Mike Milbury: New Leafs GM must have total control
What to do with Darcy Tucker will be one of the decision Cliff Fletcher will face as the Leafs' new interm-GM. (Getty Images)
2008-01-22 18:13:05
BY MIKE MILBURY
With the Toronto Maple Leafs announcing the hiring of Cliff Fletcher on an interim basis, John Ferguson can feel some relief.
Although no one wants to see it end for him like this, at least it's over. He can move on with his life and I hope the Leafs at least gave him a financial pat on the back as he does. He deserves it.
This situation has been totally mishandled. No matter what his results, Ferguson deserved better than a public evisceration. And that’s what the Maple Leafs put him through.
So…the Leafs and Ferguson move on. At least the timing of the decision gives Fletcher enough time to make thoughtful choices regarding the future of the Leafs. While enjoying a grace period, he can produce a game plan with the Leafs scouting staff and others to make the trading deadline a productive period.
First task at hand: Trade Mats Sundin.
Sundin has been the heart and soul of the team for many years and deserves the chance to be treated with the dignity not afforded to Ferguson. Fletcher will need to convince Mats this is the best thing for both the team and the player.
The Leafs can acquire some key assets for the future and Sundin gets a chance to play for a Cup. And make no mistake, the Leafs are not playing for a Cup. And, hey, Mats will be an unrestricted free agent come July 1. Who’s to say there won't be a joyous homecoming?
Mats holds all the cards with his no-trade clause and he has every right to dictate where he goes, and that will limit Fletcher's ability to command a big price. Still, there are assets to be gained.
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There are perhaps five or six realistic contenders for the Cup, although that might be inflating the number. That’s enough to build a bit of a bidding war if Mats will accept a trade to any one of them. But if you’re him, isn’t it Detroit, Anaheim, San Jose, Ottawa and maybe one or two others? This whole situation should prove to be intriguing. My bet is for one of those four clubs to be the winner.
After that, Fletcher has to begin evaluating the rest of the roster. Who’s worth keeping? Does Darcy Tucker have anything left? And doesn’t he have the ability to veto a move? What about Pavel Kubina?
And so on down the roster. Not all are tradeable. All of them, however, can be assigned to the AHL or bought out. Getting these ducks, or should I say Leafs, in a row is important going into the free agency period beginning July 1. There’s lots of cash on the line and the Leafs’ future. The more Fletcher can free up the roster for the incoming GM, the better.
It’s the hope here that Cliff won’t be strapped by second-guessing board members; that he’ll be empowered to do the job as if it were his for the long haul.
In the meantime, let the speculation begin as to who the next GM will be. It can only be hoped Richard Peddie and the board realize that past practices don’t cut it.
Give the next guy his budget and get out the way.
A Bruins blueliner with 754 games of NHL experience between 1975 and 1987, Mike Milbury is a former coach with Boston and GM with the Islanders.
Ron (Posted 2008-06-06 18:48:30)
All the southern CA liberal freaks need to get out of their sheltered closet and get with the pulse of the majority of North America. Tiger Wuss is a rich sheltered individual who does not have a large spectrum view of America. No one is forcing him to "like" hockey, but to dismiss it based on a totally uneducated view shows his naiveita. Granted, Mike Milbury showed his cross-checking type of analysis by suggesting that goons go and beat Tiger Wuss up, but people (especially left-wingers and about all of Hollywood, who are incredibly stupid and only got where they are by having sex with producers/talent evaluators) need to be at least somewhat enlightened before spewing commentary. I do not care how much Tiger has donated or how much community service he has provided, in life you are judged by your lack of negative, not your positive (If a man walks an elderly lady across the street, then mugs her, he will br judged by the mugging, not the good deed before), thus Tiger should apologize to the NHl and the hockey community. He could (and should have) answered the question by just saying he has not had time to watch the Stanley Cup Finals, not by spewing uninformed venom.
Lyle LaRosh (Posted 2008-06-05 20:38:13)
Mike, you must be the stupidest, ignorant, bonehead on the planet earth. You must not have any sons that you know of, because if you did, would you ratherr have a Stanford Graduate or a stupid hockey player as a role model for your sons. Tiger is the BEST role model and donates millions of dollars to bring underpriveleged kids into a solid sports foundation. How much did you donate to kids sports last year. You suck.
John Meyers (Posted 2008-06-05 19:57:41)
Milbury many people are not interested iin hockey. It is a breakfast lunch and dinner sport for Canadians and Americans from colder climes, but it is not a major sport here. Tiger Woods is not required to like it. In fact since he grew up in southern California it is unlikely he ever saw it. It is less than zero out here. Just because you are enthralled with it doesn't mean the rest of us are hooked. Get a life you midwest rube and let people enjoy the sports thye choose. Hockey is an acquired taste for many of us. More than a few don't want to acquire it.
Chris Wright (Posted 2008-06-05 17:56:58)
I didn't like the comment you made about Tiger at all!! Tiger has shown everyone the commitment and dedication it takes to conquer a sport like he has!!! You don't understand a self-disipline and pure talent game like golf!! So maybe you should keep your YAP shut until you do! Besides nobody down here watches hockey anyways!!!!
