, and Horcoff

The rumors are really starting to pour in leading up to the NHL draft on Sunday.  Here's a rundown of some of the player possibilities and what I think of them:

Kris Letang
If he can't come to an agreement with the Penguins on a contract extension, Rob Rossi thinks Toronto would be a preferred destination of his.  Apparently, the asking price would be a top prospect, a roster player, and a first round pick.  That's what the price is for every star player on the trading block, but teams never seem to get that much.  We either see deals like Mike Richards/Jeff Carter/Jordan Staal which include a top prospect and a roster player, or deals like Marian Gaborik/Rick Nash/Ilya Kovalchuk/Marian Hossa which include mid-level players/prospects and a first round pick.  If I had to guess, the Leafs package would probably be something like Gardiner/Rielly + Kulemin/Franson.  I think that if you don't believe Rielly or Gardiner can and/or will be as good as Kris Letang is, then you do the deal.  If you do believe they can and will reach that level, then be patient and let them grow from within, and take the advantage of their younger age, cheaper contracts, and the depth that Kulemin/Franson give you.  Either way, its an interesting possibility.  I'd definitely have interest If I were Toronto, since Kris Letang is a star player and star players are what you win Stanley Cups with.

Why I'm In Favour of the Leafs Adding Another Goalie

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been linked with big name goaltenders a lot over the last year.  Those big name goaltenders include Roberto Luongo, Miikka Kiprusoff, and Jonathan Bernier.  While some were in favour of getting Luongo last summer when the Leafs goaltending situation looked murky, most have spoken out against acquiring another big name goaltender since James Reimer re-emerged this season.

Let me start by saying I don't want the Leafs to get Roberto Luongo (because of his contract/age) or Miikka Kiprusoff (because of his recent performance/age).  But I wouldn't mind getting someone with a less binding contract that can play at a high level, like Jonathan Bernier, who the Leafs are reportedly interested in.  That's not because I don't believe in James Reimer (I do), but I am a fan of solidifying our position in net/giving ourselves two very capable goalies because teams that have strong goalie tandems almost always make the playoffs.

A Historical Evaluation of Kerby Rychel

Kerby Rychel, a top prospect for the 2013 NHL Entry Draft this June and a winger for the Windsor Spitfires, is one of just 12 players since 2000 that have had 40 goals in 2 of their first 3 seasons in the OHL. The other 11 players are, in chronological order: Jason Jaspers, Steve Ott, Derek Roy, Greg Chambers, Corey Locke, Patrick O'Sullivan, John Tavares, Steven Stamkos, Cody Hodgson, Taylor Hall, and Christian Thomas.

I took a closer look at comparing their numbers below: