TSN.ca reports the rumored trade that would send Toronto
Maple Leafs defenseman Bryan McCabe to the Florida Panthers will be announced
Tuesday (September 2) at 11 am ET.
The deal would see McCabe and an as-yet-unspecified draft
pick shipped to the Panthers in exchange for defenseman Mike Van Ryn.
I’ll have further analysis on this deal once it is
officially announced.
**UPDATE**
The trade has been made official, according to TSN.ca, and the draft pick from the Leafs is a four-rounder in 2010.
McCabe waived his no-movement clause to facilitate this trade. He had a home in Florida which obviously made going to the Panthers an easy decision for he and his family to make.
After two seasons under the harsh media spotlight in Toronto McCabe will find playing for the Panthers a refreshing change, where every mistake won't be scrutinized so intensely as it was with the Maple Leafs. That could be just what he needs to get his game back on track after struggling to meet lofty expectations that came with the signing two years ago of his current contract.
This move could also perhaps be incentive for Jay Bouwmeester to perhaps re-sign with the Panthers, or at least that might be what Panthers GM Jacques Martin will be counting on, using the McCabe acquisition as an example to Bouwmeester that the club is moving in a positive direction.
Failing that, McCabe will be seen as a potential replacement (albeit an older one who doesn't play as strong a defensive game) for Bouwmeester should the latter opt for unrestricted free agency next summer.
In Van Ryn the Leafs will get a good, albeit injury-plagued, affordable ($2.9 million per season for the next two seasons) defenseman, saving themselves nearly $3 million per season against their cap.
Should Van Ryn turn into a good acqusition for the Leafs he won't cost anywhere near as much as McCabe to retain after his current contract expires in 2010.
I honestly think that this'll be the dumbest deal since Thorton was traded to San Jose. Sure, I'd take 1 Thorton over 2 McCabes... but McCabe isn't THAT bad. He just looks bad because he logs so many minutes and because the Leafs haven't had enough depth up front. Van Ryn is a decent defenseman and will be a UFA after next season. McCabe will be paid 4.somthing million a season and I think that's a bargain for what he brings to the table. To think that the Leafs are also giving up a draft pick is insane. I don't understand this deal at all. Florida should be the team giving up a draft pick.
A)Florida IS giving up the pick, not the leafs.
B)Van Ryn has 2 years left on his deal
That said, I still agree with you that the leafs are losing this trade. Van Ryn's cap hit is 2.9M and McCabe's is 5.75M per season. The problem is Van Ryn's wrist surgeries. I think he's had 2 surgeries on one of his wrists' and at 29 that's a bit of a concern. He might be a good deal at 2.9M and be a good top-4 guy, cuz he certainly looked that was in the seasons just before and after the lockout, but he also might be a complete bust and totally untradeable. I guess they had to get rid of McCabe though once things got leaked and this is the best they could do.
Florida has the cap space though and is clearly getting the best d-man. I can't see them losing this trade.
Sorry, Oilers_Rule_B****, but according to TSN the Leafs are giving up the draft pick as well.
If Van Ryn's wrist has healed, the Leafs pick up a talented young-ish player who should be entering his prime. But given all the injury question marks surrounding Van Ryn and the fact he still has never lived up to expectations, this is a gamble.
Every Canadian team needs a whipping boy, I'm afraid, and Van Ryn seems tailor-made to receive the lash that McCabe has endured all these months.
Wow! Fletch really shot himself in the foot with all the media hub-ub surrounding this mess. The fact that he's having to give up a pick just to get McCabe off the roster is unreal.
Van Ryn has some promise yes (if a 29yo can still be promising), but there is no way that if this was done quietly the Leafs have to sweeten the pot with a pick. I wouldn't say its as bad as the JT trade ... but at this point is giving up an extra pick just to get this guy off the roster worth it? You're not gaining a better blueliner (imo), you are cutting salaries but its not necessary in terms of cap management.
