Worse contract: Clarkson or Finger

[daveleaf]

People have to lay off this guy for at least another year. All kinds of players have bad years but in TO, everything is magnified. I have a feeling he will be his pain in the arse self this year and have 20-25 goals and every one will shut up about it.

 

[hockeyfanz*]

No, it wouldn't. Most people dumping on him, after a year where he started with a 10 game suspension, and multiple injuries, as well as the team being a disaster from the get go, will never let it go.

Yes, he had bad year. People are making it out like Toronto and Edmonton were the only teams stupid enough to talk $ and term with him. Meanwhile, he was one of the most hyped and sought after UFA that summer.

Did he not lead forwards in hits despite missing so much time? His game is best as an agitator, and hard hitter. He's a team guy. He brings more to the game than numbers.

Give they guy a chance to bounce back after, what he even admits, was a terrible first year no matter how you look at it.

These same people are the ones who, no matter how consistent Kessel is ( he could score 50 and these people wouldn't stop), say that trade was bad.

It's kind of the bad part about being a Leafs fan. The negativity of much of this fan base no matter what is unreal.

No matter what? Bahahahahahaha...

The team has been horrendous for a decade.

No Matter What?

How about the negativity stems from a horrible franchise constantly making excuses and being excused for awful mismanagement. This Clarkson signing is only the most recent in a long list of gongshow signings/buyouts and acquisitions. AWFUL.

No matter what...LOL.

 

[hockeyfanz*]

People have to lay off this guy for at least another year. All kinds of players have bad years but in TO, everything is magnified. I have a feeling he will be his pain in the arse self this year and have 20-25 goals and every one will shut up about it.

So Clarkson is about to enter a career year where in only one other season he surpassed this projected goal total at the age of 31...Okay.

Where and why do you people come up with this stuff? Probability based on history suggests that this has very very little chance of occurring.

Clarkson will never ever be able to live up to his contract. Its just disgusting. End.

 

[The Missing Piece]

can I give an honourable mention to aki berg

 

[Mr Sakich]

I think the Finger contract is worse because it was an error - they thought they were signing a different player ( Sauer).

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=16043

the finger signing is up there with the ROR offer sheet as one of the dumbest moves by any nhl mngt. Almost as bad as the cfl team who drafted a dead guy.

 

[Joseppi]

can I give an honourable mention to aki berg

Considering his yearly salary never topped 2m, no.

 

[Swervin81]

I think the Finger contract is worse because it was an error - they thought they were signing a different player ( Sauer).

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=16043

the finger signing is up there with the ROR offer sheet as one of the dumbest moves by any nhl mngt. Almost as bad as the cfl team who drafted a dead guy.

Sauer also signed a 4 year deal in Phoenix for half of what Finger got, just to make things worse. The strange and cruel twist of fate is that Sauer hasn't played a game in 5 years due to PCS, which has even affected his daily off ice life. Sad to see. Just makes everything that much more bizarre relating to the Finger/Sauer mix-up.

As far as the ROR offer sheet goes, Feaster should've been fired on the spot for that blunder and Sherman should've been fired on the spot for saving Feaster from himself.

 

[ACC1224]

can I give an honourable mention to aki berg

Always. This is the wrong thread for that though.

 

[gabeliscious]

Clarkson. he will never be able to play well enough for it to matter

for a player signed for $5.25 million x 7years you would think you would get a good 50+ points every season + some leadership or something. considering he is a career 25-30 point winger he is overpaid by a fair amount and the term is just flat out inexcusable.

the thing with finger was under the old cba he could be sent down and not count against the cap. that alone makes clarksons contract worse. if clarkson could be sent down and not count against the cap then no one would care. he would be on the marlies for the next 6years and just an afterthought. the fact that he is here for 6 more years is

 

[glue]

No, it wouldn't. Most people dumping on him, after a year where he started with a 10 game suspension, and multiple injuries, as well as the team being a disaster from the get go, will never let it go.

