Cliff Fletcher, Toronto Maple Leafs Will Struggle Next Season

shannon murray — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:14:32 -0400

Why does Cliff Fletcher say he only wants players under 30 years of age? I don't get it. Darcy Tucker is 32—does this mean Darcy's washed up? I think not.

In my opinion, Fletcher has made some critical mistakes in this offseason for the Maple Leafs. The signing of Jeff Finger at $3.4 million a season is a joke for someone that has only played 90 NHL hockey games. He could turn out to be a great player, but 3.4 million?

Isn't this the same guy who was hired by Richard Peddie to come in and make some smart moves? Fletcher pays Finger $3.4 million a season, but tries to trade Tomas Kaberle to Philadelphia at the trade deadline last season.

Tomas Kaberle makes $4.2 million, which, in my opinion, is worth every penny. This guy should be making at least $6 million a season. Cliff Fletcher has made one good signing. Niklas Hagman was a good signing, but without some veterans on your club, you're going nowhere fast.

This is why Mats Sundin should have been signed. If the Leafs are depending on Nik Antropov, they're in trouble. Not that Antropov is a bad player—he's a great player—he's just always injured.

So in short, the only real reason why Fletcher is in Toronto is because Richard Peddie was probably losing his job. After all, wasn't it Peddie's idea to get rid of Pat Quinn and replace him with John Ferguson Jr.? The Leafs haven't made the playoffs since.

Leaf fans are told to wait another three years because experienced players like Tucker and Sundin are replaced by Finger and Hagman. Peddie was trying to save his job and Fletcher needed a job.

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Cliff Fletcher, Toronto Maple Leafs Will Struggle Next Season