Speculation: What would be needed to move Clarkson?

[Tak7]

Do the teams that didn't use their compliance buyouts, still have them available to use?

Or do they become void if not used before a certain amount of time?

If they are available, maybe it's conceivable to try something like:

Clarkson + a 1st or a 2nd to a team with a buyout, for a 6th or a 7th round pick.

Have that team use the buyout while giving them a high draft pick.

It's a free pick for the team receiving Clarkson, and the Leafs get his contract off the books.

Probably unreasonable, but it's going to take some outside the box, creative thinking like that in order to move that Clarkson contract. No one is going to touch it. I still can't fathom how the Oilers were going to pay this guy even more than the Leafs.

 

[Joey Hoser]

Honestly, I feel there are more Clarkson apologists than haters and he definitely seems to escape the type of wrath a guy in this market should get considering his price tag vs his on ice contribution... You seriously feel like he's playing good hockey right now? I don't know man, goals and points aside, the guy's a non-factor. You could replace him with anyone of the other forwards that have had looks with the big club this year and it wouldn't change much. But the truth is we're stuck with him so let's hope that all this "wait for the playoffs" crap pans out.

Reading this or any other Clarkson thread should prove otherwise.

Just because some people are arguing against him being hung from a stoplight on Bay street like many people seem to want, doesn't mean they are an apologist or think he's playing well.

 

[Jer416]

Do the teams that didn't use their compliance buyouts, still have them available to use?

Or do they become void if not used before a certain amount of time?

If they are available, maybe it's conceivable to try something like:

Clarkson + a 1st or a 2nd to a team with a buyout, for a 6th or a 7th round pick.

Have that team use the buyout while giving them a high draft pick.

It's a free pick for the team receiving Clarkson, and the Leafs get his contract off the books.

Probably unreasonable, but it's going to take some outside the box, creative thinking like that in order to move that Clarkson contract. No one is going to touch it. I still can't fathom how the Oilers were going to pay this guy even more than the Leafs.

Great idea! Let's fix our mistake by making a bigger one.

 

[samyy]

I just can't help but think of all the moves we could make it Clarkson was not signed to such a monster contract....

Like we could bring back Komarov, I'd be down to give him 2.5-3mil with how effective he was. We would also be able to resign Kulemin who has been extremely effective this season, and with now his ability to fill in on the second line and as a centre, honestly he is pretty valuable.

Also gives us space to upgrade our D if we could find a move.

 

[Commander Clueless]

Probably retained salary.

But I seriously doubt he is moved before at least one more year to prove himself.

 

[Al14]

What would be needed to move Clarkson?

He's so full off poop, it would take dynamite!

No seriously, just pack him, his family, and his possessions into a shipping container, and send it off to Edmonton. Edmonton can ship us back some used jock straps and a bunch of dead roses.

Sorry, I really hate his contract, and, I don't really like what he brings to the team! I don't hate Clarkson himself... yet!

 

[highslot]

don't the leafs have a much better record without clarkson in the lineup than with clarkson? i can't find where i saw it, but it was surprising. that is more important to me than how he's doing individually.

also, if he creating more penalty kill situations for us like in sj, that definitely is another factor.

 

[indigobuffalo]

I think Clarkson just needs some patience. The buy-out numbers aren't terrible if indeed we NEED to unburden ourselves, but everyone just assumes that there're better options in the system that can come in and do the same job for way less.

Maybe there are, but I would want to see more of a sample out of Clarkson to be sure. Especially since we got him for the playoffs and we aren't at that point yet.

Once we see how he plays in the post-season, if it's still the same crap, then unload him.

As to the OP and the poll, I definitely don't see the point in giving up assets like Lupul/Kadri/Rielly/1st to get rid of the guy. The buy-out route is bearable, and there are always options to take bad contracts back that make sense over outright abandoning assets.

People need to step back from the ledge...

 

[indigobuffalo]

50% retained salary makes zero sense. That'd be worse than the BO option IMO.

 

[indigobuffalo]

Do the teams that didn't use their compliance buyouts, still have them available to use?

Teams have another option to use them prior to next season. But they cannot be used on contracts signed after the new CBA was signed. So Clarkson would not be eligible for a Compliance buy-out.

 

[Erndog]

50% retained salary makes zero sense. That'd be worse than the BO option IMO.

How?

The buyout would be twice as long.

The 50% retained would be a similar figure to the buyout (more yes, but only a few hundred K more some years). However it ends after 6 more years. Buyout goes on for 12. Cap wise, it would be pretty similar several years.

 

[likeabosski]

How?

The buyout would be twice as long.

The 50% retained would be a similar figure to the buyout (more yes, but only a few hundred K more some years). However it ends after 6 more years. Buyout goes on for 12. Cap wise, it would be pretty similar several years.

