Hockey Trade Rumors

For the second season in a row the Toronto Maple Leafs are about ready to make a mistake and hand out yet another no movement clause to one of their players. After handing not only a healthy 5.75 million salary to blueliner Bryan McCabe for each of the next 5 seasons but also a no movement clause, the talk now is that the team will likely hand forward Darcy Tucker the same special feature in his new contract along with millions of dollars attached to multiple seasons.

Here’s the story from TSN.ca: =

While Tucker has been a fan favorite and has been productive (when he’s been in the lineup) the last couple of seasons, the is no reason to give him such a sweetheart deal and reward him so hansomely. This has been the big problem plaguing the Leafs the last several seasons and there appears to be no end to their madness.

Tucker indeed has been a workhorse and has gone above and beyond in an effort to help his team win. But the bottom line is the Leafs have not succeeded and a deal like this is yet another sign the team rewards mediocrity.

Tucker has had his best and most productive seasons in years where they either missed the playoffs or currently fighting for their playoff lives. Why they are willing to hand over everything to him after such results simply boggles my mind.

Sure multi year contracts for millions of dollars are the norm these days for unrestricted free agents. That is to be expected. But handing out no movement clauses and making a 10 year player who has never scored 30 goals paid and treated like one of the best players in the league is outlandish.

But this should come as no surprise as the team has proven time and time again that this is the way they do things at MLSE. They have made a living of late spending money for no good reason.

In the pre-cap world spending this kind of dough would mean little to a team like the Maple Leafs who as a company make money no matter what. But in a cap world where flexibility is perhaps the most important thing to have, the Leafs fail miserably.

Andrew Raycroft has one of the worst statistical seasons in recent years and yet gets rewarded with $6 million over 3 years.

Hal Gill who’s skill set has become an extinct breed also got $6 mil for 3 years.

Jason Allison could not play for 3 years yet was pretty much guaranteed and relatively easy 3 million in bonuses while now no other team would offer him 1 dollar.

Pavel Kubina who put up some decent numbers was rewarded along the same lines as the Prongers, Lidstroms and Niedermayers of the world for no good reason.

Tomas Kaberle’s contract was about right in terms of pay and he has played well, but he has done nothing so far in his career to deserve a no trade clause. But the Leafs hand those out like tic tacs.

And last but not at all least McCabe got his big fat cushy deal.

I and about everyone else have not and likely will not understand any of the logic behind what the do in building the Toronto Maple Leafs. The evidence above speaks for itself. It is absolutely puzzling how MLSE can let the Leafs to continue to be so happy being pathetic and out of the playoffs throwing money at players who cant help them win while at the same time have their Toronto Raptors run in perfect harmony focused solely on a strong future (CB4, TJ, Bargnani), winning and making smart business decisions.

With a Tucker contract likely in the 3.5-4 million dollar range for 4-5 seasons, the Leafs will be crippled in terms of contracts and cap space likely until after the 2010 Olympics. And that is not even taking into account what could happen over the next 3 years. He, Mccabe, Kaberle, Kubina alone will eat half the payroll and I am not even considering some other major components yet.

For next season alone, a deal of that magnitude for Tucker would bring the Leafs payroll to approximately $28.5 million for 12 active players plus buyouts.

Tucker 4 million
Steen 850K
Kilger 800K
Stajan 950K
Wellwood 950K
Pohl 475K
McCabe 5.75 million
Kubina 5 million
Kaberle 4.25 Million
Gill 2.1 million
Belak 625K
Raycroft 2 million

(Belfour still owed 770K for buyout)

As you can see, there would be another 11 spots on the 23 man roster to fill and one of those spots being for captain, star player and best player Mats Sundin. He alone will command 5-6 million at least. While the cap number is expected to go up, it likely wont go up enough for the Leafs to afford to sign all of Ponikarovsky, Antropov, Peca, O’Neill, Battaglia, Coliacovo, White, Aubin and anyone else they likely need to improve a team currently hanging on to 9th place and fighting for their playoff lives.

Locking up numerous players that do not help your team win and rewarding them big time while making them immobile has to make the Maple Leafs the worst run franchise in the post lockout era so far. Talk all you want about their winning ways of late, the improve play and promise of their young players, and their ability to find diamonds among the castoffs, but 9th place finishes and waiver claims do not breed championships. It is smart management, the willingness to take chances and make tough decisions for the greater good and focus ideals that will get the job done. The Leafs have had none of that and therefore we can only expect their Stanley Cup drought to continue.