And The Next Contestant Is. . . .

Wonder what, exactly, an NHL team can get for a third round pick these day?

Leaf GM Brian Burke sounded pretty confident Monday night that he can flip the third rounder he received as part of the package for Kris Versteeg and get some immediate help, and not some over-the-hill veteran, either.

We shall watch and learn. 

Until that happens, it's pretty clear Clarke MacArthur and Tomas Kaberle are going to command most of the attention as far as Leafs possibly heading out of town before the Feb. 28th trade deadline.

Kaberle, well, we've been over and over and over that one, haven't we? Even if he does waive his no trade rather than mimic Mats Sundin and the rest of the long-departed Muskoka Five, it's not like he's going to reap an enormous harvest if he's dealt.

For starters, he's a rental. Second, he's the regular point man on the 24th best power play in hockey. Third, he doesn't have a big shot, which allows teams to play well off him. He's not having a great year. Decent to pretty good, sure, but nothing extraordinary. Finally, he's looking for a big, new contract, something that's going to pay him in excess of $5 million per season, probably on the east coast.

This is not an extraordinary deadline commodity. And he may not waive his no-trade anyway.

Please just let this be over. Personally, I'd prefer another Peter Forsberg comeback to another round of Kaberle trade speculation.

MacArthur's a different animal. The Leafs want to keep him. More to the point, they want to re-sign him, probably to a two- or three-year deal, probably something along the lines of Nik Kulemin's contract.

The two sides are talking now, with MacArthur having apparently dumped his old agent in favour of Don Meehan of Newport Sports. Meehan's a dealmaker, always has been, so the guessing is that by the 28th there's a new deal for MacArthur.

But if it doesn't look like that will happen, the Leafs will move him. In other words, there's either 13 days to get a new contract in place, or MacArthur will almost certainly be on the move. With a salary of $1.1 million this season, and with the winger set to be only a restricted free agent this summer after being unrestricted last season, he's probably a more attractive commodity than Kaberle.

And who would have thought that in September?

 

 

 

 

Comments

[ostrich _lover]

Someone will over pay for Kaberle. Damien you are wrong on this one.

[Stephen]

If Burke moved Versteeg because he was not a good fit with the Leafs and there was a market for him, does that mean that there is not a market for Phil Kessel? Wilson can’t find a line for Kessel to play on and where he doesn’t make that line worse than it was before he joined it. Kessel seems like the kind of player that excels when he can disappear for stretches of time. That doesn’t happen in Toronto. Keep MacArthur, he fits. Package Kessel with the third round pick (and maybe another movable part, Kaberle, a goalie, etc.) and go after somebody that might actually fit and be able to handle playing in Toronto (examples: Booth, Penner, Glencross). If you are really trying to build a team that will have the kind of chemistry that you will need to make it thru a long playoff run a few years from now, then Kessel should be the next to go.

[Ken Baumgartner]

Come on Damien they are not trading McAurther. Why would they, he is the guy they are trying to find? If he is restricted they still own him somewhat anyways. The only scenerio I can see him mioving is if they get a bonafied 1st line center with a price tag they can eat for Kessel. Even then McAurther is a solid guy that makes this team better. Kaberle and Lebda are probably I would think. I hear Vancouver needs some Dmen. Maybe Bozak too but I doubt they have given up on him yet, nor should they.

[soapnuts]

Have to disagree on Kaberle. Not sure why this guy is constantly under rated. He would look great setting up Chara on Boston's PP. Package him off to beantown and get 'er done.

[Machiavelli]

Leafs signed Aaron Voros from the Anaheim Ducks for a conditional draft pick. Why? It's apparent that the slumbering hockey genius GM Brian Burke has returned. The brilliance seems to be at work again. He is preparing a list of combos to be presented to the 'buyers'? The returns will have a long lasting impact on the Leafs. It is more interesting than watching the Leafs waffle on ice. Stay tuned for a spate of trades. It's time for Brian Burke to maintain his legacy and detach himself from that awful Kessel trade.

[ozack]

bet you didn't think it was Vorros for a 7th....boy did we miss that one

[JV]

He' 8th in points for defencemen playing on one of the worst teams in the NHL. I wouldn't exactly call that a bad year. Kaberle + PHI's First for Toronto's First in 2011+ - get it done!

[Chris]

The Leafs won't trade MacArthur; at least they shouldn't. He's one of two reasons why Versteeg became expendable. He was producing the way they wanted Versteeg to produce but for a third of the money. The second reason is that the Leafs acquired Joffrey Lupul who is an overpaid third liner like Versteeg. Why would any team want TWO overpaid third liners? As for Kaberle, remember that Keith Ballard got a King's ransom after last year's season (a 1st rounder, Michael Grabner and another pick I believe) and Ballard never put up the kind of numbers Kabby did (and was also a minus player on a bad team). Kabby gets minimum a 1st round pick and probably a mid-level prospect or you don't trade him as it all but guarantees a free fall down the standings and another top three pick for Boston (which could happen anyway).

