Antropov Coming Back Home?

It was something that immediately popped into my head when it was announced that the Ponikarovsky to Nashville rumors were untrue and Antropov was dealt to the Rangers minutes later – did Antropov do for the Leafs what Sundin never would? The Leafs were only looking at a pick for Moore and a 4th rounder they purchased from the Lightning. The deadline was looming over their heads and off went Antropov and the remainder of his one year deal.

Antropov then arrived in New York and went on to post an additional 13 points for his new club and cap off the year with a 28 goal performance and 59 points – good enough for the highest point total on the Rangers club. In the playoffs, when Avery and Gomez were not performing at their peak, Antropov was there. Despite finishing the playoffs with a -1, his two goals equaled the highest on the team, and his 16 hits proved that he does enjoy the physical game.

He had a few stretches in which he did not score a single goal, nor put up a few points for the Leafs this past season, but nothing was denying his true heart for the game and, perhaps more importantly, for the Leafs. Claimed “the only top 6 forward on the team” at the start of the year, that was more than accurate, and with the Leafs having nearly 20 million to spend this team, assuming they’d move some bodies at the draft as well, would they consider bringing big Nik back and reunite him with Ponikarovsky?

Both Alexei and Nik posted career highs last season in goals, assists, and points. With his age sitting at 29, Antropov is not outside of the ball-park number discussed by the Maple Leafs front office last season on free agents they would not pursue. The two loved the city of Toronto so much that they officially became Canadian citizens two years ago.

“It feels good to hear people say ‘Wow you’re one of us,’ ” said Ponikarovsky. Antropov joked beside him that “he knew who the president of Canada was”.

So it is interesting to see what Burke will do concerning Antropov. Will he return to wear the blue and white next season after career highs for the city and team he loves, or will his legacy for the Leafs conclude as a second round pick for a former first? After watching Antropov from the start of his career to the player he has aggressively become today, I say bring him back.

For great insight outside of the Leafs, visit Checking From Behind.

Micheal A. Aldred
michealaldred@hotmail.com

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  • Jordan

    28 goal scorer, ya it would be a bad idea to have good depth at the top 6, I have been convinced! lol

  • B Leaf

    I have always liked Antropov. I would bring Antropov back.
    I wouldn’t touch Sundin with a ten foot pole.

  • CarltontheBear

    @goldenleaf

    If a guy who just scored 28 goals last year shouldn’t even be in the NHL, that says alot about the majority of the league…

  • Corey

    NO!!… respectfully disagree, whole-heartedly

  • http://grajig hockey_guru

    I say bring him back if it’s for a reasonable amount. I’d give him 3.5 a year. I know he can get more elsewhere, but it would reunite him with Poni in Toronto. The only reason I say do it is because Antropov and Poni as second liners works well… if they don’t have to play against the other teams 1st line all the time they will rack up more points. If we sign the Sedins I wouldn’t sign Antropov though, or too many spots are taken for young guys like Bozak, Kulemin etc.

  • Gerard

    Waste of space. He isn’t tough enough for Burke. The guy stands something like 6’5 and can’t be bothered to throw a hit or even mix it up just a bit. He had his day here, time to move in another direction for both his sake and the team’s.

  • goldenleafs

    Carlton, stats don’t tell the whole story.

  • CarltontheBear

    You’re going to use that as your excuse for saying a guy who led a playoff team in points isn’t good enough to play in the NHL?

  • Stefan

    Wow! No!! Please, are you kidding me?

    I just don’t get the talk about bringing BACK players that were obviously not working! There’s a reason he wasn’t offered an extension. I’m sure if Burke had of been able to, Poni would have been gone too… he just wasn’t about to let him go for peanuts.

    Yeah, bring back Antropov. And while you’re at it, why doesn’t Burke just go out and reunite the Muskoka Five while he’s at it. I am sure there are more than a few people that would love to see that happen too. Just bring back all those players that we have fond memories of so we can continue to see the Leafs be a sub-par team. No thank you!!

    The Leafs are trying to move forward and to continue to cling on to players that don’t fit into the system anymore is detrimental to that task. Sorry, yeah they were contributors to the cause at some point, but they were also a big reason that the Leafs have not seen post-season action for a few seasons now.

    The same can be said out the talks that the Leafs may look at bringing back Sundin. I for one think that would be a huge mistake too. It doesn’t matter how little he would play for, that would be a step back for the team. He’s moved on and so should the Leafs. He owes the Leafs nothing, and the Leafs owe him nothing.