Yes, he had bad year. People are making it out like Toronto and Edmonton were the only teams stupid enough to talk $ and term with him. Meanwhile, he was one of the most hyped and sought after UFA that summer.

Did he not lead forwards in hits despite missing so much time? His game is best as an agitator, and hard hitter. He's a team guy. He brings more to the game than numbers.

Give they guy a chance to bounce back after, what he even admits, was a terrible first year no matter how you look at it.

These same people are the ones who, no matter how consistent Kessel is ( he could score 50 and these people wouldn't stop), say that trade was bad.

It's kind of the bad part about being a Leafs fan. The negativity of much of this fan base no matter what is unreal.

I know this isn't the right thread for this...but I just can't resist commenting on this...I don't understand how some folks are so confused by this...I think very few people are disputing Kessel's worth and whether he was worth 2 1st rd and 2nd round picks...its much more about having the foresight to see that at the time that the deal was made, the team was clearly not very good and there was no point bringing in a guy like Kessel and trading away high end picks...instead we should have taken that opportunity to do a proper rebuild...now whether Burke's hand was forced or not is a different question...but I think thats the main beef people had with that trade...not whether Kessel is awesome..

 

[Erndog]

Clarkson may go down as the 2nd worst contract of all time, behind only Rick Dipietro.

7 years at $5.25M for a 3rd/4th liner, who is on the downside of his career. These bottom 6 players are readily available every year for pennies on the dollar (see Raymond last season, and Santorelli/Booth this one).

Clarkson may not score 50 goals his ENTIRE Leaf career. Not to mention it's a buytout proof contract, and there is no question in my mind this is the currect worst contract in the league and easily top 2-3 of all time.

 

[Erndog]

Sir allow me to point you towards TWO contracts which can state otherwise...


Rick Dipetro: http://capgeek.com/player/1101
Alexei Yashin: http://capgeek.com/player/1162


I did not add the horrid Bobby Holik one as NYR nicked that one early. Can add Scott Gomez to the list as well.

Dipietro for sure. Yashins contract was signed LONG before there was an NHL cap. Like 3 seasons before. Nobody could have expected the ramifications at that time.

Scott Gomez? Please, not even close. The first 3 years after his 7 year deal he had 70, 58 and 59 points respectively. If Clarkson had 3 years like that we'd be dancing in the streets. Thats 187 points right there. Clarkson wont even have anywhere close to that his entire Leaf career combined.

 

[Chungo]

Clarkson had a horrible 1st year of his contract and will be looked at as the Maple Leafs Whipping Boy for the length of his contract or until we pay someone more to do less.

 

[HEAVY DUTY]

is this even a detabe? its clarkson AINEC.

 

[Loosie]

Clarkson was going to make the money and term he made with us SOMEWHERE. Yes he had a bad first season so unfortunately that's going to tarnish him for a lot of people and me may never live up to his contract in some people's eyes.

Finger was pretty much complete useless and spent most of his contract in the AHL. I'm not sure Finger was going to make that money elsewhere.

I'll say that Finger's contract is worse for that fact. Not necessarily the wrost ever, but worse than Clarkson's.

 

[daveleaf]

So Clarkson is about to enter a career year where in only one other season he surpassed this projected goal total at the age of 31...Okay.

Where and why do you people come up with this stuff? Probability based on history suggests that this has very very little chance of occurring.

Clarkson will never ever be able to live up to his contract. Its just disgusting. End.

And what are the expectations? He was never going to be a 30 goal guy. He was supposed to provide grit and leadership and be a solid contributor. David can contribute 20-25 goals a year. All the tools are there. The team fell apart last year in Feb and David fell apart in Oct, everyone was to blame. Why not lay off the guy and see what he can do. I'm sure there are days that you are not worth your salary, if you are employed that is and not some student. Everything in perspective.

 

[BraveCanadian]

Clarkson

The amount is FAR too high for a veteran that's averaged 30 points over his career.
The term is FAR too long for a player of his age that plays his style!!!!
There is a No Movement Clause
There is a Limited No Trade Clause.
The contract is buy out proof due to signing bonuses.

