Big-contract blueliner Bryan McCabe is being forced out of T-dot.
McCabe, 33, has spent the last eight years under contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, playing as a top-four defensemen with the club for seven of the past eight seasons as well as playing as a first-liner with HV71 of the Swedish Elite League during the lockout.
There is no doubt that McCabe is a top-quality player, but fans and new management in Toronto believe he is being overpaid and they are looking to pinch their pennies.
McCabe has for the past year been the itch the Maple Leafs could not scratch, refusing to wave his no-trade clause. But it now seems the Leafs have a clever solution.
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Management in Toronto say that McCabe will not be bought out of his contract, which has three years remaining at $5.75 million per season. But he also will not return to the NHL in Leafs' blue and white.
It's said that the pricey McCabe has played his final game as a Leaf. While the Maple Leafs' will not buy him out of the final three years of his contract, they won't be inviting him back to the team, either. This move is made in an effort to force McCabe to waive his no-trade clause.
Leafs GM Cliff Fletcher is doing quite the opposite of what John Ferguson, Jr. did during his years at the helm. Instead of going on a spending spree, Fletcher is looking for refunds.
He is demolishing all the bagage left behind by Ferguson, recently unloading fan-favorite Darcy Tucker and creating major spectulation about the man who now seems to be nothing more than a former Leafs captain, Mats Sundin.
Fletcher is looking to drop the bomb on McCabe by boarding up the doors and saying "Get out of town."
Still, he won't do anything without some return for McCabe, so now all that can be done by the blueliner is waive the no-trade or take a nice break.
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5 months ago
the only problem with locking out mccabe this is that he can file a grievance with the NHLPA. that is a major headache for the leafs organization. And what kind of message does that kind of move tell other free agents?
i'm pretty sure Fletcher has actually stated he won't lock out mcCabe, but he's sending as loud a message as he can thorugh the media to try to force bryan's hand. Its really the most he can do.
if mcCabe holds out then lets hope he returns to form this season and they get some scoring in a trade involving Kubina.
5 months ago
If he wouldn't accept a trade, just keep him for this season. Maybe sitting well out of the playoffs at the trade deadline will make him want to be moved to a contender. If not, you can buy him out next year at a much cheaper rate because there will only be 2yrs at $4.15 million left on his contract. Which is actually pretty reasonable for him, considering Redden will likely get more this off-season ( though McCabe's cap hit remains $5.75mil)
5 months ago
they dont have to lock him out, just sit him. The NHLPA cannot force a team to play a player just because he is on the books. Also, in that scenario, if he becomes a negative attitude in the locker room because of not getting played, you can suspend him the first time he breaks a rule. McCabe is looking to get bought out, its reasonable really, weak free agent market, teams looking to spend to get to the floor, hmmm... not really difficult to see McCabe taking the buyout money and walking into another hefty contract.
5 months ago
It is hard to feel sorry for the used to be "HOT SHOT" McCabe. If he were working in the corporate world, contract or no contract, he would have found his sorry a-- out on the street some time ago. If McCabe doesn't agree to a trade, put him on the fourth line as a left winger, serve him up to Leaf fans for one shift per game, to determine how strong a stomach he has!
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