Heading to trade deadline, can someone help me understand

[Jersey Wing 1,521]

OK, this isn't about specific trades it's somebody helping me understand something before the deals start getting made and it's just for my own edification. Richards gets cut by the Kings, nobody wants him because that's be $5.5 million against the team that signed him's cap for X amount of years. Toronto has said they want to tear things down and start again but Phil Kessel is almost un-tradeable with an astounding $8 million cap hit thru 2022.

So my question is, if Toronto does to Kessel what the Kings did to Richards I know the Leafs must pay him but basically Kessel is simply priced out of the market to play in the NHL, yes? He can't in any way sit around and say screw this I want to disavow/tear up the Leafs contract can he? Kessel and guys like him are just stuck, yes?

Thanks in advance.

[Son of a Wing 1,644]

First of all Kessel is not untradable on his contract.

They wouldn't even have to retain salary nor would he ever pass through waivers.

Their other option would be to buy him out. Which again will never happen.

He'll be traded in the off-season when teams are more flexible.

Technically if any player declines that much, the only way to "get out" would be to retire or get bought out.

Also if a player just stops reporting to the team he's assigned to then the team can terminate the contract eventually.

[kipwinger 8,492]

First of all Kessel is not untradable on his contract.

They wouldn't even have to retain salary nor would he ever pass through waivers.

Their other option would be to buy him out. Which again will never happen.

He'll be traded in the off-season when teams are more flexible.

Technically if any player declines that much, the only way to "get out" would be to retire or get bought out.

Also if a player just stops reporting to the team he's assigned to then the team can terminate the contract eventually.

Basically this. Richards and Kessel aren't in the same boat. One is washed up and unproductive while being massively overpaid. The other is a little overpaid but is one of the best goal scorers in the game.

[BottleOfSmoke 5,965]

Exactly. As much as I make fun of Chubbers America, I would be perfectly fine with Kenny paying him 8 mil a year to play here. Not fond of that contract length, though. 2022?

[Jersey Wing 1,521]

Thanks, for whatever reason i was running some crazy ideas through my head thinking some of these guys could actually price themselves out of playing again

[Barrie 900]

I'll add the Leafs are not only stuck with Kessel, but with Phaneuf, Lupul, Clarkson, Van Riemsdyk, and Bozak too, for 3 years or more. All of those guys are overpaid. Add to that, after this year Kadri and Bernier need new contracts.

What a mess. It's going to take 10-12 years to turn that franchise around.

[rick zombo 3,739]

I'll add the Leafs are not only stuck with Kessel, but with Phaneuf, Lupul, Clarkson, Van Riemsdyk, and Bozak too, for 3 years or more. All of those guys are overpaid. Add to that, after this year Kadri and Bernier need new contracts.

What a mess. It's going to take 10-12 years to turn that franchise around.

I'd be fine with this if I was a Leafs fan. EXCEPT that they basically said the same thing 10-12 years ago

[kipwinger 8,492]

I'll add the Leafs are not only stuck with Kessel, but with Phaneuf, Lupul, Clarkson, Van Riemsdyk, and Bozak too, for 3 years or more. All of those guys are overpaid. Add to that, after this year Kadri and Bernier need new contracts.

What a mess. It's going to take 10-12 years to turn that franchise around.

I don't think so at all. If I were them I'd have a five pronged strategy for success...

1. Select organizational philosophy similar to Anaheim, San Jose, or Boston.

2. Find coach who can play that game.

3. Build around Phaneuf, JVR, Panik, Winnik, Reilly, Clarkson, Bozak and move Kessel, Lupul (if possible), Kadri, Santorelli, Gardiner for futures.

4. Draft big centers as early as possible.

5. Buy stop gaps in UFA until centers are ready.

Estimated time to competitiveness? Five years.

[amato 3,210]

I'll add the Leafs are not only stuck with Kessel, but with Phaneuf, Lupul, Clarkson, Van Riemsdyk, and Bozak too, for 3 years or more. All of those guys are overpaid. Add to that, after this year Kadri and Bernier need new contracts.

What a mess. It's going to take 10-12 years to turn that franchise around.

Kessel and Phaneuf I agree with..

& I don't really know what most of the other guys make

but JVR makes 4.25ish per year and that is in no way overpayment IMO..

Edited February 11, 2015 by amato

[rick zombo 3,739]

I don't think so at all. If I were them I'd have a five pronged strategy for success...

1. Select organizational philosophy similar to Anaheim, San Jose, or Boston.

2. Find coach who can play that game.

3. Build around Phaneuf, JVR, Panik, Winnik, Reilly, Clarkson, Bozak and move Kessel, Lupul (if possible), Kadri, Santorelli, Gardiner for futures.

4. Draft big centers as early as possible.

5. Buy stop gaps in UFA until centers are ready.

Estimated time to competitiveness? Five years.

Well, they'd already have a decent head start with Gauthier.

[wings4thecup06 504]

I don't think so at all. If I were them I'd have a five pronged strategy for success...

1. Select organizational philosophy similar to Anaheim, San Jose, or Boston.

2. Find coach who can play that game.

3. Build around Phaneuf, JVR, Panik, Winnik, Reilly, Clarkson, Bozak and move Kessel, Lupul (if possible), Kadri, Santorelli, Gardiner for futures.

4. Draft big centers as early as possible.

5. Buy stop gaps in UFA until centers are ready.

Estimated time to competitiveness? Five years.

Nah I disagree. The culture of that entire organisation is wrong. When Brian Burke came in it was heralded as the big thing the Leafs needed and there was going to be a rebuild. But he didn't tear the entire thing do and do it slowly. Instead, he tried to rush things, probably because he was told to do so from some rather impatient people above him, and look where the Leafs are now. They've made the playoffs just once the past 10 years. This team deserves a proper rebuild. Right from the ground up because they've been trying quick fixes and patches here and there for the last decade and it just doesn't work.

[kipwinger 8,492]

Nah I disagree. The culture of that entire organisation is wrong. When Brian Burke came in it was heralded as the big thing the Leafs needed and there was going to be a rebuild. But he didn't tear the entire thing do and do it slowly. Instead, he tried to rush things, probably because he was told to do so from some rather impatient people above him, and look where the Leafs are now. They've made the playoffs just once the past 10 years. This team deserves a proper rebuild. Right from the ground up because they've been trying quick fixes and patches here and there for the last decade and it just doesn't work.

How is dumping three of your top six forward and one of your top four defenders not a proper rebuild? Moving Kessel, Kadri, Santorelli, and Gardiner is a significant tear down. You don't literally have to get rid of EVERYONE in order to consider it a rebuild.