Whilst perusing the latest updates of friend Paul Kukla's latest update to his Korner, I ran across a link to a recent column by Ted Montgomery of USA Today.
The following blurb from Ted caught my eye:
“Here’s a radical idea for the Toronto Maple Leafs to consider: Trade
Mats Sundin to a contender in March for a bevy of young and talented
defensemen, and start anew. While Sundin is a supremely talented
player, the team hasn’t won anything with Sundin as its leader, and
they really need an infusion of defensive talent.”
I posted a response to this on Paul's blog but I wanted to share it with my readers here for your review and, if you'd like, your input:
"Now I’ll forgive him the faux pas of forgetting the trade deadline
isn’t in March this year. His trade suggestion, however, overlooks the
fact that the Leafs have over $17 million committed in payroll toward
four d-men (McCabe, Kaberle, Kubina and Gill) for this season and the
next two. Where are this bevy of young and talented defensemen supposed
to fit on the Leafs blueline as well as their payroll? And which teams
would be crazy enough to part with this supposed bevy of blueline
riches?
It’s not a radical idea, Ted. It’s an unworkable one."
Beep..."Hi. This is Ted. I'm sorry that I'm not in the office right now. I'm signing the final paperwork for my purchase of the Brooklyn Bridge. Leave a message."...Beep
If they want to trade Sundin they've gotta get some quality draft picks(at least two first rounders) and either a proven goalie or a top six scorer. But this wont happen because the minute that they do this the fans will see it as the team giving up on the season which means sales are definatly going to be down. If they did do it they'd have to chase after a quality UFA to replace him in the following season, as well and that might not be possible with the raise the Tucker is going to get. (if they re-sign him) 17 million into 4 defensemen, and two of them have been playing like bums. Tough situation. How much longer is Kuba... or is it Kubina? DOesn't matter what is it, 4.5 or 5 a season? That's why their GM should've never had the job. But in Toronto everyone is buddy-buddy like in Philly with Clark. They're more worried about taking care of retards who can't do their job properly than putting together a team Toronto.
Why don't they trade off Sundin for some forward talent that is actually skilled and consistent enough to play on the top 2 lines? Have you actually seen they're "young guns" just brutal. Get a top prospect.
1) How much did this guy think a team would give up to get an aging, albeit still productive, player who will be a UFA after the season?
2) WE believe the rumor purveyors will be disappointed with this year's deadline as there are so many teams still in the race/the deadline being so early that its unlikely we'll se many big names swap uniforms
It should be obvious to everyone that Sundin won't be traded. However IF he was traded the best the Leafs could hope for is a 1st rounder and a second line player or possibly a prospect. He's good but as a ufa, he'll follow the money next year(if traded). No GM is dumb enough to trade away their best blueline prospects for a rent a player.
Yeah that's a pretty bad idea. I mean the Leafs are full of defence right now and trading for more wouldn't make any sense at all. While I don't believe the Leafs will trade Sundin since he has made it extremely clear he doesn't want out, if they wanted to make a deal defence wouldn't be the target.
When looking at what Sundin is playing with right now it's clear that forwards would be the target on any return. A first round pick and either a good forward prospect or a currently good forward.
Maybe it's because of what Weight was traded for. Since Sundin is a better pick up than Weight.
Honestly if the Leafs traded Sundin I wouldn't be that upset. Since it would mean he waived his ntc so he was willing to go. Also the return they would get would make their future a little brighter than it currently is. There are plenty of fans that don't want to see this team sacrifice the future.
Besides Sundin deserves a shot at the cup. But knowing Sundin he doesn't want to go so these rumours are pointless at any rate.
Question spector. ive heard rumblings that sundin has a prevision in his contract that to reject next years "option" they give him a sum of money(something around a million dollars) which is like a buy out and nhl wont let them negotiate next year with him. is this true? if so why dont they trade him for what they can get(a very decent prospect and high pick i would assume if not more) let them reject it then Toronto signs him again?
Sundin would get $1 million if the Leafs opt not to pick up the club option in his contract. They can, however, negotiate with him, but they won't have exclusive negotiating rights as Sundin would be eligible then under that scenario for unrestricted free agency.
