Pssst, Sundin, Cliff here. Go along with this, ok?

[Dobber]

Hilarious.
The clowns in Toronto have been frothing at the mouth over this. It really is remarkable to live around this city (I live on the outskirts, Pickering is still part of the GTA but thankfully not right in the city).

Will Mats Sundin waive his no-trade clause? He said he wouldn\'t. Why not? What are we going to do, he won\'t waive his clause?

I laugh when I hear the radio personalities go on and on about this crap. I say \'crap\' because that\'s what it is. It\'s bullshit, and each and every one of those jokers that are discussing this are spooning up every last steamy scrap of it and eating it eagerly.

It\'s so obvious what is going on here that I am almost embarrassed to spell it out for the above jokers. But I have heard enough so I will spell it out.

Mats Sundin will be traded. He knows that he will be traded and he is ready to waive his no-trade clause when he gets traded.

If I\'m Cliff Fletcher, I pull Mats into the office for a private meeting - much like Cliff did a couple of weeks ago. After a lengthy discussion, I finish with the following:

Cliff: \"Mats, I want you to tell the media that you will refuse to waive your NTC. You will be asked about it several times a day and I want you to keep repeating the mantra \'I will not waive my clause, I love this city\' over and over. The same people will ask you the same question multiple times in the day - because most Toronto reporters do not have a second dimension to them - and I want you to stick to your guns.\"

Mats: \"Why would I do that, when I know that I\'m waiving it?\"

Cliff: \"Because everybody wins. Your price goes up because I convince the other GMs that you will refuse a trade unless it is truly a great one. Meanwhile, you will be a hero to the fans. They will think you are incredibly loyal and they will love each tear that you shed at the press conference. They will have the impression that you fought it tooth and nail, but for the good of the team you had to accept it and go.\"

Mats: \"I\'ll do it!\"


B)

[mbissanti]

You are making Mats look as dumb as the reporters. I doubt Cliff had to spell it out that much for him.

[Dobber]

I was dramatizing, to spell it out for those who actually question if Sundin will waive his clause. Those are the people who need it spelled out. Mats strikes me as a smart man, I\'m sure he would understand that I was just having fun here. :lol:
B)

[Bossman67]

God I hope you are right...both as a fan and as a Sundin owner...are you thinking that this only applies to Mats or the other guys with NTC\'s? aka Kaberle and the rumored turn down on the Carter trade a few days ago?

cheers,

[Dobber]

I think the two situations are different. Kaberle is younger and has several years on his contract. He wants to stay and won\'t waive. With Mats the NTC is just to control where he goes, but he knows he is going.
I can see them pressuring Tucker to move though. McCabe will be tough. But Kaberle, he\'s not going anywhere.
B)

[Glenn99]

The other thing is that we don\'t want Kaberle to go because he is a bargain at his current price. That he wants to stay makes it even better.

[Flyer Fan]

Man, ...I know it\'s the logical thing to do, but it\'s just hard to accept that trading Mats Sundin will help the Leafs.


I can\'t even picture him in another jersey. :unsure:

and I\'m a FLYERS fan! Imagine what it\'s gonna feel like to the Leafs fans.

[Shao]

I am still of the opinion that they will either a) blow the picks they get back or b)blow the development of the players they get back.

Sundin should end his career with the buds, but only for the cheap and only perhaps to work with some young talent...wherever they may be.

[The_Rock]

When you look at Sundin, Tucker, McCabe, Kubina, Blake etc. it makes sense to move them for futures, but moving Kaberle makes no sense at all for the Leafs.

Kaberle is a bargain at $4.25 per for the next 3 years and is only 29 years old. When you look at the numbers people are talking about as far as contracts for Campbell & Boyle, what Timonen signed last year and what other comparables are currently making, the market for Kaberle is over $6M per year. Having him signed is the equivalent as saving $2M against the cap. You could not replace him for what he is currently costing the team.

Moving Sundin to ANA for Ryan and EDM’s 1st in 08 would be a fantastic deal for the Leafs. Ryan could be a stud on the right side for the next 10 years and that 1st rd. pick would give the Leaf’s 2 out of the top 4 or 5 picks and a better chance at the 1st overall. Plus, ANA would make the deal without having an extension worked out with Sundin because they do not want that cap hit next year (they want to use their cap space for Perry etc.). They may need to throw in a Stajan type player, but Stajan is easily replaced (expanded role next year for Tlusty, Kulemin coming over, etc.). Sundin, come July 1st, can then sign a one or two year deal with the Leafs. The end result is Sundin, Ryan and a top tier prospect (maybe Stamkos) for lending Sundin to ANA for the final few months of the season.

If I am the Leafs I move one of McCabe/Kubina and would lean to moving Kubina rather than McCabe. Everyone talks about McCabe’s deal, but at $5.75 per it isn’t that far off from the market place (look at Hamrlik’s deal, Souray’s deal, Jovo’s deal etc.). Sure he is prone to making a mistake here and a mistake there, but that has been his MO his whole career. Plus, an average of 15 goals, 34 assists, +10, and 116 PIMs over the last 5 years seems good enough for me. If the Leaf’s can move Kubina and Poni to CHI for Barker and T. Ruutu I jump at the opportunity if I am Cliff.

It is nice to see Tucker’s productivity improve over the past few weeks, but I would love to see the Leaf’s move him for futures (a prospect/pick). He wears his heart on his sleeve so you gotta love him, but his sleeve is only on a 5’10 – 170 lb body. He gets bounced around out on the ice like a rag doll and his body is breaking down over time. How does Tucker to CAL for Boyd sound? My gut tells me that Tucker would never waive his no-trade though, so it might be a moot point talking about him being moved.

