Speculation: What would be needed to move Clarkson?

[Holymakinaw]

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.

Do you remember when he scored three goals for New Jersey in the playoffs with a wrecked foot?

Clarkson is overpaid.....by maybe 1-1.5 million. But he is NOT useless, and you'd be wrong to trade him for that.

 

[Al14]

hahahaha

Then what? Hire you?

Hire me? Sure, I might just be a better judge of talent than Nonis and Company! I sure hell would not have thrown that huge contract at him without more than 1 30 goal performance to back up his talents.

If signing Clarkson was strictly a way to keep him from signing in Ottawa, then, mission accomplished! He would have probably continued to be a Leaf killer there as he was in NJ!

However, on pure hockey talent, where skating, stick handling, shooting, and laying on the body are important factors, Clarkson fails the test! He falls down on the ice more than my 3 year old grandson who is just learning to skate. His foot speed is also not very good as well.

Clarkson may arrive in the corners in a foul mood, however, on first contact with the opposing player he ends up sitting on his ass more often than not.

Nonis gave Clarkson far too much term with too large a sum of money attached to it. Clarkson's performance, on the ice, HAS NOT matched his contract.

All that being said, if we make the playoffs, and Clarkson can somehow make a difference in them, and, we win a round or two, then just maybe he'll be worth that contract.

As of right now, he's more of a boat anchor than a power plant motoring us on to victory after victory. We win our share of games despite him, unfortunately.

I may be completely wrong on the matter, however, from my perspective, Nonis may be judged harshly, at some point, if Clarkson keeps on playing like a $900,000 player with a $5.25M cap hit!

JMHO on the matter.

 

[ForSpareParts*]

I wish there was more Grabo talk. He deserved threads like this and not Clarkson.

 

[Al14]

I wish there was more Grabo talk. He deserved threads like this and not Clarkson.

Unfortunately, Clarkson is a CURRENT Leaf player, Grabovski IS NOT!

 

[Drew75]

Not going to make judgements after one season.

I think he will bounceback

This.

Many UFA's put too much pressure on themselves in the first year - especially being a Toronto boy coming home.

He'll settle down in the playoffs where his game shines. Next year will be better, and finding the right linemates for him will help as well.

My bet is that all these "Clarkson Sucks" threads will cease by the third game of the playoffs.

 

[Drew75]

The correct answer at this point: Short-sightedness.

This is the definition of HF Boards. It's completely a "what have you done for me lately" position on everything, when Nonis doesn't have that luxury (thankfully).

The same people who were complaining we didn't move Bolland / Kulemin at the deadline for the always coveted 1st round pick will be cheering those same guys in the playoffs.

Those ripping Clarkson now will be hailing him when he steps up at time we're paying for - Spring time hockey!!

 

[IWD]

Unfortunately, Clarkson is a CURRENT Leaf player, Grabovski IS NOT!

He's here for a long-time. Instead of slamming our players and contributing to the reputation that Toronto is a hostile place to play, perhaps your energy would be better utilized by supporting the team as a whole.

 

[frantiq]

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.

Just letting you know, Clarkson sucks

 

[Avec Fromage*]

Sup, Radek?

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.

Why? The cap hit of buying him out would be less. And <1.7 mil will be a lot smaller of a hit on the cap in a few years.

 

[daveleaf]

Some guys on here are down right bi-polar. Now you want to get rid of a guy that is having a bad year and want to throw more assets at it to do it. Why don't you just let the guy come back next year after a summer and play the year. Clarkson was never as good as some had him billed on here and he is definitely not that bad. Very good NHL player that will get his feet back under him next year if not the playoffs. I see big things from DC next year and a lot of you loud mouths will finally shut up.

 

[Tak7]

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

Well, you pick:

Would you rather be locked into that much cap space over 7 years?

Or sacrifice losing a crap-shoot draft pick in favor of freeing up over $5mill of cap space?

I know which one I would take.

Like I said - it will take something outside the box to get rid of Clarkson, unless you trade one bad contract for another.

 

[ForSpareParts*]

I am a Clarkson supporter. I never expected him to score 30 goals. When it was rumoured that he was being courted by the leafs the talk was about his toughness, and not his 30 goal scoring ability. That he would provide an answer when the leafs have to match Boston physically.

Honestly if Kuli tests the open market and gets signed by Winnipeg should they expect a 30 goal scorer? Are their fans sensible and hope for good defensive play?

I think that leaf fans have a right to be let down if Clarkson doesn't come out and be a difference maker in the playoffs. Until then don't worry about him. His 3rd line forward position is not important enough to say that the team's woes are on him.

 

[Jer416]

Well, you pick:

Would you rather be locked into that much cap space over 7 years?

Or sacrifice losing a crap-shoot draft pick in favor of freeing up over $5mill of cap space?

I know which one I would take.

