I'd do Clarkson for Richards. The money cancels out, as does the term. At the end of the year, buy him out. Clarkson's contract is set up with signing bonuses that make it so you'd pay full price for him, on a buyout. Richards contract, I assume, would be at 2/3's. We could keep him for a year or two, as a roster player, while we rebuild, then buy him out, once we need the cap space. It's the only way that we go after Mike Richards.
- PrinceLH

But LA wants Richards out so they can sign guys like Kopitar long term.

It doesnt make sense for them to take on Clarkson.

leafies need to rid themselves of this disease known as bad cap management. picking up richards does not cure this and only make it worse.
- wingz4life

bozak, phaneuf, lupul, gardiner, reimer, franson = 5.25+4.2+4.05+3.3+7+2.3= Roughly almost 24M, and if we trade robidas for him that would be even better or clarkson. So how is there no room for him when we can make plenty of space

Exactly, any way you can get out of that deal you do it, but no one will ever take his contract, maybe if the Leafs gave up 3 first rounders...
- aminnes

I just wonder if LA could use a winger, that doesn't mind going to the net. Clarkson is something that they may be lacking. Richards is stuck behind a number of great centre's. Something to ponder.

Duston Brown 19 pts

Mike Richards 15 pts


Last Year

Mike Richards 41 pts

Dustin Brown 27 pts


... pick up richards who cares
- DougGilmour_93

dustin brown's impact doesn't show on the scoresheet. There's a reason he has those numbers yet is captain and on Team USA.

Mike richards does nothing compared to his old self

bozak, phaneuf, lupul, gardiner, reimer, franson = 5.25+4.2+4.05+3.3+7+2.3= Roughly almost 24M, and if we trade robidas for him that would be even better or clarkson. So how is there no room for him when we can make plenty of space
- DougGilmour_93

what does he do for the leafs? makes them slightly better so they can get a worse spot in the draft. no thanks

Duston Brown 19 pts

Mike Richards 15 pts


Last Year

Mike Richards 41 pts

Dustin Brown 27 pts


... pick up richards who cares
- DougGilmour_93

You'll care if you can't sign Kadri or bernier lol

Comparing those 2 players doesnt mean much. It's not like we have a choice between those 2 players...

If Bernier isn't proven to some of you guys, you really need to reassess your personal concept of what that is. Too much wanting cake and eating it too here.

Bernier is only going to get better on top of how good he already is with a wickedly terrible D in front of him. Want to look back in Year 3 of his contract and smile about having a great value for the next 4 seasons?

6 years @ 5m and you don't even hesitate to push that across the table to him and his gorgeous hair.
- mcleafs

post of the year. no
post of the hour. no
post of the minute, no
#freebernier

dustin brown's impact doesn't show on the scoresheet. There's a reason he has those numbers yet is captain and on Team USA.

Mike richards does nothing compared to his old self
- clark_griswold

Take him over our loser 1st line centerman that is terrible defensively

bozak, phaneuf, lupul, gardiner, reimer, franson = 5.25+4.2+4.05+3.3+7+2.3= Roughly almost 24M, and if we trade robidas for him that would be even better or clarkson. So how is there no room for him when we can make plenty of space
- DougGilmour_93

trade all those guys in the next 24h so we can pick up Richards off waivers?

That is the craziest tomfoolery i've heard all week...
- aminnes

he said tomfoolery

But LA wants Richards out so they can sign guys like Kopitar long term.

It doesnt make sense for them to take on Clarkson.
- jbold

The problem is, nobody will take him. Can Clarkson give them more, then Carter, being a winger? Maybe they just need to be rid of him. If they send him to the minors, they still have to pay most of his salary.

It hurts, how clueless you are.

Weber, a true number 1 Dman, makes 8 million dollars and is signed til 2026. Where he'll 40 and still making 7+ million.


Dion on the other hand, is a top pairing guy who has no partner, and makes 7 million dollars. Isn't signed nearly as long.


So tell me, you're trying to say Dion isnt worth 7 million? Look around the league and look at comparables who signed recently.
- jbold

He is not even close... What you are suggesting is that to have an effective top pairing you should be spending 15-16 million for it, which the cup champs over the last number of years would disagree with... You have you number 1 at 7 or 8 and a solid 2 at around 5 million, you can't blow that much cap like that...

leafies need to rid themselves of this disease known as bad cap management. picking up richards does not cure this and only make it worse.
- wingz4life

this is easy to see ..without leafs blinders

bozak, phaneuf, lupul, gardiner, reimer, franson = 5.25+4.2+4.05+3.3+7+2.3= Roughly almost 24M, and if we trade robidas for him that would be even better or clarkson. So how is there no room for him when we can make plenty of space
- DougGilmour_93

Why do you want such a crappy players who makes too much? He's a shell of his former self.

trade all those guys in the next 24h so we can pick up Richards off waivers?
- Feeling Glucky?

we have lupul on IR, we can pick up richards

Take him over our loser 1st line centerman that is terrible defensively
- DougGilmour_93

i'd say our whole team is terrible defensively. At a time, richards was the complete package...did it all. Now he is david clarkson v2. Watch the guy play, it's a joke compared to the player we saw in 2009-10

this is easy to see ..without leafs blinders
- senstroll

It has nothing to do with Leafs blinders... it's "grass is greener" syndrome.

trade all those guys in the next 24h so we can pick up Richards off waivers?
- Feeling Glucky?

All because he wants Richards..

Trading those guys, and picking up Richards doesnt absolutely nothing to this team.

wow like it matters in that game
- explorer

it only matters to people who need something to rip on Kessel about

It has nothing to do with Leafs blinders... it's "grass is greener" syndrome.
- Feeling Glucky?

you mean like with all the summer signings?

Robidas was my favorite.

bozak, phaneuf, lupul, gardiner, reimer, franson = 5.25+4.2+4.05+3.3+7+2.3= Roughly almost 24M, and if we trade robidas for him that would be even better or clarkson. So how is there no room for him when we can make plenty of space
- DougGilmour_93

the leafs still have all those players?
they cant magically make them disappear from the cap

Richards at 5.75 until 2020 is insane... there is also a cap recapture problem if he retires ..

picking him up would be one of the worst moves the leafs have made

It hurts, how clueless you are.

Weber, a true number 1 Dman, makes 8 million dollars and is signed til 2026. Where he'll 40 and still making 7+ million.


Dion on the other hand, is a top pairing guy who has no partner, and makes 7 million dollars. Isn't signed nearly as long.


So tell me, you're trying to say Dion isnt worth 7 million? Look around the league and look at comparables who signed recently.
- jbold

So you were comparing Dion to Weber...

It hurts, how clueless you are.

Weber, a true number 1 Dman, makes 8 million dollars and is signed til 2026. Where he'll 40 and still making 7+ million.


Dion on the other hand, is a top pairing guy who has no partner, and makes 7 million dollars. Isn't signed nearly as long.


So tell me, you're trying to say Dion isnt worth 7 million? Look around the league and look at comparables who signed recently.
- jbold

I'm looking around the league, and If he is worth 7mill as a first pairing D, half the league would be offering the Leafs 1st+prospect+young NHLer packages. That doesn't seem to be the case.

Take him over our loser 1st line centerman that is terrible defensively
- DougGilmour_93

Richards is god awful. He's not a first line center either.

I would take Bozak and his contract over Richards and his contract.

Any day of the week.

I'm looking around the league, and If he is worth 7mill as a first pairing D, half the league would be offering the Leafs 1st+prospect+young NHLer packages. That doesn't seem to be the case.
- 1979AD

Dion does have a sick watch collection though....