Sunday, June 22, 2008

Draft weekend wrapup

Some closing thoughts on what was, all things considered, a pretty positive weekend...



Mats Sundin is an ex-Leaf. It's all but official now. Even if he doesn't wind up with the Habs, it's clear that Fletcher has figured out that Mats isn't coming back.

At this point Mats Sundin is the unhappy girlfriend who, rather than just break up with you, decides to give you the silent treamtent. So she pouts about how you don't respect her and stops returning your calls, all the while hoping you'll break up with her so that she can cry to her friends about how badly she was treated.

Well, Cliff has been around long enough to know the game, and he's not having it. The question now isn't whether Mats comes back -- we know he isn't. It's whether Cliff can manage to get something worthwhile for him.

If Fletcher manages to extract a first round pick for Sundin, or anything of significant value, I'll be doing cartwheels. The rebuilding Leafs will be better off without Sundin at this point, so anything Cliff can get is gravy.



At first, I wasn't sure about the Luke Schenn pick. The price to move up was high (thanks, Paul Maurice), and I get nervous about using the #5 overall pick on a guy who's considered only fourth best at his position.

Then I heard Pierre McGuire call him an "eraser" and a "one man wrecking crew", and I was excited. And then, as the first round went on, I heard McGuire get equally excited about every single other player who was picked. He loved every single player for three straight hours.

I guess he's only critical when he's bashing about the Leafs on Ottawa radio to make the morning show crew giggle.



Jimmy Hayes is an interesting choice. Hayes was considered a top-ten pick heading into the season so he could be decent value in the late second, and he's got plenty of size. But scouts soured on him because he doesn't play hard and often looks like he does't care.

You know what that means: he's ahead of the game! It usually takes a Leafs prospect years to learn the dressing room culture. Once McCabe teaches him how to blame injuries and use the phrase "we've got a great group", this kid could be captain material.




Mikhail Stefanovich seems like a great value at #98. Unlike Hayes, Stefanovich was well-regarded through most of the year. The Hockey News had him going in the top 20 of most of their lists throughout the year and he went #25 in the most recent mock draft, so he was certainly worth a shot in the late third.

If you missed it, here's a funny pre-draft take on Stefanovich from AOL Fanhouse.



How long did the last six rounds take? An hour? I heard on the radio that teams had 30 seconds to make a pick after the first round. How is that possible? I can't even get the guys in my fantasy football league to make a late-round pick in less than ten minutes.



Finally, you know the Leafs must have done something right this weekend because even Damien Cox can't find anything to criticize. It's true - here's Damien's Sunday column.

Yes, you can always tell when Cox thinks the Leafs have done something right, because he finds something completely different to write about for a few days.

Seriously, the Leafs draft a franchise blueliner, load up on size, and part with Mats Sundin all in one weekend... and Toronto's top hockey columnist files a glorified fluff piece on the new Lightning owners for his Sunday piece? This is the best we can expect?




8 comments:

  1. "At this point Mats Sundin is the unhappy girlfriend who, rather than just break up with you, decides to give you the silent treamtent. So she pouts about how you don't respect her and stops returning your calls, all the while hoping you'll break up with her so that she can cry to her friends about how badly she was treated."

    give me a break. sundin's doing what most other free agents are doing. waiting until july 1st. hossa's hiting the market, avery is hitting the market, malone is hitting the market.

    he knows he's got an offer from the leafs on the table. he's doing what you'd do in this situation: talk to montreal and see where they are at and what they're willing to offer.

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  2. Hey there! Really appreciate your coverage of the draft. Top notch.
    This was the most interesting quote I read this weekend, from Damien's Saturday piece:
    Fletcher says, "It took you guys a while to find out... It would have been better if you hadn't". By "you guys", I'm sure he's referring to this planet's laziest, I mean, best in-depth sports writers. What is interseting is that Fletcher suggests that this "deal" has a better chance of success, if no one knows about it.
    Cliff also said in an article from Friday's National Post by Joe O'Connor and James Madge (it took 2 guys to write that?)
    "That's the only thing that we'll say. It's not in my best interests to say anything else. It's not in Montreal's best interests and it's not in Mats' best interests."

