Why did you guys let MacArthur walk?

[Crispy Crust]

Never understood the dislike for MacArthur. The guy signed two separate cheap/short term contracts with the Leafs, and was worth every penny. I'd probably would have brought him back as opposed to signing Clarkson to a big money/long term deal.

 

[HocusPocus]

If you look at his comments since leaving, there was never any chance he was going to stay. While he thrived here under Wilson, he didn't fit under Carlyle and was benched during the playoffs. Not a fit for us because of our coach, great signing for Ottawa.

 

[RaskY]

I always thought Mac to be too inconsistent and often a liability on the ice. Sometimes he would try to make the nice play instead of the right one, and it almost always led to a turnover. I thought his defensive game was pretty weak as-well, was never really active in the defensive zone.

And yeah, he didn't really fit anymore. IMO the wingers we acquired like Clarkson and Raymond compliment Carlyle's system much better than MacArthur did.

 

[Kingstonian84*]

Simple

He's over-rated from the get go! He was a 35-45 pt player prior to coming to Toronto, and when he was given a "show me" contract back in 10/11 (I believe) he worked his arse off and played with determination/motivation to show he belonged, as a result he put up 63 points and was rewarded with a 3 year deal (similar to the one he was offered by Ottawa). The year after the signing he got complacement and he stopped trying, Mac's got some skill but its not enough to carry him alone as a result his game dropped off badly and regressed each year, Carlyle and crew had enough of his antics and they let him him walk.

 

[Morguee]

Remember when the Kulemin, Grabovski, MacArthur line was the best line some nights for the Leafs. Remember when it semmed like MacArthur wasn't even there some nights. Maybe he has finally figured it out he has to bring it every night or maybe not, let's see after 82 games or after he signs a longer contract.

 

[Stephen]

MacArthur isn't that useful when he's not producing, and since he's a streaky player, he's often not producing. We also got a player in Mason Raymond who makes $2.25 million less, is a better skater and more creative and has 3 more goals and the same number of points.

 

[Kingstonian84*]

Remember when the Kulemin, Grabovski, MacArthur line was the best line some nights for the Leafs. Remember when it semmed like MacArthur wasn't even there some nights. Maybe he has finally figured it out he has to bring it every night or maybe not, let's see after 82 games or after he signs a longer contract.

I remember that season! I always thought Mac rode the other two's coat-tails, Kulemin would do all the dirty work along the wall and Grabo would use his speed to back the defenders off which left Mac open for the "give me" goals, he really was the weak link on that line IMO.

 

[thewave]

Always liked Mac, he didn't get along with Carlyle. Oh well. I like Raymond a bit more.

 

[I Believe]

It was the cap crunch.

 

[TMLeafer]

JVR, Kessel, Lupul, and Clarkson are the wingers on the top 2 lines. Which would make MacArthur a 3rd liner, and at $3.25M/year, that didn't make sense. He's useful and can slot into the top 6 as needed but has consistency issues. He was a healthy scratch last year as well.

But he does go on these runs when he can pass and dangle and toe drag and it's fun to watch. There will be other times when he even can't get the puck out. Lastly, though I'm sure he's been a good addition to the Sens, don't discount his linemates' effect. When they elevate their play, Mac starts clicking with them (Grabo, Kadri, Turris I'm assuming). Good guy, other than beaking at the team that gave him a chance.

Raymond is way cheaper, faster, and can play on the PK. Seems streaky too, offensively anyways.

 

[Dangles McGavin]

Clarke is a serviceable player. He's pretty clutch, plays hard (for a while). But 3.25 for a player like him is too much, and we have much better/more useful options. His play also trails off... significantly.

 

[Kyle Doobas*]

As you can tell from the slight bitterness in this thread, he was a pretty streaky scorer with the Leafs, and when he wasn't doing that, he didn't contribute very much in other areas of the game. As it often goes with those types of players, he appeared not to be giving a 100% effort at times, which particularly didn't sit well with fans after the Paul Maurice/Ron Wilson eras of watching guys just coast, collect a paycheque and seemingly not give a ****.

