Leafs GM Dave Nonis drew heavy criticism for signing free agent winger David Clarkson to a seven year, $36.75 Million contract last summer. The level of vitriol continued to rise through the season as the 29-year-old Mimico, ON native endured a season hampered by injuries and two suspensions, including the first 10 games for leaving the bench during a pre-season brawl.
In spite of the disappointing debut and the fact that he is under contract for another six years, the Clarkson signing still cannot be categorized as the worst roster move made to a Toronto organization in recent history. That prize would have to go to the Blue Jays and their trade with the New York Mets for starting pitcher R.A Dickey.
The fact that Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos acquired the 38-year-old knuckleballer and signed him to a two-year, $25 Million extension in spite of having terrible career numbers in the American League was bad enough, but the move cost the Blue Jays young catcher Travis D’Arnaud and highly regarded pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard in the process.
After going one game over .500 in 2013(14-13, 4.21 ERA), Dickey is rivaling Clarkson’s bad start, with a 1-3 record and 6.26 ERA, but the real concern for the Jays is giving up young assets like D’Arnaud and Syndergaard, a 21-year old pitcher who impressed many in spring training with his power arm and may climb through the Mets minor league system to debut in the Majors later this year.
There is no doubt that the player proclaimed by headlines in Toronto newspapers as “Wendel Clarkson” just nine months ago had a debut on par with other of big-ticket free agent failures like Pavel Kubina in 2006, Jason Blake in 2007 or Tim Connolly in 2011, but the only thing that the signing really cost the Leafs was cap space. The hockey equivalent of the Dickey deal would have been for Nonis to have swapped Morgan Rielly and Josh Leivo for Clarkson.
“I think the start to the way things went here was the kicker.”Clarkson said at locker clean out day on Monday. “I’ve got to be better, that’s something that I know and I’m gonna go to work right away here and get back to the way I play and what I can do.”
As with most players who reach unrestricted free agency, Clarkson will never come close to being equal to the dollar value of his $5.25 Million salary, but if the winger can provide a physical component and score in the 15-20 goal range as was expected, then the criticism of the signing should increase to a dull roar.
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Ex-Leafs Playoff Watch
Former Toronto first round pick Alex Steen scored the overtime winner for St. Louis in a 4-3 triple overtime victory over the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. Kris Versteeg had an assist for the Blackhawks.
Two-time Stanley Cup winning coach Joel Quenneville(a Leafs first round pick in 1978) reaction to a non-penalty call is being looked at by the league for possible fine.
Former Leaf Mike Brown did not score a point in San Jose’s 6-3 victory over the LA Kings, but set a tone for the Sharks early in the game with a hit on Kings defenseman Slava Voynov that dominoed into goaltender Jonathan Quick.
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