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  3. eyebeleaf...

    Those players are in very different situations. Those guys didn't have NTCs they refused to waive, they haven't been in a city for 14 years, they haven't been long-time captains.

    The Sun is reporting today that Sundin is "miffed" with the Leafs for even talking about trading him in February. That's at least part of the reason he's stonewalling now -- with this fake "vacation" that apparently has him unreachable even when he knows everybody is waiting on him to make up his mind.

    If Sundin wants to leave, let him say so. Explain to the fans why you want out now, what changed since February, and then be on your way. Whatever you think about how the Leafs handled this, at least they were honest with him throughout this whole process, even when it was something he didn't want to hear.

    He could at least do the same, rather than sulking and hiding behind a fishing trip.

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  4. i don't put much credence into what The Sun says. remember, according to The Sun, sundin was facing retirement this time last year, and he put in one of his best seasons in a long time.

    as for this being a "fake vacation," doesn't sundin always go to europe in the off-season?

    he's maintained that he hasn't made a decision on what he wants to do - play or retire. just like joe sakic. sundin did this last year as well. he was up front about it then, why should we think he's being nefarious this time?

    if he does want to leave, he doesn't need to explain anything to anybody, because it's clear what HAS changed: we're not at the trade deadline and if he leaves he's not a rental player. that was his only stand - he did not want to be a rental player. he wants to win the cup on his terms, and those are his terms. to be with one team for the entire season and if he wins it that way, great, if not, so be it.

    i agree with you that the leafs have been honest with him, but i would also say that sundin has also been just as honest as us. they spun the tires on a trade in february, as they should have done, and he respectfully declined to be moved, as he had the right.

    what you take as "sulking and hiding behind a fishing trip" i see as his time to make a decision. why should we assume that he's lying? again, i understand you're taking the tip from The Sun...

    i think it would be great to hear from him before july 1st so we can figure out what we're going to do when the clock strikes noon, but, hey, this is the position we've found ourselves in. he's got an offer from us on the table, and now the ball is in his court. and there ain't no shot clock, so we have no option but to wait.

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  5. he's got an offer from us on the table, and now the ball is in his court. and there ain't no shot clock

    But there is a shot clock, and he knows it. The Leafs need to know if he's coming back so they can plan their UFA strategy. The Habs need to know so they can plan theirs. And if he doesn't make up his mind soon, the Leafs may lose their last chance to get any scrap of compensation for him.

    He knows all of this. He's known that the start of free agency was the critical date. He's known that since his off-season began two months ago. And yet he chooses right now to vanish on a wilderness fishing trip? He couldn't have done that in August (or April or May)?

    If it was anyone else, we'd call the whole thing a case of ridiculous posturing and tell him to make up his damn mind. But instead we all have to pretend that its no big deal, because he's Mats Sundin, and if anyone so much as makes direct eye contact with him he disappears for another six weeks.

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  6. sundin doesn't have to worry about the leafs losing any scap of compensation for him. that's not his problem. that's the leafs' problem.

    and he's not on a wilderness fishing trip. you know that as well as i do. he's in contact with his agent and in contact with the habs. as has been reported by mckenzie at tsn, sundin has told gainey not to fly out to sweden and see him. they can chat on the phone for now. why? because he doesn't know if he's coming back to play or not this season. joey sakic doing the same thing, he hasn't made a decision, is that posturing?

    clearly the fact that it is being reported on every day shows that it is a big deal. if it wasn't, we wouldn't be talking about it. but it's his decision. he'll make it when he makes it. until then you, me, the leafs and the habs have got to sit tight and wait.

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  7. and sean, i enjoy constantly debating sundin with you. we're both dug deep in our trenches.

    and i'm thoroughly enjoying your blog.

    and that comment you made about Kaigarodov over at Mirtle's website was certifiably hilarious.

    cheers, my man.

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  8. and sean, i enjoy constantly debating sundin with you. we're both dug deep in our trenches.

    No doubt. I look forward to the next round.

    (Performs McSorely/Probert head-tap, heads to penalty box.)

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