Mainly it was, I think, just an issue of team culture, and Carlyle preferring someone like Clarkson or Kulemin to play that role of the 'glue' guy next to Kadri/Lupul. By the end, Mac was often playing on the third/fourth lines, where he obviously wasn't going to score all that much and, as a result, bordered on useless.

He always came off like a good guy and a team player though, so I'm glad he's found his niche in Ottawa. He just wasn't a fit here, for various reasons.

 

[Kingstonian84*]

Clarke is a serviceable player. He's pretty clutch, plays hard (for a while). But 3.25 for a player like him is too much, and we have much better/more useful options. His play also trails off... significantly.

So he's like the guy who brings a chick home from a bar, he's giving her the business good but when it comes time to preform he goes soft, not HARD at all

 

[Daisy Jane]

The Leafs didn't really let him go, more of Mac didn't want to play here anymore. (it could be very chicken & the egg like). But Nonis's M.O. is very clear - let him know you want to play here, and he'll try to make it happen if it makes financial/fiscal sense, and you fit into the structure of the team.

 

[thewave]

I really think he just chose to walk.

 

[Puckstuff]

OP, Clarke is a very useful player. When he plays with skilled players he produces, when he doesn't play with skilled players he doesn't. I love his grit and ability to finish. When he scored 60 points, Kulemin-Grabovski-Macarthur was our best line all year... and when he played with Kadri last season he was producing too... so i'm not surprised at all he's doing well with Turris. One thing he can do is finish on his scoring chances. Personally, I would have loved to bring him back but we simply couldn't afford him. I would prefer Mac over Raymond at 1 mill but since Mac was deserving of 3 + letting him walk and signing Raymond was a no brainer. This is the reality of the cap world. Next year we will lose one of Kulemin or Raymond. Leafs have lots of depth on the wing so this is why Mac was deemed expendable.

 

[My Sweet Shadow]

Nonis saw Clarkson as an upgrade on Mac. Kessel, JVR, and Lupul take up the rest of the top 6 wing positions combined with Kulemin and Raymond, who are cheaper and better suited options for the 3rd line, so there really wasn't any room left for him.

 

[NyQuil]

Redundant on the Leafs I would think.

 

[Kyle Doobas*]

I really think he just chose to walk.

I'm sure I remember reading an article that mentioned that he was ready and willing to re-sign here at the same cap hit, but the Leafs weren't interested/couldn't fit him in. I'll see if I can find it.

 

[Garbs]

Because it's really dumb to spend 3.25 million dollars on an often scratched 3rd line winger who doesn't buy into the system?

What a silly question. If you'd taken a look at our wingers you'd know why Clarke MacArthur was of no use to us.

 

[Babscocks]

Probably because he was good enough to be a healthy scratch (yes that good). After his first season, he became a streaky, stone handed 3 million dollar player.

You can love him now, i'm sure he will be a great productive player all season long. Next year he will be a third line, second line filler who goes 25 games without scoring 2 goals. Enjoy

 

[thewave]

I think Clarkson was in part beaus CMac walked.

 

[Puckstuff]

Also i'm pretty sure he wanted to leave after he was scratched in the playoffs

 

[TkachukMyAho]

I agree with most here about the Raymond thing. Lots of wing depth and cap flexibility.

 

[Avec Fromage*]

Depth. I don't say this to sound mean, but the Leafs are much stronger on the wing than the Sens.

MacArthur is not an ideal bottom-six forward and he wasn't good/consistent enough to fit in our top-six.

He'll put up 40-50 points so he's not a bad player, but he doesn't touch Kessel, Lupul or JVR, and he doesn't fill a toughness need like Clarkson or a defensive need like Kulemin. Raymond is essentially the same player with more speed and he's $2.25 M cheaper.