What That Was All About

AP FILE PHOTO

Nik Antropov’s Leafs career is over after being drafted 10th overall 1998.

The Maple Leafs started the day with five picks in this summer's draft, selections in the first, third, fifth, sixth and seventh rounds.

They ended it with eight picks, adding two second rounders and a fourth, as well as an extra conditional selection acquired in the Nik Antropov deal with the Rangers.

Nothing spectacular, but certainly necessary. Instead of having one pick in the top 60 selections, the Leafs should have three in the top 50. Instead of having two picks in the top 120, the Leafs now have five.

That's how the restocking of the prospect cupboard starts.

Most intriguing was the complicated deal with Tampa Bay that arrived well after the 3 p.m. deadline and required special approval from NHL headquarters. The Leafs added the contracts of Olaf Kolzig (injured, out for the season), Jamie Heward (concussed, out for season), oft-injured AHLer Andy Rogers and a fourth-round pick for Marlie defenceman Richard Petiot.

What the heck was that all about?

Basically, the Leafs bought a fourth-round pick (actually Carolina's) from Tampa for about $500,000. The Lightning, a franchise absolutely spurting red ink, was willing to sell that pick just so they don't have to pay Kolzig, Heward et al for the rest of the season. They saved even more dollars by dealing away Mark Recchi and Steve Emminger.

Whether Rogers or Petiot might be a viable NHLer one day is almost beside the point.

So while on paper the Leafs can boast of a goaltending lineup of Curtis Joseph, Martin Gerber and Kolzig, it's a virtual group, really, that would only be meaningful if it was 1999.

Check back with Damien's blog Thursday at 1 p.m. for a live Q&A on all the trades and what it means moving forward. Click here to submit a question now for tomorrow's discussion.

Dominic Moore, acquired after waivers last year by John Ferguson, re-signed by Cliff Fletcher and traded away Wednesday by Brian Burke, netted a second-round pick, a net gain for the Leaf organization.

And what of Antropov, the 10th overall pick in 1998, moved to Manhattan for a second rounder?

Well, the Leafs got a lot of years of service for the Kazakh. We watched him grow from a skinny, confused kid with little ability to speak English into a power forward with scoring ability, not to mention a gentleman and a father.

Was he a bust? Well, he didn't become a star, but look at the other players taken in '98. After Vinny Lecavalier went first, the order went David Legwand, Brad Stuart, Bryan Allen, Vitali Vishnevski, Rico Fata, Manny Malhotra, Mark Bell, Mike Rupp and then Antropov.

Based on that group, Antropov was a very successful pick by the Leafs. At the end, he was traded because he wasn't good enough for the dollars he'll be looking for as a free agent to a team that's at the very early stages of a long rebuilding period. And if he pans out for the Rangers and helps them win two playoff rounds this spring, the Leafs will get an additional fourth rounder.

Comments

[Brian]

I really like these moves by Burke it shows what an experince GM is all about. The Leafs had no choice but to stock the cupboards after countless years of trading picks.
The Gerber deal was strange to me but smart, it is not right to bring Pogge into big team now. Curtis best days are behind them, I feel Gerber being in the minors is hungry to prove he can still play at this level. The Leafs d is not that bad as people think but where the Leafs lack is the forward positions. The Leafs will be better next season add a decent free agent for the next season plus another high draft pick who knows.

[JRT]

First salvo in the stripping of the Sunbelt.
Great job by Burke, as far as I'm concerned.

Already looking forward to draft day, and a deal then with one of the Ks (Kubina/Kaberle) to net additional picks and prospects.

[wilson]

Antropov, it should be noted, began his career by visiting the medical room as often as possible(or so it seemed). For someone who was written off multiple times, a second round pic is pretty decent.

The moore trade was a nice plus considering how he arrived at no cost.

All in all, unless the leafs see a marked decline in play as a result of Antropov and Moore leaving, the sad reality is that the organization isn't all that much better off than it was yesterday. The value of even 5 second round picks pales in comparison to a top five first round pick. According to history anyway.

[Guido]

the only down for the Leafs today was that they couldn't trade Pony for the rumored (by Sportsnet) 2 picks .. other than that it's the best they could do. Unfortunately it's not like it was a few years ago when other GMs were tossing out 1st rounders like pez.

[allen]

are all these guys acquired in the TB deal free agents at the end of the year? i imagine so, but just confirming.

[Phil C]

Nik was a success, Sure there are a few guys taken after Nik who have had stronger careers, but the truth is the majority were not as productive in the NHL. He was a gentleman, a Canadian citizen ( by choice ) and loved playing in Toronto.

[Chris]

"After Vinny Lecavalier went first, the order went David Legwand, Brad Stuart, Bryan Allen, Vitali Vishnevski, Rico Fata, Manny Malhotra, Mark Bell, Mike Rupp and then Antropov. Based on that group (of players drafted ahead of him in 1998), Antropov was a very successful pick by the Leafs."

Wouldn't it be better to evaluate the Leafs' choice based on who they passed up, rather than who was no longer available? Among these are Simon Gagne (22nd), Scott Gomez (27th), Jonathan Cheechoo (29th), etc.

It's fair to note that other teams picked worse players ahead of Antropov. But noting players that were not available when the Leafs made their pick does not speak to how well the Leafs chose.

[Tim]

Draft picks for the Leafs are worthless. This organisation cannot draft worth a damn.

[Ken]

I think many Leaf fans gave Antropov too little credit and expected to much from him. And I am glad that Damien gave that list of players that were drafted ahead of him. I think the Leafs partly ruined his potential by pushing him up to the nhl too early and then he had those 2 devastating knee injuries which slowed his development a lot. In the end, I think he is a 25 goal and 60-70 point player on most teams. And if you think about it, when was the last time, the Leafs drafted AND developed a forward that got those kinds of offensive output in the last 15years?? Best of luck Nik!

[ray brewer]

I wonder if the deal involving Pascal Leclaire and the Leafs is true..If Toskala is done for the season and Pogge struggling, why not trade Antropov and Stralman for Leclaire and a 2nd rounder?..The Leafs get a good young goalie and a pick for a player heading into free agency and a 6th defenseman..Just wondering..

[adam_s]

I'm not happy about the Antropov deal - he's on pace for 25-30 goals this season (and may well have produced these kinds of numbers earlier in his career if he weren't oft injured..).. and Burke should have demanded no less than a first rounder. Look at what Calgary paid for Jokinen..

[Riley Sutherland]

Shouldn't you note the players taken after Antropov? These, of course, include Simon Gagne, Scott Gomez, Alex Tanguay, Robin Regehr, Jiri Fischer, Johnathan Cheechoo, Mike Fisher, and Brad Richards among others.

[Jeff]

Ah great, I was wondering what the condition was. Go Rangers!

Great perspective on that draft year, although a few quite decent players went after Antropov, who was a surprise pick at the time.

[John]

If this becomes the deadline day trend, then the impact of the Muskoka Five/JFJ handcuffing Fletcher at the deadline last year is even greater than any of us realized.