Cap-wise, this is what we'd be stuck with for 12 years with a buy out (as I detailed earlier in the thread. And it has to be done between June 15-30 in the off-season in order to get the 2/3rds discount. Otherwise you have to eat the full cap hit of the contract (spread across 12 years):

2014-15:* $2,291,667
2015-16:* $1,541,667
2016-17:* $41,667
2017-18:* $41,667
2018-19:* $2,291,667
2019-20:* $3,791,667
2020-21:* $1,791,667
2021-22:* $1,791,667
2022-23:* $1,791,667
2023-24:* $1,791,667
2024-25:* $1,791,667
2025-26:* $1,791,667
Total: $20,750,004 over 12 years
34% savings over his contract ($31.5 million over 6 years).

50% salary retention (or less if a team is willing to take on more salary) IMO is a no brainer compared to 34% savings from a "discounted" June 15-30 buyout. The only disadvantage of salary retention is that we have to pay more per year ($2,625,000/yr is 50% retention) compared to a buyout (except for 2019-20 where there is a $3,791,667 cap hit penalty). But over the long run, you save more money ($15.75 million over 6 years versus $20,750,004 over 12).

 

[The Thin White Duke]

Cap-wise, this is what we'd be stuck with for 12 years with a buy out (as I detailed earlier in the thread. And it has to be done between June 15-30 in the off-season in order to get the 2/3rds discount. Otherwise you have to eat the full cap hit of the contract (spread across 12 years):

2014-15:* $2,291,667
2015-16:* $1,541,667
2016-17:* $41,667
2017-18:* $41,667
2018-19:* $2,291,667
2019-20:* $3,791,667
2020-21:* $1,791,667
2021-22:* $1,791,667
2022-23:* $1,791,667
2023-24:* $1,791,667
2024-25:* $1,791,667
2025-26:* $1,791,667
Total: $20,750,004 over 12 years
34% savings over his contract ($31.5 million over 6 years).

50% salary retention (or less if a team is willing to take on more salary) IMO is a no brainer compared to 34% savings from a "discounted" June 15-30 buyout. The only disadvantage of salary retention is that we have to pay more per year ($2,625,000/yr is 50% retention) compared to a buyout (except for 2019-20 where there is a $3,791,667 cap hit penalty). But over the long run, you save more money ($15.75 million over 6 years versus $20,750,004 over 12).

We'd most likely be taking on salary in the trade as well though.

 

[likeabosski]

We'd most likely be taking on salary in the trade as well though.

Of course. No one is going to take David Clarkson's contract off our hands fully. To be honest, I'm not sure if we can even strike a 50% salary retention deal with any of the other 29 GMs. If there are still a few suckers out there who will bite, David Nonis should trade Clarkson before it becomes evident to all the GMs in the NHL that David Clarkson is a marginal AHL level player. Before 2011-12 and early 2013, David Clarkson absolutely sucked.

 

[The Thin White Duke]

Of course. No one is going to take David Clarkson's contract off our hands fully. To be honest, I'm not sure if we can even strike a 50% salary retention deal with any of the other 29 GMs. If there are still a few suckers out there who will bite, David Nonis should trade Clarkson before it becomes evident to all the GMs in the NHL that David Clarkson is a marginal AHL level player. Before 2011-12 and early 2013, David Clarkson absolutely sucked.

I think the best case scenario is to wait for another hideous contract to be signed elsewhere and get a Toskala+Blake for Giguere type trade going. The bad value won't go away, but at least we can get it in a more useful place. A vastly overpaid defenseman or 3rd line center would be more useful to us.

 

[JackJ]

Taking another huge contract in return.

 

[34]

Bury him in the Marlies???

is this an option?

 

[Banic]

don't the leafs have a much better record without clarkson in the lineup than with clarkson? i can't find where i saw it, but it was surprising. that is more important to me than how he's doing individually.

also, if he creating more penalty kill situations for us like in sj, that definitely is another factor.

Yes they do. The same can be said about Datsyuk this year. It is a pretty irrelevant stat to be honest.

 

[Avec Fromage*]

I'm so sick of hearing about David Clarkson. Yes, he sucks; deal with it. He's here for the long haul. Put him out of mind and forget he exists. And before suggesting a trade or buyout (for the 100th time), let him play two years in a Leaf uniform.

 

[pucci2001]

I'm so sick of hearing about David Clarkson. Yes, he sucks; deal with it. He's here for the long haul. Put him out of mind and forget he exists. And before suggesting a trade or buyout (for the 100th time), let him play two years in a Leaf uniform.

What about an unfortunate accident? See Nancy Kerrigan and Tanya Harding....

 

[mydnyte]

we basically brought him in for the playoffs, to add toughness that can take a regular shift, how about we see how he does there, before we kill the poor sob.

 

[Holymakinaw]

Bury him in the Marlies???

is this an option?

No it is not. Any contract amount more than 925K will fully count against a team's NHL cap, under the new CBA.

 

[Durkin67]

The correct answer at this point: Short-sightedness.

 

[Durkin67]

we basically brought him in for the playoffs, to add toughness that can take a regular shift, how about we see how he does there, before we kill the poor sob.

You and your rational thinking and common sense...cut that out now, mister.

 

[Peasy]

You and your rational thinking and common sense...cut that out now, mister.

Have you seen his playoff points? Dudes not come God in the playoffs.

If a team offered me a 7th rounder for Clarkson with a retained salary of 2mill I'd do it in a heart beat.