First of all, I'll be the first to admit I hate the leafs. This trade makes no sense for the leafs. Sure, McCabe isn't going to be nominated for the norris or anything because he's a lowsy defensive defensemen, but you have to look at it a different way, he's a power play specialist. He has a good shot and good offensive vision of the ice. To give him up, an asset, along with a draft pick, another asset, for a 29 year old run of the mill defensmen who's cap hit is 2.95 mill but is getting paid 3.35 mill for the next 2 seasons is pretty idiotic. I would have waited till the trade deadline where a team needs some punch to make a splash or just make it into the playoffs and is willing to give a player and a draft pick for him. I'm sure he would have been persuaded to be traded then if he's going now. Supply and demand.
Yet another sign of how the media runs the Toronto Makemelaughs
For the Panthers this trade makes sense in so many ways. The Panthers now have replaced Jokinen, what many don't realize is Jokinen was most valuable for the Panthers playing the point on the powerplay. McCabe fills that void. They gave up a player who started the season terrible and then ended his season early with an injury. Van Ryn is a team guy and a nice guy but he won't be missed at all. I hope he does well for the Leafs. The pick may have been required to make the deal with Martin to make up for the lost pick dealt for Kilger who never showed up to make the playoff push last season. Without it the deal may not have been done.
OntarioFlamesFan Fletcher couldn't wait till the trade deadline because McCabe has a NO movement clause. He doesn't want to resettle his family or leave his family in the middle of the season. The only way Leafs could trade McCabe is on his terms and that was to a team and time of his liking. That is why he got what he got.
Wow Fletch still has it.
Not only was McCabe the least valuable player in the league last year,but we would have been stuck with him for another couple of years.
I would have taken a bag of pucks in return for McCabe and his contract.
Dumb trade!!! I understand that the Leafs need to shed some big contracts and be more responsible and accountable with their budget but this is just plain stupid!!! Thus far, Fletcher hasn't done good enough of job for what he was brought in to do. Let me see.... Signing Jeff Finger for that kind of contract when last season (his end of contract season) is the only good full season he has. Buy out Tucker (sure, he's over paid) but now Leafs are tagged for 1 mill a season for the next 6 years while they got to spend another 3-4 mill to bring in his replacement! And now McCabe plus 4th round pick for Van Ryn???!!! Of course McCabe is overpaid but now he is at the last part of the front loaded contract and Leafs also have to give up a pick in exchange for a defenceman not even close to what McCabe brings!!! Besides... I thought Leafs are in REBUILDING and isn't you want to accumulate as many good draft picks and young prospects as possible for your existing assets NOT giving away your limited assets plus draft picks for free!!! Well, I guess look on the bright side... #1 pick overall for the next year is almost a lock in for the Leafs and I guess Taverase, you'll be in a Leafs uniform next year until they trade you away for nothing like they have done so over the years!!!
Yeah, Im sure that Bouwmeester is thrilled after they traded Jokinen. How is that a sign that the're committed to putting together a good team ?
Florida got Boynton and Ballard in return for Jokinen, I think, and now that they've picked up McCabe, its more of a sign that Bouwmeester wont be back. Florida appears to be stocking up on Dmen preparing for the inevitable departure of Bouwmeester
Last edited by Messier94 on September 4th at 12:50 PM.
Messier94 The Panthers now have one of the best defense in the East, that makes Bouwmeester's job easier and will help win games. Jokinen is a player that starts off great and disappears by February. From what I have heard most of the players won't miss Jokinen.
Puckbubba- The panthers have one of the best d in the East?? It strongly depends on how you rate McCabe... I can name 5 Eastern teams that have a significantly better D than Florida (Bsoton, Montreal, Ottawa, NYR, Carolina) and a couple of other teams that have similar defense corps (Buffalo, Philly, Pittsburg). I'd say the panther's defense is above average in the East, but certainly not one of the best.
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.
