Mojo 640 - First RFA Sheet sent to Zetterberg... by...

[PDO]

Toronto.

Figure this will light up some interesting conversation. I'm still waiting for Spezza to get one from almost anyone, but this isn't surprising in the least bit... and would be an awesome signing by the Laffs (can't believe I just said that).

Zetterberg - Sundin - O'Neil

Very good top line, espeacilly if Zetterberg is under contract for 3+ years.

[MadDevil]

That would be a solid move by the Leafs, if they can get Zetterberg away from the Wings. I wonder what would be involved though...

[PDO]

That would be a solid move by the Leafs, if they can get Zetterberg away from the Wings. I wonder what would be involved though...

Draft picks are compensation.

If they signed him for 2.99 it'd be a first and third rounder.

[Leafs_Fa_Life]

Great signing if it happens. A first and third in compensation wouldn't be that bad for a guy who could play on our team for a long time.

[PDO]

Great signing if it happens. A first and third in compensation wouldn't be that bad for a guy who could play on our team for a long time.

For Detroit to match they have to drop salary, it's a great move all around. Not only does it mess up the Wings, but it could help the Leafs out.

Why they haven't given one of these to force up Spezza's contract demands is beyond me.

[scorpionn]

If true, good move by JFJ on the offer sheet.

Why not screw over the Wings in the process :laughing:

I can't imagine Detroit not matching if he accepts to the Leafs terms though.

[PDO]

If true, good move by JFJ on the offer sheet.

Why not screw over the Wings in the process :laughing:

I can't imagine Detroit not matching if he accepts to the Leafs terms though.

Maybe they match by dealing off Lang?

Apparently Datsyuk also wants $4,500,000 / season.

Detroit is in some serious trouble.

[Newfie John]

Genious move by JFJ. Hopefully we can do the same thing to Spezza if Detroit matches this offer.. hehe. :nod: We could either make ourselves better, or screw Ottawa up. This came right out of left field.

[Newfie John]

Could this be Fergy's "plan"? Wait for everyone to get close to their caps and sign their RFA's? If so, I don't mind it once, but don't make it a habit. Players like Zetterberg, Datsyuk or Spezza I don't mind, but we can't abuse our draft picks again.

[grim]

We could either make ourselves better, or screw Ottawa up.

Nice. Here... just for you.

Aug. 4, 2005. 08:10 AM

Leafs beaten again
Sly Clarke outfoxes napping Ferguson

DAMIEN COX

It's almost as if the Philadelphia Flyers were ready for this.

Well, of course they were.

That the Flyers, known primarily as a big spender in the old NHL order, have proven to be so flexible and aggressive in the new capped NHL is a rather large compliment to general manager Bob Clarke and his organization.

Moreover, the Flyers' preparedness to compete forcefully under the altered economic landscape stands in rather sharp contrast to another team that also was known for its economic muscle in pre-lockout times.

That, of course, would be the Maple Leafs.

While the Flyers have stunned the industry by making a flurry of exciting personnel moves in the past few days, including yesterday's acquisition of the brilliant Peter Forsberg, the Leafs and GM John Ferguson have appeared as the proverbial deer in the headlights, looking around as though they'd like to call a timeout.

To compare the Flyers and Leafs, needless to say, is not an exercise that flatters Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.

It's bad enough that Philly was the team that eliminated Pat Quinn's crew the last two playoff seasons, with goalies Roman Cechmanek and Robert Esche leading the way by outplaying in back-to-back years the more exalted and highly paid Ed Belfour.

But to see Clarke et al so badly outpointing the Leafs in the new environment created by the recently ratified collective bargaining agreement has to be maddening to the Leaf Nation.

Indeed, as the past three days have gone by without the Leafs making even a ripple in the ultra-competitive free agent pool, it's as though you can feel the collective temper of the city starting to rise.

The Leafs, without question, have been caught utterly flatfooted by the frenzy of activity over the past two weeks.

They were seemingly floored by the entire Owen Nolan mess, and then, after making a decent move by picking up Jeff O'Neill from the Carolina Hurricanes, found that addition overshadowed by the loss of veterans Gary Roberts and Joe Nieuwendyk to Florida.

With Ferguson more inclined to stonewall and prevaricate rather than articulate his game plan to the public, the perception is that the Leafs hamstrung themselves with contractual commitments going into the salary cap era and now don't have the ingenuity to figure their way out of the mess in which they find themselves.

Without the ability to simply use money to mask their organizational shortcomings, the Leafs seem to have no answers.

The Flyers, by contrast, were always able to do more than just spend.

The Flyers have continued to draft very effectively throughout the 1990s and into the new millennium.

Players like Simon Gagne and Joni Pitkanen were drafted and developed into big leaguers.

Two weeks ago, while the Leafs were figuring out the Nolan mess, Clarke immediately bought out John LeClair and Tony Amonte to clear more than $11 million in cap space. Simultaneously, he got young guns Jeff Carter and Mike Richards under contract, in both cases without surrendering major bonus packages.

Indeed, those two prospects alone highlight how much more efficient the Flyers have been at competing and building at the same time compared to Toronto.

Carter was the 11th pick of the '03 draft, Richards the 24th, both taken after the Flyers had eliminated the Leafs in the first round of the playoffs that spring.

In that same draft, the Leafs didn't own a first-round pick.

With room to manoeuvre and quality kids to plug into his lineup in the wake of the new CBA, both the result of careful and thoughtful planning, Clarke got to work. He signed three big defenders in Derian Hatcher, Mike Rathje and Chris Therien, moving defender Danny Markov to Nashville to allow for those purchases.