Here's what one of my readers recently sent in which should clarify the situation:
"The leafs have a "team Option" on Mats sundin's contract. HOWEVER, IF the team does NOT pick up the contract, Quinn added a 1. something million dollar buyout to let the contract decline. THAT is WHAT the issue is as league policy states "any contract that is "bought out", the player CANNOT according to the new CBA, that player CANNOT resign with the same team for a period of ONE CALANDER year. So in a nutshell, IF the leafs decline the option, they have to pay him to "walk away" and CANNOT resign him. It's either they pick up the 6.3 mil option OR they LOSE him.....THAT is WHY the leafs brass has been petitioning the league office to overturn that part of the language of the cba concerning buyouts......
I say their best bet is to go Trade him for a first round draft pick + whatever else they can get for him. Don't grab any players who're signed to long contracts even if they're making much less than Sundin. Then in the off season they'll have the choice of resigning Sundin if he wants to come back, or going after a different free agent without having to woe about picking up the big salary on his option year or having to pay a million(Which does go towards, that cap, right?) on this option year. If Toronto decides that they're out of the playoffs they've also gotta try to get rid of some salary on defense. They've gotta cut next year's spendings by at least 12 mill so that they can re-sign Tucker and then still be able to afford to grab a first and second line center, and then even a goalie. That would put them in good shape for next season.
well before the leafs figure out this team is get a compotent GM, then start from the net out....raycroft wasnt & isnt an eperienced goaltender....i mean this guy lost his starting job after only being 1 yr in the NHL to Tim Thomas, who everyone says plays like its a russian roulette game....so u show me where/when he's proved to be a #1....then this defence they put together...if Gill and Aki Berg were in a foot race, i'm sure Berg would win 9/10 times...then worry bout the forwards b/c they have no flucuation with this salary cap system and most of that money rests with the 6 defence and 1 goalie...and the problem is if they trade Sundin, bone head ferguson jr. will just take that money that he'll save, turn around and over spend on 2 more worthless players like he did with Gill and Kubina
Last edited by millsi17 on January 18th at 3:58 PM.
Nice to know there's someone out there that understands how #### the Leafs are. I don't even get how Jr. got the job. The Oilers are my team, but since my teens I've been a big Leafs fan as well and it seems that since 2000 hit that there hasn't been a single year in which management has even attempted to put a good team together. Really nobody knew that Kubina was going to suck this bad... but Gill? The guy is big but he's slower than Radek Bonk and my granny could skate circles around him.
Sundin has a place in Toronto but maybe they should trade him now and hope that he'll come back in the off season for a better price. If they can't do that the leafs are ####.
I love Sundin but if the Leafs do not trade him then the Leafs will be paying Sundin one amount while the Leafs Cap will get hit with a much larger number because the league will average his salary over the long ternm....Sundin has been making 8+million for years so if he signs for 5million they will do an average which is ####....The Leafs must trade Sundin ....how about this....Sundin for Tolska or Nabakov...then trade Raycroft to either Phi,TB,Cul or any other team looking for a goalie.....ship McCabe or Kubina to Edm for Toros and sign Tucker to 3.5 million 3/yr.....do what ever you can to resign Sundin in the off season.....and last but not least fire JF
Hey Axis_Leafs,
What is your problem, playing too much hockey without a helmet? Hah! Sundin is over rated at 8 mil a season. Trade for younger defencemen is your answer. With a tremendous shortage of quality defenceman around hockey to begin with, what GM is his right mind would give up a corner stone of his team? (JFJ, maybe!!!) Sundin is ready to collect his old age pension. Raycroft, comes from the Belleville, Ontario area, where they are famous for CHEESE. So when you think of Raycroft think Swiss Cheese. Once again why would anyone want a goalie that ranks 28th in save percentage.
PS. I heard that a bus ran over Raycroft on the streets of Toronto. Don't worry, Raycroft is alright, the bus went between his legs!!!!
I'm Lyle Richardson, also known as Spector, Foxsports.com 's "Prince of Pucks".,which is based on the fact I live in Prince Edward Island, Canada and I couldn't think of a better byline. I've been an NHL hockey commentator since 1998 on my website, Spector's Hockey, and I'm a contributing writer for Foxsports.com , The Hockey News and Eishockey News. I'm also a regular on The Faceoff Hockey Show and a frequent guest on "The Late Crew" on The Team 1200 Ottawa.
