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Two contracts at $10M-plus a tough squeeze
Until Darcy Tucker puts pen to paper on a new deal with the Maple Leafs, he knows the trade rumours will keep repeating themselves like Christmas carols wailing through the halls of the local shopping mall.
Tucker is a pending free agent come the summer, leaving general manager John Ferguson with the unenviable task of attempting to squeeze both he and captain Mats Sundin under the salary cap for next season.
With Sundin holding the hammer with his no-trade clause, Tucker would appear to be a more logical candidate to be moved should Ferguson's hand be forced.
Little wonder the rumours already have started.
"(Talk) will happen as long as my status is unclear," Tucker said yesterday. "People are going to speculate.
"When I was younger, (the scuttlebutt) used to bother me a lot. But as I've gotten older you can't let it bother you. I just play as hard as I can every night."
Tucker looks at Bryan McCabe in order to understand how crazy the next few months might be.
Last season, McCabe was the big-name Leaf playing out his contract with Toronto. The club had just signed Tomas Kaberle long term, but had yet to come to an agreement with McCabe as the trade deadline approached, causing many to urge Ferguson to move the veteran defenceman and ensure some kind of return.
Ferguson opted not to pull the trigger and re-signed McCabe prior to the opening of free agency July 1.
'HOPE, REBIRTH'
"Obviously, I want to stay in Toronto but but this is what Bryan went through last year with his situation," Tucker said. "I've got someone to lean on for sure."
Asked about the state of contract talks, Tucker's agent, Carlos Sosa, would only say that "the new year is about hope and rebirth."
Edmonton, Calgary, San Jose and Dallas are all believed to have keen interest, according to TSN.ca, and that list would balloon if word spread that Tucker were available.
But that day has not yet arrived. Far from it. In fact, Ferguson insisted yesterday he "definitely" plans to have both Tucker and Sundin on board next season.
The Leafs hierarchy is expected to debate the team's long-term options in the coming weeks.
But what if Tucker's asking price is too steep? He is on pace for a 40-plus goal season, which likely would net him at least $4 million on the open market.
Little progress has been made thus far but talks could heat up next month. According to the CBA, no deal can be made prior to Jan. 1 in which a players salary would escalate by more than 100%. Tucker is scheduled to earn $1.596 million this season.
Meanwhile, the Leafs hold a $4.56-million club option on Sundin for next season. If they were to pick up the option, the Sundin deal would chew up $6.333 million of cap space, the average of his salary over the term of his existing contract.
For his part, Sundin said he is not looking to be traded or hang up his blades at the end of the season.
TorontoSun.com - Hockey - Can Leafs afford Mats and Darcy?
Until Darcy Tucker puts pen to paper on a new deal with the Maple Leafs, he knows the trade rumours will keep repeating themselves like Christmas carols wailing through the halls of the local shopping mall.
Tucker is a pending free agent come the summer, leaving general manager John Ferguson with the unenviable task of attempting to squeeze both he and captain Mats Sundin under the salary cap for next season.
With Sundin holding the hammer with his no-trade clause, Tucker would appear to be a more logical candidate to be moved should Ferguson's hand be forced.
Little wonder the rumours already have started.
"(Talk) will happen as long as my status is unclear," Tucker said yesterday. "People are going to speculate.
"When I was younger, (the scuttlebutt) used to bother me a lot. But as I've gotten older you can't let it bother you. I just play as hard as I can every night."
Tucker looks at Bryan McCabe in order to understand how crazy the next few months might be.
Last season, McCabe was the big-name Leaf playing out his contract with Toronto. The club had just signed Tomas Kaberle long term, but had yet to come to an agreement with McCabe as the trade deadline approached, causing many to urge Ferguson to move the veteran defenceman and ensure some kind of return.
Ferguson opted not to pull the trigger and re-signed McCabe prior to the opening of free agency July 1.
'HOPE, REBIRTH'
"Obviously, I want to stay in Toronto but but this is what Bryan went through last year with his situation," Tucker said. "I've got someone to lean on for sure."
Asked about the state of contract talks, Tucker's agent, Carlos Sosa, would only say that "the new year is about hope and rebirth."
Edmonton, Calgary, San Jose and Dallas are all believed to have keen interest, according to TSN.ca, and that list would balloon if word spread that Tucker were available.
But that day has not yet arrived. Far from it. In fact, Ferguson insisted yesterday he "definitely" plans to have both Tucker and Sundin on board next season.
The Leafs hierarchy is expected to debate the team's long-term options in the coming weeks.
But what if Tucker's asking price is too steep? He is on pace for a 40-plus goal season, which likely would net him at least $4 million on the open market.
Little progress has been made thus far but talks could heat up next month. According to the CBA, no deal can be made prior to Jan. 1 in which a players salary would escalate by more than 100%. Tucker is scheduled to earn $1.596 million this season.
Meanwhile, the Leafs hold a $4.56-million club option on Sundin for next season. If they were to pick up the option, the Sundin deal would chew up $6.333 million of cap space, the average of his salary over the term of his existing contract.
For his part, Sundin said he is not looking to be traded or hang up his blades at the end of the season.
TorontoSun.com - Hockey - Can Leafs afford Mats and Darcy?