After telling the hockey world "we're done," Clarke then moved with lightning speed under the cover of his own verbal camouflage and pitched for Forsberg. While rumours had the splendid Swede going to New York, San Jose or even back to Colorado, the Flyers struck.

"They got on the radar late, to be honest," said Forsberg's agent, Don Baizley. "But Bob Clarke got aggressive about it, and got really serious about it (yesterday) morning."

The deal put Philly over the salary cap, and Clarke is expected to fix that problem by moving Jeremy Roenick to Los Angeles.

Now, the Flyers have gone 30 years without a Stanley Cup, so they don't get organization-of-the-year just yet.

But while the Leafs have watched in stunned silence as the bodies have been flying, the Flyers have creatively rebuilt their roster in a determined bid to end that long championship drought.

Clarke's team will go into the season as the favourite to win the Eastern Conference.

The Leafs, meanwhile, are not enjoying life on this new level playing field.

source (http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1123105812837&call_pageid=1044442959412&col=1044442957278)

[PDO]

Could this be Fergy's "plan"? Wait for everyone to get close to their caps and sign their RFA's? If so, I don't mind it once, but don't make it a habit. Players like Zetterberg, Datsyuk or Spezza I don't mind, but we can't abuse our draft picks again.

First + A third for a young stud who's 23/24 is fine.

Definetly not the same as a first and second for Brian Leetch.

[Mel]

Nice. Here... just for you.
source (http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1123105812837&call_pageid=1044442959412&col=1044442957278)

I disagree with Cox's glowing praise of Clarke's moves there grimley. Landing Forsberg was a shocker. That fell in Clarke's lap. Here's why I disagree:

1) Signing Forsberg forced them to give away Jeremy Roenick AND a pick for nothing in return. Sure I'd take Forsberg over Roenick any day... but Jeremy, even at his age, plus a 3rd round pick should fetch a whole lot more than the ever popular "future considerations". If Bobby shopped Roenick and got some far cheaper, offensive value back first, and then landed Forsberg, I'd be calling him a genius. Obviously that's pretty much impossible, because everything is happening so fast. But that leads me to my next point...

2) I already mentioned this in another thread, Now 4 of the 5 top scorers from his team's last season are gone. Aside from Forsberg, there's not a lot of proven offense to pick up the slack. It's just not there. Doesn't mean Philly is screwed, but I'll definitely take a wait-and-see approach on this new team.

3) Hatcher and Rathje, each at 3.5 for 4 and 5 years respectively. I flat out think those were bad signings. Predominantly because of the length of committment. The cap numbers will vary going ahead... they could even drop. Therfore the Flyers have nearly 20% of their cap committed to 2 slow hulking 30 something defensemen... right at a time when the game is going to open up with the 2 line pass. What good is Hatcher's intimidating size going to be when Patrice Bergeron is 20 feet behind him taking a pass on the tape from Brian Leetch for a break-away?

People are praising Clarke for making bad moves. Forsberg yes. The others. No. They should have spent that 7 million on offense. That's my HO.

On a side note: I notice a lot of teams' fans getting excited about big names headed their way, because they weren't use to it before. Take it from me... who has been through this over and over... some times the addition of a 30-something all-star is a good thing and sometimes it doesn't work out. Not to drag anyone down, that's just reality.

Oh and the topic at hand... Zetterberg is a good acquisition if they can pull it off :thumb:

[TimmyTabasco]

Thats nuts if true, but good for the leaf fans

[The Insider]

Well if this was JFJ's plan from day one, he certainly had some tricks up his sleeve. I think it is a good idea to sign younger players with a ton of potential rather than getting locked up in a long term deal with an aging player like some we have done far too many times in the past. Let's hope that it is true and JFJ pulls a fast one on the Wings :laughing:

And it'll be interesting to see what Cox and Simmons would have to say about this :coffee:

[Newfie John]

Well if this was JFJ's plan from day one, he certainly had some tricks up his sleeve. I think it is a good idea to sign younger players with a ton of potential rather than getting locked up in a long term deal with an aging player like some we have done far too many times in the past. Let's hope that it is true and JFJ pulls a fast one on the Wings :laughing:

And it'll be interesting to see what Cox and Simmons would have to say about this :coffee:

I know already, giving up a first and 3rd round pick is too much... :rolleyes:

[Leafs_Fa_Life]

I know already, giving up a first and 3rd round pick is too much... :rolleyes:

Yeah, even though working out a trade with Detroit would probably see us give up a lot more than a 1st and a 3rd :rolleyes:

[grim]

I disagree with Cox's glowing praise of Clarke's moves there grimley.

Fair enough. But as for Cox's Leafs assessment... as the wisest man in show business said..."Sometimes it's better to let the sh*t tree grow than to shake the sh*t fruit out of it." - Jim Lahey :]

http://www.showcase.ca/trailerparkboys/images/residents/main_lahey.jpg

[bluemeanie]

Terry Koshan reports Leafs GM John Ferguson Jr denies a report that he's made an offer sheet to Detroit Red Wings RFA forward Henrik Zetterberg, whose agent also denied the story.

Meh.

[Newfie John]

Terry Koshan reports Leafs GM John Ferguson Jr denies a report that he's made an offer sheet to Detroit Red Wings RFA forward Henrik Zetterberg, whose agent also denied the story.

Meh.

Ah well, it was a pipe dream anyway.