Like I said - it will take something outside the box to get rid of Clarkson, unless you trade one bad contract for another.

I pick option 3: keep the draft pick and watch Clarkson play for at least another two seasons before jumping onto the "Everything is Clarkson's fault" wagon

 

[gabeliscious]

Do you remember when he scored three goals for New Jersey in the playoffs with a wrecked foot?

Clarkson is overpaid.....by maybe 1-1.5 million. But he is NOT useless, and you'd be wrong to trade him for that.

clarkson has 4 goals and 6 assists. you think he is overpaid by ONLY $1-1.5 million?

players on the leafs making LESS money and putting up more points in no particular order:

forwards:

jvr - $4.24 million - 55 points
bozak - $4.2 million - 40 points
raymond - $1 million - 41 points
kadri - $2.9 million - 46 points
kulemin - $2.8 million - 19 points
holland - $0.87 million - 11 points
BODIE - $0.6 million - 10 points
bolland - $3.4 million - 15 points

defense:
franson - $2 million -28 points
gardiner - $1.1 million - 20 points
rielly - $0.9 million - 22 points
RANGER - $1 million - 12 points
gunnarson - $3.15 million - 15 points


literally EVERY defenseman on the leafs with the exception of gleason has more points then clarkson who was suppose to be a top 6 winger.

he is GROSSLY overpaid. even if we extend him the benefit of the doubt and give him a mulligan for this season, his career average is ~25 points. what team in the nhl pays over $5 million and 7 years for that kind of player. he can have mark messier type "intangibles" and it still wouldnt make up the difference in how much he gets and how much he should get.

 

[Ace88*]

I wish there was more Grabo talk. He deserved threads like this and not Clarkson.

No he didnt lol. Grabo player >> clarkson player, Grabo contract > clarkson contract

 

[Durkin67]

This.

Many UFA's put too much pressure on themselves in the first year - especially being a Toronto boy coming home.

He'll settle down in the playoffs where his game shines. Next year will be better, and finding the right linemates for him will help as well.

My bet is that all these "Clarkson Sucks" threads will cease by the third game of the playoffs.

Any time you see the word "sucks" beside the name of any NHL'er not named John Scott, the author of the post should be subsequently ignored. There's this thing called common sense that lies somewhere between "He's not God", and "he's an All-star" that many here seem to struggle with. He's not having a great year to date. That doesnt equate to "he sucks". Anyone who can't figure that out should keep quiet.

 

[34]

I don't give a **** what it takes. Just BUY HIM OUT!

He is not even a 4th liner in the NHL.


Nonis needs to man up and admit he ****ed up and buy him out!

 

[gabeliscious]

I don't give a **** what it takes. Just BUY HIM OUT!

He is not even a 4th liner in the NHL.


Nonis needs to man up and admit he ****ed up and buy him out!

he would be on the books for 12 years if nonis buys him out. i agree with you but its not a likely outcome.

i think its more likely he reverts back to his typical production of ~25 points and settles in on the 3rd line next to bolland/holland for the next 6 years

 

[Dugath]

Well being the first year he has been here I do not see the panic to trade him. I would at least give him another season.

But I am sure this does not look good on Nonis. Spending 5+ M a year on a player being played on the 3rd line. I know Rogers/Bell are rich but even they do not like throwing money away.

Perhaps he could be traded for another GM's mistake..
Or perhaps the Oilers still want him.

But he is not being bought out. Nonis might as well quit right there if he did because that would just be throwing money away and he would not be long for his job. Signing someone to that contract then buying him out right away

 

[ConnorTO]

he was brought in for push comes to shove

the playoffs...

 

[Al14]

He's here for a long-time. Instead of slamming our players and contributing to the reputation that Toronto is a hostile place to play, perhaps your energy would be better utilized by supporting the team as a whole.

You are more than welcome to approve of the cost/performance of Clarkson!

I have supported this team for 54 years! As a player, if you sign in Toronto, and under perform, you have to expect to here about it!

 

[leafs in five]

playoffs?

 

[Al14]

playoffs?

Exactly! Right now I think we're closer to missing them than making them.

Our teams performance STINKS at the moment! The teams chasing us are playing better too!

 

[Incetardis]

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.

You read that out of context. The post that I responded to said that "He is playing some good hockey right now" so he thinks he's playing well... Lol. I think you have to agree that as far as busts go this guy should have his face on mount rushmore and there still seems to be a lot of "give the guy a chance" crap after basically a full regular season

 

[thewave]

he was brought in for push comes to shove

the playoffs...

This is the most ridiculous statement ever. It does not even make sense in any hockey logic going. Players are brought in to better the team in all situations and points in a season. Some have tasks granted ie. Pp quarterback but regardless they are there to accomplish the job at all times.

You may as well have branded yourself 'take with a grain of salt' after saying such a thing.