With 10 potential NHL ready players on the blue line, and only prospect Luke Schenn being waiver exempt, it’s clear that the Toronto Maple Leafs are going to have to make a few moves to get down to the seven D-men they plan on carrying during the regular season.
If top prospect Schenn gets the standard nine game look and is returned to his junior team, the Leafs would be down to nine D-men.
Given the Leafs recent move towards players with more size and grit, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Ian White moved, which would put the team at eight defensemen.
That leaves defencemen Pavel Kubina and/or Bryan McCabe as prime trade bait for the re-building Leafs.
Leafs GM Cliff Fletcher and Coach Ron Wilson have both openly stated that McCabe is not in the team’s plans for the upcoming season, making McCabe, despite his no movement clause (NMC), the more likely of the two D-men to be moved.
Timing
If it’s Kubina on the trading block, the Leafs have a small window of opportunity to close the deal. Kubina’s contract permits the Leafs to trade him between the NHL Entry Draft and August 15. After that, Kubina’s no trade clause kicks in, effectively pulling Kubina out of the trade market.
McCabe is due to receive a $2M bonus in September (his salary for this season is $4.15M+$2M bonus for $6.15 while his cap hit is $5.75M). It's likely safe to presume that most teams would be far more inclined to deal for McCabe once that bonus has been paid by the Leafs.
Cap Hits, Chemistry and Conferences
If trying to trade McCabe with his NMC wasn’t challenging enough, a look at the cap situation across the NHL quickly reduces the number of possible trading partners.
Several teams are either right at the cap max or so close to it they likely can’t take on McCabe’s $5.75 M cap hit.
Cap issues pretty much rule out: Anaheim, Boston, Calgary, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Montreal, New Jersey, New York Rangers, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Tampa Bay.
Nashville, Phoenix and St. Louis have the extra cap space but are likely too constrained by internal team budgets to take on McCabe’s $4.15M salary.
Sure, the Leafs could take back a hefty salary in return, but it would have to pretty much be a dollar-for-dollar trade with any of these clubs, and given the log jam on D that precipitated this deal it would have to be a big-money forward.
It’s difficult enough to find a trade partner never mind trying to balance out the salaries going each way, so I don’t think trades with any of these teams are going to happen (but I could be way way off on this one).
McCabe’s rather free-wheeling style probably eliminates Minnesota and Florida outright too.
That’s 17 teams out of contention. (Of course, having said that on the record, the Leafs will definitely trade McCabe to one of these teams).
Then there’s the whole issue of location.
McCabe has some personal/home life issues that have led many to conclude that he would only accept a trade to a team in the Northeastern United States.
Teams with cap space, but a west coast bias, include Colorado (still need to re-sign Sakic), Columbus, Edmonton, Los Angeles, San Jose and Vancouver.
8 comments Last one added 12 months ago — Leave a Comment
Alan Bass about 1 year ago
great article michael, you bring up a great number of points
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Mark Makuch 12 months ago
honestly i don't think mccabe is going anywhere. sad, but, fletcher is powerless.
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Abby Pond 12 months ago
You spell it out nicely, and I agree with Mark in that it's unlikely McCabe will move. It's just too complicated, given the restrictions. I'd like to see McCabe have a chance to get back to his old form. Usually the position of whipping boy rotates from year to year, so he could be under a little less scrutiny. After all, he can't do much worse than last season.
Having said that, it's not above Fletcher to trade away Toronto's draft picks for nothing. He's done it before, he's doing it again.
And I'm all for saying goodbye to Kubina. Why was he signed to such a deal in the first place??
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Josh Lewis 12 months ago
Great analysis. My guesses would be the Isles or Caps. I also don't think we need to get a forward in return - I'd be happy to dump McCabe for a couple of picks or prospects.
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AC Milan 12 months ago
I'd be happy to dump McCabe for NOTHING!!! The like saying goes... "a bag of pucks"
Lets just clear his salary....
good article, lots of great points!
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Bryan Thiel 12 months ago
Wow, Michael that is about as comprehensive as it gets. It's interesting to see where the possible destinations for McCabe are and what could be gotten in return—I'm fairly optimistic that he can be dealt actually, and this seems to be a situation where Fletch could pull off a deal in which he gets hardly anything in return (as was said above: Bag of pucks) and he wouldn't really be blamed as he got an enormous salary off the books.
I'd settle for draft picks in return for McCabe to be honest, or the (I think) Kris Draper special—being traded for $1.
BT
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Anders Edling 12 months ago
Great article!!! I really think Ottawa is a possibility because they need something (anything). I don't know if they have anything that Toronto wants but then again can Toronto really be picky? The only other player that took that much flak is Mats Sundin and I think his lack of desire to play right now is a direct result. He did everything for the Leafs and then when he did the admirable thing and say he wasn't going to be a rental player and then the media and fans were pissed that he wouldn't give the Leafs a draft pick or whatever by waving his trade clause. Either way I think if the fans in Toronto want to be useful they need to stop criticizing players and get Fletcher and everyone else fired.
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Shawn Dryden 12 months ago
who cares. As big as Mccabes heart is and wants to help toronto..the more he gives the puck away. He was a big part to another horrid season. He completely and outright lost games all by himself. So who cares where he goes. He's not welcome here.
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