[Steve]

Who cares ?? Who cares ?? Who cares ?? I would not pay a nickel to watch this team. The record would suggest a serious need for new ownership or some competition for the NHL's richest franchise. Such an attrocious record and they have a captive market. They prohibit southern Ontario from any other franchise, onless they pay these crooks an extortionate fee.

[Chad]

@ Machiavelli
"Leafs signed Aaron Voros from the Anaheim Ducks for a conditional draft pick. Why?"
the condition on the pick is that if the Leafs re-sign Voros, Anaheim gets a 7th rounder. he was brought in to probably replace Hanson who is going to replace Versteeg. so basically we let him go at the end of the season, and it costs us nothing.

Damien, i'm surprised you suggested the Leafs trade MacArthur. that's ridiculous. Burke will re-sign him. end of story.
we got a recent 1st rounder for Beauchemin. a 1st rounder for Versteeg. so tell me why we won't get at least a 1st rounder and more for Kabby? sure he's a rental, but he makes an immediate impact on your PP. he'd be a good fit on any team looking to bolster their PP for a playoff run.

[othermark]

Packaging the 3rd rounder just aquired sounds like Burke's next move and he's already discounted moving a goaltender... so that leaves very few options. I really hope that McArthur is not dealt. He's an adaptable player with a real nose for the net. I wonder if Burke would risk the wrath of the fans and include Kadhri in a package? Something tells me he would. And, if he is intent on finding a top tier center to play with Kessel (and Kadhri, despite the adulation of the Toronto fans, is not yet and may never be a top tier center)... he may just be tempted to go after one. I know it sounds a bit crazy, but whether you like him or hate him, Burke is a gambler.

[ostrich _lover]

The idea that the Leafs should trade Kessel and get Curtis Glencross or Dustin Penner just about made me fall down laughing. So let me get this straight, you want to trade away the future of the Franchise, a future forty goal 85 point winger , a sniper - one of the rarest things to come by - for dustin freakin Penner? I have to ask, why would you even write a comment about a subject you know nothing about?

Phil Kessel is here to stay. Deal with it. He may be in a slump, but who cares -maybe the constant losing is getting to him - he has played well for the last ten games and scoring is 90% luck. Phil is going to be an amazing player. Please try to remember that he is 23 and has had a better career to this point than many of todays superstars did when they were his age. Perspective Please.

[adam]

To those proposing packaging Kessel + pick for 1st line centre.

We would finally get our #1 centre... but we'd then be in need of a #1 winger to play with him. Astute thinking.

[Go Leafs Go]

Ostrich, while I agree those trade proposals are ridiculous, so are your statements. Future of the franchise? 85 point winger? Let me remind you that Kessel's best season saw him score 60 points while playing alongside one of the top 5 playmaking centres and top 5 power forwards in the entire league. He has a long ways to go if he ever hopes to reach 85 points in a season, but then again you are always full of ridiculous claims.
Scoring is 90% luck? Try telling that to Stamkos, Crosby, D. Sedin, Staal, etc. Scoring is all about determination and the skills to go with that level of determination. Kessel has one of those elements, but is lacking in the other.

[Conn Smythe]

'Who cares ?? Who cares ?? Who cares ?? I would not pay a nickel to watch this team. The record would suggest a serious need for new ownership or some competition for the NHL's richest franchise. Such an attrocious record and they have a captive market. They prohibit southern Ontario from any other franchise, onless they pay these crooks an extortionate fee.'

If you don't 'care' Steve, why bother posting? Seriously. As for MacArthur, no, the Leafs shouldn't trade him. But, if a team is willing to overpay for him, why wouldn't you trade him?

[KD]

Off-topic question... What happened to the mailbag?

[Stephen B]

"Wonder what, exactly, an NHL team can get for a third round pick these day?"

Good question... might an answer turn out to be, "Tomas Kaberle"?

[peduval]

For a third round pick you may get a player at the end of his one way contract to add something to your playoff roster.All this talk about trading Karbs is rediculous how do you replace his points on D.If you get a number one center you'll need his feeds.I would bet he wouldn't demand a raise to resign, he a Leaf to the bone.

[Chris]

If Chris Kelly gets a 2nd, Mike Fisher gets a 1st and a conditional 2nd, and Kris Versteeg gets a 1st and a 3rd then Kabby gets more. He has more points than all of those forwards and he's a defenceman.