I am not sure what the market is for Blake, so the Leafs might be stuck with him for the next few years. Might not be all that bad if he can get up to 25-30 goals again (which I think is highly likely). We will not see 40 from him again, that was an aberration, but I think with a year under his belt on the Leafs and living in TO he will be more productive moving forward.

Other Leafs like Antropov, Gill, White, Kilger, Wellwood, Belak etc. are wildcards that I would move if the deal makes sense.

I’d give Raycroft away and get Pogge in for a few games as part of his development. Nothing to crazy (no pressure), but maybe 1 game out of every 3-4 depending on the matchup.

[Shoeless]

I have just read two of your rants Dobber - this one and the one on Leclaire and in each case you have had to explain to someone in your readership where you were actually coming from. Think about it.

I haven\'t tracked this critically but my filters are working and over the past while it seems to me that you have started to vent about or belittle other media people as a common theme. I have some thoughts about that relating to the journey I think you are on.

1. When it comes to analyzing the game and presenting that analysis, I struggle to find anyone out there much better than you - let it shine buddy - you play in the dirt and the only guarantee is that you will get dirty.

2. You will be better than all the rest, when you are better than all the rest, not because you make them less. I believe if you play it straight and grow where you are planted that many of us will be saying in years to come - \"yeah, I remember when Dobber had this little fantasy hockey site ...\". It isn\'t always easy to know how to use the gift you have, but when you surround a gift with integrity, quality, passion, compassion and diligence - there is little that can impede the journey.

[Dobber]

Good observations - but it\'s my thing. I put down the media in general, although there are many whom I respect. However, people tend to rant about what upsets them and the \'good\' columnists don\'t upset me.
I find that a person\'s opinion is held in high regard if they are in the media - myself included. And I disagree with the concept. A lot of columnists, talk show hosts, etc. have mediocre intelligence in general and even less on certain topics but are excellent writers and/or communicators. However, the fans listen and consider them \'experts\'. Myself included.

I\'m not looking to be involved with them. I turn down radio interviews now (shy and hate it), I enjoy just running the site and chipping in content for THN...and I strive for nothing more. But when someone is wrong and I am right (at least in my mind), I tell them.

All of my rants are on an issue that is buzzing around the media, so naturally if I choose to weigh in on the opinion it is to criticize what I hear. I think it\'s just coincidental that it is always the media I come down on. If it was my garbage collector who I listen to every day, then you would find that I am always putting down my garbage collector :lol:

I hope this makes sense? I tend to ramble...

B)

[duducks]

Dobber, do you see Burke willing to part with Edm\'s lottery pick?

As a Leafs fan, I have a bias, but I\'d of expected that a team would rather gain Sundin than Forsberg, as you know what you\'ll get from Sundin, but Forsberg was a risk a year ago. However, the media is making it out to sound like the Leafs wont get anything close to what Philly got for Forsberg last year.

Bobby Ryan, 1st (lottery)
vs
Ryan Parent, Scottie Upshall, 1st/3rd

How far seperated are those two sides?

[Shoeless]

Yup - got it!

Interestingly enough embedded in your rants is some pretty keen analysis. I tend to be a voracious consumer of information as it relates to my fantasy hockey hobby and I will admit that your Sundin stuff was refreshing in it\'s directness and clarity.

I\'m going to wait out the Leclaire thing - much of what you say has merit but I think you underestimate his actual skill in goal. It may not be enough however. But Vezina? Absolutely not, he does not dominate games where others goalies do when they need to. Sure nominate him for political purposes but gawd don\'t give it to him.

[coldsquad2002]

Hey Dobber, I live just up the 401 from you in Trenton. As for Sundin... I know you are being faticious but... I sure hope he accepts a trade. Fergie screwed the Leaf\'s in lots of ways with the no trade deals being a good example.

[Anonymous]

It makes me wonder sometimes though if Ferguson signed him to a one year deal only with this kind of situation in mind? Theres\' a lot to think about.

Dobber included, I don\'t think a lot of Toronto fans realise that you are asking Mats to completely change the life he has had for over 10 years. He is incredibly involved in the Toronto community, and waiving a no trade clause isn\'t just a hockey decision. Those of you who are naive enoguh to think that Sundin will come running back in the offseason are crazy. I wish it too, but its just wishfull thinking. If Sundin leaves now, that will be it for him as a leaf. So if they are to trade him, it had better be worth it. Sundin still has a good 2 or 3 years in him, and there are other ways to rebuild. Sundin is the perfect player to rebuild a team around, he\'s not too old.

Also, a lot of Leaf fans jsut want to see him traded because of the thrill of a big trade. You aren\'t as excited about the actual hockey sense of it. If the trade goes through, you may find yourself disapointed in the return, you\'re hopes are up so high for a top 5 pick and Bobby Ryan, that when you get some other teams 30th overall pick and some prospect you haven\'t heard of, you\'ll realise what I\'m saying here.

These are just some observations I\'ve picked up the last couple of weeks being a huge leaf fan myself. I pay attention to the hype.

Oh, I forgot to mention, it is almost an assumption now that the leafs are getting Stamkos, but even if they finish dead last, they only have a 48% chance of getting it. Realistically, I have my sights set on Nikita Filatov, or Schenn. I can\'t lie and say I\'m not a wishful thinker. Edmonton\'s lottery pick would look nice picking us a combo of Stamkos/Filatov and Doughty/Schenn/Pietrangelo.