Mark Purvis (Posted 2008-06-05 17:25:05)
Mike I agree with what you said about Tiger Woods. I can't stand the guy or golf. As for what your colleague said about Americans not giving hockey a chance... He's totally wrong. I, like many other americans, love and enjoy watching hockey. All you have to do is look at any game at Joe Louis or Madison Square garden on any given night... sold out! Of course other teams in the states may not do as well but American hockey fans are out there and we always will be. GO RANGERS!
Shawn Dickson (Posted 2008-05-05 21:32:34)
Hey Mike, I watched you on the panel right before the Montreal-Philly series. I seem to remember your comments "Montreal will make short work of the Flyers" I think you need to give the Flyers a little more credit. In the new NHL anyone can win on any given night or any given series. I'm not even a Philly fan and those comments got under my skin. Go Flyers!!!!
Brendan ONeill (Posted 2008-04-21 22:41:05)
Mike,
caps fans are waiting for apology. Ovie a dog? If it looks like a dope, comments like a jerk... it must be a dopey jerk
shawn kjenner (Posted 2008-03-29 10:15:30)
This is what i wake up to ...............................................................................................NO MORE HOCKEY FIGHTS!!!! if we are aloud watching UFC and not a REAL hockey game..... then you picked the wrong sport to watch...... maybe soccer would should be your sport of choice...
i can imagine why you would say the things you did .... but how many 50 year old women watch TSN ... i have more to say but you wont want to hear it
Dan (Posted 2008-01-28 12:25:32)
Andy, you hit the nail on the head. I have been saying this to my Leaf friends for some time now and few can see the forest for the Leafs.
neil w (Posted 2008-01-28 11:29:45)
Read it and weep, Islander fans: Like this guy is going to be able to speak intelligently about trades.
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/NYIslanders/2006/01/13/1392421-sun.html
neil w (Posted 2008-01-28 11:16:07)
Why couldn't Milbury write about something he knows, like ruining a team through trading away great players and blue chip prospects for second rate players. That would provide some insight you don't read everyday.
Ryan (Posted 2008-01-27 14:39:41)
It would have been interesting if Mike had tied in his own experience with manipulative owners or dismantling a team. Instead, this "analysis" was just another repetition of the common wisdom everyone's been writing about for the last two months.
michael frysinger (Posted 2008-01-24 14:53:40)
From the little I hear on Hockey Night In Canada with Ron
Andy (Posted 2008-01-22 23:04:03)
Sundin will NOT waive his no-trade clause for one reason, and one reason only. HE LIKES BEING NUMBER 1, THE STAR OF THE TEAM!!! He doesn't give crap about winning or getting a Cup, he wants to be "THE" Star of the team! If he waives his no-movement clause, he'll be at best a number 2 center on a fair to good contending team. He won't have media surrounding him, he won't get all the attention, he won't have his STAR status anymore. Face the facts Leaf Nation, Sundin wants the limelight, not The CUP!!! Face it folks, if he wanted to win, he wouldn't be in Laffville right now, and he would have waived his no movement clause months ago!!!
Bob Lombardi (Posted 2008-01-22 22:58:22)
And Now!! Milbury is expert analyst on hockey telecasts and has a blog on THN. Whole nations get to hear what he thinks should or shouldn't be done and gets to hear him brag about how much Ranger fans loathe him...(guess what MM you were best thing that ever happened to a Ranger fan)
tom (Posted 2008-01-22 21:12:38)
here's what milbury should have written:
The Leafs should follow my model in which I incorporated into Long Island. First, shut out all alumni, former players, caoches..forget about the past, what are they good for they only won stanley cups and brought this organization into the forefront of the league. Second, trade all impact players, players that will be stars in this league, get rid of them and tell the owner it was the assistant GM. Thirdly, scouting staff, they are replaceable. They don't need long term contracts, they need 1 year deals. Each one of them replaceable, even if they did craft quality draft picks and get the right personnel in place to make the playoffs for the first time since Mad Mike took the reigns. Lastly, grab onto to the owners back and hang on for the ride, who says a sumo goalie can't be a star.
Joe Bosnack Jr (Posted 2008-01-22 21:03:29)
Anybody wants evidence of Mike Milbury's genioues as a GM need only look as far as the first two rounds of the 2003 draft-who he picked and who he left on the board. Maybe Toronto should hire him!
Rick (Posted 2008-01-22 18:58:49)
Darcy Tucker was once considered for the Olympics with all the diving he did... Now he doesn't have the heart or emotion to compete for anything. The Leafs would be smart to ask Kubina to see a hypnotist and then convince him to retire, thus terminating his contract, before he awakes from the hypnotic state. That's the only hope they have with that severely-overpaid stiff on skates. It only gets better as I look down the list. McCabe... haha! This dude doesn't even know what sport he plays. He thinks he's a linebacker. Good luck winning the Grey Cup, Bri. Hal Gill... that's a good one too. Let's compare him to Chara, Leafs Nation. Hahaha. I love the state of this team.
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