The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the most financially-powerful organizations in the league, backed by multi-billion dollar companies with one of the strongest markets in North America. They’ve used that financial might in past decades to buy up expensive, high-profile talent from around the league but have little to show for it in terms of team success. Since the salary cap was introduced they’ve tried to find creative ways to get an advantage, most notably with their use of long-term injured reserve and acquiring players like Nathan Horton and David Clarkson who were never expected to play again.
Now with Clarkson and Horton’s contracts expiring, Frank Seravalli of TSN suggests that the Maple Leafs could be on the lookout for some new dead money to give them extra cap flexibility next season. He breaks down five options the team might go after but notes that Ryan Kesler’s contract may be the most suitable. Kesler underwent major hip surgery last year and is unlikely to play again, but still has two years remaining on his contract with the Anaheim Ducks. As Seravalli reports, 80% of the salary owed to Kesler is covered by insurance but the veteran forward still carries a cap hit of $6.875MM.
- For the last several years there has been talk of Anton Burdasov considering a transition to the NHL, with the Russian forward even signing a professional tryout with the Edmonton Oilers last summer. Burdasov was apparently only interested in a one-way deal, something that he didn’t receive with the Oilers at the time. It looks like that opportunity won’t be coming anytime soon, as the 29-year old just signed a new two-year contract in the KHL.
- After a report surfaced earlier this week that Ahron Cohen had left the Arizona Coyotes, the team officially announced their “mutual” parting today. Cohen was the team’s president and CEO but was hired long before new owner Alex Meruelo took over the organization. The announcement includes that the Coyotes “will immediately begin a search to fill the role of president and CEO.”
we can keep saying that the Leafs are masterful with their cap management but its just the opposite. they keep putting themselves in situations that jeopardize their ability to retain any players that make between the top few and bottom few AAVs in the league. if im any other GM ive already drafted a contract offer for Mikheyev. i was wrong on a Marner OS so now im going to double down on Ilya.
@DarkSide830 – I hate to start this with “in all fairness”, but, Shanny & Kyle appeared to have been two of, if not the most, aggressive guys in “overpaying” players to come to TOR. While I have never, and probably will never hear either/both of them say that they optimistically believed the cap would practically double every couple of years (slight exaggeration there), they appear to have conducted their signings with that mentality. Then, there’s Melnyk to the east, who has done the exact opposite. An aggressive business plan is one thing, but this might be seen as classic MLSE riverboat gambling. We’ve both heard numerous talking heads saying “You can’t make that work!” Yet, they’re still trying. It makes you wonder how much of a powerhouse they could have created exercising a bit more fiscal prudence. Not Melnyk-esque, mind you, just smarter cap numbers for more flexibility.
In my opinion, you build your team around your star players, not your star players around the salary cap. You do what you can to keep your top players, then if it means that the rest of your team is players on minimum contracts, that’s how it is. The Tampa Bay Rays are a perfect example. Low payroll, so they have to sign cheaper guys, but their management is incredible that they can turn those players into strong talents while they make lower salaries than their ability. Maple Leafs need to do the same thing. Find cheap players and try and get management to turn them into something worth more than their contract
That article on Sportsnet is such utter nonsense. The only reason the Leafs used LTIR for so long was to get out from under the Clarkson contract.
Since they were using LTIR already, there were circumstances that made sense to take on more of it. Re-acquiring Clarkson and having his money on LTIR helped shield them from OS on Marner while maximizing available cap space to sign other players. That is because of how using LTIR affects normal cap space.
Now that those contracts are off the books, the Leafs have no reason to use LTIR. Since it makes harder to manage the cap. Unless of course they are incentivized to do it.
Fans not understanding these nuances is one thing. But someone who is getting paid to write about something should at least have a clue what they are talking about.
I have the best non-NHL employed cap specialist working for me and we have tried(and succeeded) with spending big on a right shot D-man in TO.
The issue is Dubas keeps churning up young talent,but it’s all forwards. They need a young D stud.