    The Leafs need to be a younger and faster team. And Antropov is not what you would call a speed-demon.

  • goldenleafs

    It’s not really accurate to say that someone led a playoff team in points, when he was only with that team for 18 games. I’m not arguing stats. It’s really tough (for most ppl) to make it into the NHL. Maybe Antropov earned a spot with his play before the NHL. (I think he was scouted for his potential more than his actions) The Leafs took a gamble on him and lost bigtime. You could have put a pylon on the same line with Sundin, and that pylon would look decent.
    He is strong, I’ve seen him hold big players against the boards with 1 hand. But he can’t play hockey, period. Just my opinion.

  • http://www.tmlfans.ca Schenn

    As much as I like Antropov as a player, I just can`t seem to find a place for him on this team. With the new style of the NHL, it is obvious that you have to have speedy and skilled forwards. Big Nik may be skilled, but he is definetly not speedy, so I`d take a pass on him and throw a couple more million towards Cammalleri and try to get him in Toronto.
    Take a look at the Cup Finalist for the past two years, you really don`t see any big and slow forwards like Antropov on Detroit or Pittsburgh.
    As for Burke wanting to get into the Top 5, how good would a loss have looked to close out the season now?? That way the Leafs would be in the Top 5 and wouldn’t have to worry about trading up to get one of the “Elite Prospects”.

  • Luke

    Can’t see it happening, or being a good idea. Antropov’s only real plus is that he has great hands, which can get you a lot, but a one-dimensional specialist is something you add to a team that has most of the pieces in place already in order to make a run, not something you build a team around as it tries to rise from the ashes of disaster. Work ethic, speed, hockey sense, defensive responsibility, and grit all matter leaps and bounds more than a good finish in a rebuilding situation, and Antropov is lacking in all of them. In the veteran phase of his career, Antropov’s game has “perennial deadline rental” written all over it. He could be very, very effective in that role, but it’s a couple of years before the Leafs should be looking to cast anyone in it, and I’d bet Balsille’s billions that his skills diminish before the team reaches that point.

  • Wags

    Enough with the Euros already, bring in some Canadian Talent, it is our game and I am tired of 1st , 2nd, and 3rd chances for these soft, overated , underscouted players and never giving the young Canadians in our system a chance, Hell, play Jeremy Williams on the 1st line for 7 years and he will get you more than 60 pts too. This guy is a slug, Move On Now…Next it will be the Sedins,(career 2nd liners). We want the Schenns, the Taveres’,the Cowens,Bouwmeester,Camelari,heck even drafting down to get Ellis is better than another chicken swede, flashy (don’t break an egg) finn, look at Ian White, almost traded for a bag of pucks, wake the fuck up people and see where the Euros have taken this team, Sundin couldn’t get to the final four without Gilmour and Clark, Sittler and Mcdonald before that, say these four names out loud, then tell me Antropov and Poni are in the same class, check out Chicago’s Team, full of young CANADIAN talent, thats what the blue and white should be about.

  • leafs4life

    well first antro is big and dont skate very well but given the fact he has what so many has said, “great hands” it reminds me of another former maple leaf that was big and couldnt skate very well, dave andreychuk, who did pretty well for himself. in particular his last playoff run when he won the cup. having said all that, bringing him back to reunite with poni is ludicrous because poni did much better AFTER antro left at the trade deadline. bringing him back to be with 1 player is no reason to bring him back to a TEAM. i say antro has had his run with the leafs and lets turn the page and move onto someone else. thank you antro for your years as a leaf but its rebuild time and we must stay the course.

  • B Gordon

    I love Antropov, he’s a great guy but he’s slower than my grandmother and she’s dead. His downfall is and always has been his skating, otherwise he’s an immense talent. Does anyone here remember him scoring 30 goals in that 60-0 romp over Iceland before he hit the NHL? Don Cherry would have a fit but it’s an interesting fact. That’s why he was rated so high and Sather has always loved him. Sather said the Leafs got the steal of the draft when they picked him 10th overall. Great guy, hope he does well. I expect he’ll resign with the Rangers.

  • crayn

    The lack of knowledge you people have is sickening.

    By the comments some of you make, I can tell that at least half of you don’t even watch hockey.

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Micheal Aldred

Author: Micheal Aldred

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I am an avid hockey fan and a writer for The Score Federation. I own Checking From Behind.com and bleed blue and white. I hope to one day become Wyatt Earp.