The Un-Five-Million-Dollar Man

Cudda. Wudda. Shudda.

Two more losses have piled up since Leafs GM Brian Burke proclaimed that on trade deadline day he could have added four first round draft picks for players on his current roster.

In addition to the club's own first rounder, that would have made it five picks in the top 30 this June, a position of terrific possibility and flexibility.

Burke declined all of those offers, choosing the now over the future. For those who hope to see the Leafs return to post-season play sometime before global warming turns Toronto into Tahiti, perhaps it was the correct choice.

One of those first rounders, its quite clear, could have been had for centre Mikhail Grabovski, who is in the midst of one hockey's most inept salary drives at the moment. He's 27 years old, has never managed more than 29 goals or 58 points in a single NHL season (both were last year) and is unlikely to hit either total this season.

Always a streaky sort, Grabovski has gone colder than his team, and has now failed to score a goal in 14 games after missing out again in Chicago on Wednesday.

Oh yes, and he wants $5 million a year on a multi-year contract.

Well, if someone else wants to pay, let 'em pay. But it shouldn't be the Leafs. 

The team that is probably already wondering whether it gave John-Michael Liles too much salary and too much term by signing him in-season to a new contract must, surely, be getting the heebie-geebies over awarding Grabovski the kind of contract he's looking for either now or as a UFA this summer.

Maybe that's what the marketplace demands. But as the second-line centre on a losing hockey team, it would be difficult to make the case that Grabovski deserves this kind of payday on anything but a pure statistical basis, i.e., other teams are dumb enough to be paying Player X and Player Y this amount, therefore the Leafs should do the same with Grabovski, who currently makes $2.9 million per season.

So much attention has been paid to Ron Wilson, and the goalies, and Luke Schenn, that guys like Grabovski, Clarke MacArthur, Nik Kulemin, Matthew Lombardi and others have been able to quietly post sub-par seasons and slip under the radar.

That happens. But you don't give them a raise for it.

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[G-Mo]

Trade him at the deadline... Oh, wait...

[JC]

Leafs are overpaying to many players and will, unfortunately, overpay for Grabo. 1st round pick would've been much better.

[Nick Martin]

If you want to be paid like Jonathan Toews, Grabo might want to consider playing like Jonathan Toews.

Who were the other three for whom firsts were offered, and how high would they have been?

[Steve C.]

Oh don't worry, Burke only gives the unwarranted jackpots to the Americans on this team (and the coach). Speaking of which...how has Tim Connelly been spared the microscope this year? He is awful, perhaps the worst deal by Burke here yet.

[Dan]

If Connolly is making 4.75 M per, then Grabovski is worth < 5M

[Dan]

I mean grabovski is worth > 5 M

[Steven]

I'm with you, Damian, on everything except maybe Clark MacArthur. Statistically he's having a pretty good year. He's a plus player at the moment (+1) and he's likely to score a career high in goals (he's got 19, his career high was 21 last year and there's a lot of time left.) His points are down from last season, probably because Grabovski and especially Kulemin aren't producing at the same rate and so his assists are down. His point total is still going to be the second highest ever in his NHL career. How is he having a sub-par year?

[Bill]

If I was running the team, I'd have taken 1st's doe Grabs and MacArthur in a heartbeat. Both are fine players, but those were solid offers and I feel both Grabs/Mac will not be around when the Leafs are finally a competitive team - better to keep feeding the pipeline for the long-term than choosing to keep them for the short-term.

[Conn Smythe]

'The team that is probably already wondering whether it gave John-Michael Liles too much salary and too much term by signing him in-season to a new contract must, surely, be getting the heebie-geebies over awarding Grabovski the kind of contract he's looking for either now or as a UFA this summer.' I don't think the Leafs are wondering if they gave Liles too much salary - they are probably wondering if he will return to form after his injury. If I was the GM, I would have traded 3 of the players (not Schenn) and gladly taken the 3 first round picks. The new coach (whoever they hire in the summer)may be able to work with Schenn.

[Steelyman]

I tend to agree with you , but at LEAST Gabo seems to put in effort every game he is in , He might be a little snakebit around the net but he goes into the difficult areas on the ice takes his knocks , I would take Gabo over Connoly anyday. Sign him for 1 year , he has earned that.

[Jim Putrus]

Lets not worry about the 5 million. I'm sure a new coach will be able to bring out the best in all the players.

[Jonathan, Montreal]

If the Leafs want to make a push for the post-season this year (which seems like the plan) then certainly keep him on the team and maybe trade some futures for some help up front or in net. Then try to resign him in the offseason; $5 per as a 20-30 goal scoring centre on a losing team? Forget it. I'm with you 100%, Damien.
Personally, I always thought the best strategy is to build a strong, dominating team over many seasons and I think this is a mediocre team at best. The Leafs are not ready to compete with the big boys and in my opinion Grabbo, Kulemin, MacArthur & Lombardi should have been dished off for picks or prospects. This would have given the team the flexibility to draft or trade for some top-end talent, which they sorely lack.
Remarkably, neither strategy is being followed and it's quickly turning into a prime example of the saying: "the worst decision is making no decision".