Without a DOUBT the worst contract in nhl history.

While I agree other teams were interested in Clarkson because of his lucky season (plus a 10 game hot start), I'm sure that interest died out once Nonis started getting close to 5 million with a long term.
All the extra money, years, and add-on's were almost assuredly Clarksons agent playing Nonis for a fool.

I agree with most of what you are saying and I count myself as one of the people who was like WTF when they signed Clarkson.. but honestly.. is his contract worse than Yashin, Dipietro etc? There have been other bad, bad contracts in the history of the NHL.

 

[7even]

Clarkson, not close. More money, more term, really terrible, buyout proof, and can't bury him in the minors.

 

[thewave]

And what are the expectations? He was never going to be a 30 goal guy. He was supposed to provide grit and leadership and be a solid contributor. David can contribute 20-25 goals a year. All the tools are there. The team fell apart last year in Feb and David fell apart in Oct, everyone was to blame. Why not lay off the guy and see what he can do. I'm sure there are days that you are not worth your salary, if you are employed that is and not some student. Everything in perspective.

Nonis payed for perceived intangibles. Dubas targets statistically sound acquisitions.

Essentially, Nonis and company were so incredibly stupid that we had to hire a knowledgable 28 year old to shed light on the black hole of their ineptitude regarding things like simple maths and statistics.

Tommy the Janitor down at the ACC probably shook his head at some of the decisions these guys made.

 

[Cor]

Phaneuf's is clearly the worst, amiright?

 

[BraveCanadian]

Nonis payed for perceived intangibles. Dubas targets statistically sound acquisitions.

Essentially, Nonis and company were so incredibly stupid that we had to hire a knowledgable 28 year old to shed light on the black hole of their ineptitude regarding things like simple maths and statistics.

Tommy the Janitor down at the ACC probably shook his head at some of the decisions these guys made.

First of all, I love how we all know how Dubas conducts his business all of a sudden.

Secondly your post is hilarious because apparently Clarkson had the sort of metrics that the stats guys love when he played in New Jersey.

Believe me, you didn't need to check a lot of statistics to understand the Clarkson contract was terrible...

 

[thewave]

First of all, I love how we all know how Dubas conducts his business all of a sudden.

Secondly your post is hilarious because apparently Clarkson had the sort of metrics that the stats guys love when he played in New Jersey.

Believe me, you didn't need to check a lot of statistics to understand the Clarkson contract was terrible...

The statistics end of things we do know. Dubas is reportedly neck deep into that aspect. The one thing we do know about him is that he looks at history/stats/advanced stats thank goodness. Anyone in hockey should be well aware that statistical anomalies happen.

 

[Cor]

where is the Phaneuf option?

 

[daveleaf]

Nonis payed for perceived intangibles. Dubas targets statistically sound acquisitions.

Essentially, Nonis and company were so incredibly stupid that we had to hire a knowledgable 28 year old to shed light on the black hole of their ineptitude regarding things like simple maths and statistics.

Tommy the Janitor down at the ACC probably shook his head at some of the decisions these guys made.

Were you singing that tune in Jan when they seemed to win at will?

What's old is new. Perspective people. You all need to step away from the edge. This team has not won in 47 years and it may be a lot longer. I believe I said, we will make the Rangers drought seem like a coffee break. At this rate you guys will be headed for psychiatric help.

 

[BraveCanadian]

The statistics end of things we do know. Dubas is reportedly neck deep into that aspect. The one thing we do know about him is that he looks at history/stats/advanced stats thank goodness. Anyone in hockey should be well aware that statistical anomalies happen.

Do you guys honestly think that the entire Leafs braintrust completely ignored the fairly rudimentary statistics available on the public sites that according to people here apparently = winning?

Like there was no one in the Leafs org that went on behindthenet once in a while? Or read James Mirtle once a while?

Like they were purposely ignorant?

Come on.. you can check out those things in an afternoon.