The Dwindling Dream

There is a distinct possibility, it seems, that the Maple Leafs could have all this cap money to spend this summer and nobody to spend it on.

Nobody, at least, of the substance that will add a proven, world-class player, specifically a forward to help out Mats Sundin.

There is still Patrik Elias of the Devils, of course, although those in the know suggest that since Elias' best friends in hockey are Martin Havlat of the Senators and goalie Tomas Vokoun of Nashville, you might want to keep an eye on those teams and those players.

The bidding for Elias is probably going to start around $6 million, and the chances of him becoming a Leaf are slim.

Other good skill players have been picked off, or at least re-signed. Columbus re-inked David Vyborny, and Nashville re-signed clever defenceman Marek Zidlicky.

Another distant dream died Sunday when Brad Richards re-signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning for $39 million over five years. Some had wondered if the Bolts would be able to pony up the cash to keep Richards, or if he might force their hand this summer through arbitration and thus become available on the trade market immediately or through unrestricted free agency.

As it turns out, not so much.

The signing apparently pushes the Bolts near the $40 million mark in payroll, but they're not going to dump Vinny Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis has a no-trade clause.

Which brings us back to the Leafs.

Assuming they won't blow their brains out on an aging veteran centre like Joe Sakic or Doug Weight, the mid-range forwards available may be people like Anson Carter, Sergei Samsonov, Mark Parrish, Jamie Langenbrunner, Jeff Halpern and Matt Cullen.

All good players. But not quite the home runs Leaf fans - or even new coach Paul Maurice - had in mind, and some will be re-signed by their current teams before the free agent season begins.

There's still the biggees on defence, namely Zdeno Chara, Wade Redden and Ed Jovanovski. All three could be re-signed by their current teams, and the Leafs might yet take themselves out of the running if they decide to give Bryan McCabe the big dough.

One thought on McCabe, by the way. He's a superior athlete with very questionable decision-making talents, which makes you wonder whether he could ever really be worth the $5 million or more he wants.

But after three years of watching him run around under the coaching of Pat Quinn and Rick Ley, it sure would be interesting to have a look at how his talents could be harnessed in the kind of structured system Maurice is proposing.

Problem is, the Leafs will have to commit to four years or more to find out.

Comments

[Sanj]

Seems like even with a salary cap, teams aren't hesitating to throw the big money aroun d (i.e: Brad Richards). Looks like we are going to have quite a few players making near the maximum. What happens if revenues fall after next year?

[Peter]

I guess I'm wondering about our goaltending situation, and what we might do through free agency or wheelings and dealings this summer. I mean, Aubin played GREAT down the stretch but the Leafs aren't giving him the #1 already are they? What sort of avenues are available for pursuit if we decide that we'd like to start a goalie who has started a season in the league before? Any big names available that aren't coming to me? (Besides Hasek, of course...)
Before last season, there was sort of a movement toward bringing in 'Toronto boys', and I would never underestimate the power of Toronto roots in Leafs players. Pride in one's team is an increasingly absent notion in professional sports, and I think it might be worth a shot for MLSE, you know, the Passion that Unites Us All. Maybe if some of US were actually working for THEM we could get somewhere. I mean, come on, who's prouder than Leafs fans (most of the year)?

[Roberto]

If in fact Ferguson's strategy was to write off 2005/06 and throw the big money around in 06/07 in the hopes of getting top players, it looks now like the "plan" will not work and the Leafs are destined for years of mediocrity.
Of course, we don't know if that was the plan because the man says nothing in interviews of any substance.
In any case, in failing to take the bold moves by rebuilding this team from the ground up, or patching it to respectability, seems to me JFJ has grounds to be fired.
Let's see what happens before September but I'm afraid the Leafs will be in the lottery for years to come, especially when Sundin retires and your number one offensive centre is Kyle Wellwood. Good 3rd line guy, but not even close to a number 1.

[ergoth]

What was the point of the lockout when a player like Brad Richards, an above average player but far from a superstar, is now the second highest paid player in the NHL?

Did Feaster have a gun to his head? No.

The idiots who own and operate these teams are a joke. What a league the "New NHL " is.

A mediocre Edmonton team can trap it's way into the finals playing a stupefyingly boring brand of hockey. Yet some moron will throw $8 million a year at a Brad Richards. Oh well, at least he showed up in the playoffs which can't be said for Joe " Choker " Thornton.

[Steve]

While I was surprised at the Richards signing, I don't know that I ever expected the Leafs to sign him. As for Elias, the fact that Havlat is a restricted free agent and Ottawa is lacking cap space considering it's need to resign some of Havlat, Spezza, Chara, and Redden kind of opens things up a bit on that front.

I still think signing Pavel Kubina is a viable option considering how close to the cap Tampa are. As for our needs on the wing, I seriously don't think the Leafs lack for scoring threats as much as most Leafs analysts seem to. If Sundin SCORES as he is capable he doesn't NEED a high scoring winger to set up... he needs someone that will set HIM up. Make him the trigger man, it's what he's most suited to. Assuming the Leafs can trade or ink one of the many goalies available I'm not all that concerned about our fate for next season.

[Ankur Arora]

Leafs should sign Redden (let go of McCabe), bring the senator to a winning team,
Samsonov, looking great in Edmonton, and very speedy winger, 8 overall in the 97 draft, won rookie of the year
Joseph, the leafs star of goalie from 1999-2003, could do well in 1 year

[Lanny]

Well then if the Leafs fail to build through free agency then they will be forced to build through the draft which is the way all successful teams do.

So Leaf fans be prepared for young, fast and exciting teams. They may not win the cup in the next three to four years but eventually they be there, just like Buffalo, Carolina, Anaheim and Edmonton.

The Toronto media are going to have to have patience.

[Dennis Regan]

The Leafs can keep the Neanderthals(ex.Domi), and play the old game forever.
No problem. With such a hockey city, they can give the fans anything and still be rich.
Look down the road to Buffalo. They took their head out of the sand and saw the future.
We're going nowhere until Ferguson and his cronies go, and we decide to play hockey, not wrestling.