2008 Entry Draft and Mats Sundin
Let's start this off with an interesting question. Is this the last of Mats Sundin with the Maple Leafs?
While I personally don't hope so, it seems Leaf brass are content in getting rid of our captain at any cost. I understand the team needs to rebuild and re-define itself in the league but why would giving away our best (and favourite) player be considered a positive move? Yes Mats is 37, and can't play another 10 years, so then why don't the Leafs offer a similar deal to the one he signed last year (and the year before). Mats has earned the right to take each season as it comes, and Mats has always expressed interest in finishing his career as a Maple Leaf. I fail to see how having a dependable player, one who is a positive influence on our younger players and one who has proven his committment to the Maple Leafs, as a negative. I fail to see having a point-a-game player on your NHL roster at $5mil and change as a negative.
Mats value in the open market, and as a younger player signing a long-term deal would easily be in the $7-$8mil range and although no team will probably offer that kind of money, I don't necessarily think that Mats is interested in that kind of offer either. The Leafs seem intent on shedding some payroll and opening up roster spots to younger players, but by not offering Mats an extension or new one year deal is insulting and doesn't show the kind of committment the organization has to the players who've done so many things for the team in the past. Why would the talented young players commit themselves to a team who doesn't commit itself to them?
For the future of the Leaf's re-building efforts and acquistion of new talent, along with the appearance of just a little bit of class, I surely hope Mats will be back with Leafs.
The second interesting question is, who is Luke Schenn? Toronto traded up in the draft and picked up a defensive defenseman instead of Russian Nikita Filatov. TSN's Pierre McGuire calls Schenn a Franchise Player for the Maple Leafs and someone you can build a team around. I'm not convinced that Schenn will be the Adam Foote type player that he's compared to and will most likely end up being another Luke Richardson for Toronto. You have to remember that the tough stay at home defensemen are only stars on teams that have some scoring punch (unless you're the New Jersey Devil's of the late 1990's). Otherwise they're good players on not-so-good teams.
We'll see how all this plays out. Maybe without Mats and with a whole bunch of youngsters Toronto is making a move to tank for the 2008-09 season and wind up with a shot of grabbing Tavares next year. Who knows.
While I personally don't hope so, it seems Leaf brass are content in getting rid of our captain at any cost. I understand the team needs to rebuild and re-define itself in the league but why would giving away our best (and favourite) player be considered a positive move? Yes Mats is 37, and can't play another 10 years, so then why don't the Leafs offer a similar deal to the one he signed last year (and the year before). Mats has earned the right to take each season as it comes, and Mats has always expressed interest in finishing his career as a Maple Leaf. I fail to see how having a dependable player, one who is a positive influence on our younger players and one who has proven his committment to the Maple Leafs, as a negative. I fail to see having a point-a-game player on your NHL roster at $5mil and change as a negative.
Mats value in the open market, and as a younger player signing a long-term deal would easily be in the $7-$8mil range and although no team will probably offer that kind of money, I don't necessarily think that Mats is interested in that kind of offer either. The Leafs seem intent on shedding some payroll and opening up roster spots to younger players, but by not offering Mats an extension or new one year deal is insulting and doesn't show the kind of committment the organization has to the players who've done so many things for the team in the past. Why would the talented young players commit themselves to a team who doesn't commit itself to them?
For the future of the Leaf's re-building efforts and acquistion of new talent, along with the appearance of just a little bit of class, I surely hope Mats will be back with Leafs.
The second interesting question is, who is Luke Schenn? Toronto traded up in the draft and picked up a defensive defenseman instead of Russian Nikita Filatov. TSN's Pierre McGuire calls Schenn a Franchise Player for the Maple Leafs and someone you can build a team around. I'm not convinced that Schenn will be the Adam Foote type player that he's compared to and will most likely end up being another Luke Richardson for Toronto. You have to remember that the tough stay at home defensemen are only stars on teams that have some scoring punch (unless you're the New Jersey Devil's of the late 1990's). Otherwise they're good players on not-so-good teams.
We'll see how all this plays out. Maybe without Mats and with a whole bunch of youngsters Toronto is making a move to tank for the 2008-09 season and wind up with a shot of grabbing Tavares next year. Who knows.
posted by tim_cbl at
11:33 AM
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