The free agent saga of Mikhail Grabovski finally ended on Friday as the former Leaf forward signed a one year, $3 Million contract with the Washington Capitals.
The 29 year old center has been promised by Capitals’ coach Adam Oates a place on the club’s top two lines and a role on special teams, something that he did not get in Toronto in 2013 under former coach Randy Carlyle.
"I like that they're(Washington) an offensive team and one of the teams who really wants me. General manager and coach, everybody wants me and they like how I play before.” Grabovski said. “I chose Washington because they really trust me and I think I can help them."
Grabovski had arguably his worst year as a pro in a lockout shortened season, scoring nine goals and seven assists in 48 games and just two assists (with a -10 +/- rating) in seven playoff games.
With an inability to move his burdensome contract(four years left at $5.5 Million), the clear indication that he was not a fit with Carlyle and the prospect of center Tyler Bozak departing via unrestricted free agency, Leafs GM Dave Nonis decided to use the club’s second compliance buyout to open up cap space for the signing of free agent winger David Clarkson and to retain Bozak, who was a better fit in Carlyle’s system.
That decision has been much criticized by aficionados of hockey analytics and new statistics like Corsi and Fenwick, which indicate that Grabovski was superior to Bozak at puck possession.
This sets up an interesting comparative between the two centers, as Bozak will play most of the time on the Leafs first line between James van Riemsdyk and Phil Kessel and Grabovski, who will undoubted slot in behind top center Niklas Backstrom and play with forwards like Martin Erat and Brooks Laich.
Prepare yourself for the constant comparison of these two players all season, but since their roles and circumstances are not exactly the same, the end result will not definitively prove anything.
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Sportsnet FAN 590’s David Alter reported via Twitter this afternoon that there has been no progress between the Leafs and restricted free agents Cody Franson and Nazem Kadri.
Franson’s representatives are looking for a long term deal and Alter indicates that the club and Kadri’s camp are “still far apart in contract negotiations” and are looking for a six year deal between $5 Million to $6 Million per season, which elicited a critical response from Kadri himself via Twitter.
The Leafs are unwilling to give Kadri a long term deal based on one successful 48 game season and appear to be sticking to their guns on getting the 22 year old to sign a two or three year bridge deal.
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