[JC]

Send down Connolly, Armstrong and you have more than enough to sign Grabo.

[Musclehead]

Damien, You have to ask yourself what are the options available? In watching Grabo type players, the pros are good speed, good skill, good shot. The down fall is in the physical play. You need those skill players for success in any league. The full package is hard to find or at least where Burke is concerned. I'm wondering if you find a good physical player that can play with him does that increase his production and is there not a direct correlation with Kulimin and Grabo's numbers or lack of? The $5 million without question is too much, but when putting a $4.5 million tag on Komisarek and a $4.2 tag on Liles really lowered the bar. Who would you rather have? I like MacCarthur, he gives, Kulemin was a one year wonder and Lombardi needs his hands to catch up to his feet especially at $3.5 million. As I see it right now, Leafs down fall is in the 3rd and 4th lines as well as a couple of tough stay at home D. I don’t know if between the pipes is as bad as it seems and really that a poor D is the root cause of tending woes. The open ice hash mark high, which continually appears to opposition needs to be shutdown and a lot harder to get to. That and a real defensively strong (3rd line), complement Brown with another couple of energy players (4th line) puts this team in a different direction. Maybe not a $5 mil, but an incentive laden contract that rewards for production that could make him $4.5 is not out of the question.

[Pat Vaughan]

Burkie missed the boat so bad this past trade deadline it's not funny anymore and Leaf fans should start to now cry. They should have basically traded in anyone over age 25 for players in the 20-22 age range. When else will you have greater value for a Joffrey Lupul ? when else would a Grabonski been more trade-able than now ?

[Gaz]

Agree that they should have traded him for a first rounder before the deadline. Not sure they could still get a first rounder before the draft. Not sure about your Liles comment -- he was playing a lot better before his concussion. Do agree that other players are not pulling their weight. Too bad the Grabovski line is playing like it did last year to go with the Lupul line.

[paul]

have fun in the KHL.

[Chad]

Cox, where do you get this information? When did Burke say that he could have added 4 1st round picks from this years draft? I've read this no where else but here.

Even if what you say is true. How would that be a step forward? For starters, by making those deals you have to assume that AT LEAST 4 players from our current roster would be gone (but it's probably more like 6). That would surely send this current team on an even bigger tail spin then they're on right now, which would give more reason for media types such as yourself to rip this team apart.
Next, getting those picks sets Burke's process back another 3 - 5 years. Even if he can flip some or all of them to get current roster players from other teams. Who could he get? And would they be an improvement over the guys he originally traded away? If not then again media types such as yourself will come back to the decision he made at deadline day, and criticize him for not "staying the course".

I enjoy reading your columns Cox, but this one makes you sound like that moron Simmons from the Sun. Please don't stoop to his level.

[80s Leafs]

Agreed. Was thinking along similar lines last night while watching him skate fast, jump up into the rush that goes nowhere, stickhandling fast, thereby looking like he might be a talented player... but get no results. Leafs had a guy just like this back in late 90s, early 2000s, by the name of Berezin.

[Gary Oldfield]

If Burke needs someone to Fire Wilson for him tell him to call me I,ll gladly do it.

[Mark Whitney]

Agree with you on this one Damien, although it begs the question: who's going to fill the second line centerman's shoes? If not Grabo for 5mill... who is available at a comprable price that might even be an upgrade? And, if Grabo will settle for less, then what is the right price? It's one thing to say he's not worth 5mil, it's another say what he's actually worth and whether 2nd line minutes is right for him. I think he's more of a 3rd line guy and should be paid accordingly.

[george phillips]

I'm pretty sure the Habs would let Gomez go...even eat half his contract...

[snacker]

Burke blew it again. He should have tried to trade anything he could at the deadline for draft picks...Lombardi, Komisarek, Armstrong, MacArthur, Connolly, Phaneuf, Grabo....even maybe Lupol if someone wants to overpay!! If there were deals on the table for any of those guys and Burke didn't do it, he should be fired!!! How can they pretend that they are a playoff team right now? This was a chance to can WIlson on Sunday, make a huge splash on trade deadline day, and go with the kids the rest of the year and see what you've got...I realize that the Marlies are pretty good, but send Joey Crabb and David Steckle there...bring up the kids...how trading Aulie was the best deal of the day is beyond me? I'd rather watch him out there than Phaneuf at 6.5 mil per. This team is going backwards!!! Why was WIlson here this year at all?? All he's done is made about 15 guys regress.

[Kenny Murphy]

As of today, Grabbo has 42 points. Here's who he is tied with in scoring, along with their cap hits:

Evander Kane 3.1 million (his ELC no less)
Jaromir Jagr 3.3 million (9.5 million when he played played here)
Tomas Plekanec 5.0 million
Dustin Byfuglien 5.2 million
Nicklas Backstrom 6.7 million
Brad Richards 6.7 million

I guess all these other GMs were "DUMB ENOUGH" weren't they.

What you've failed to tell us is what YOU think he should make if he were to stay. But I guess that requires work. Being a naysayer is easy.

[Moe Green]

@Gary Oldfield: One thing about your bid for head coach: You would at worst have had only one less win in the past 12 games than Ron Wilson - and possibly more. So you get my vote.